Ginger Cookies

'Tis the season to be jolly and to eat cookies! There are many reasons to bake this time of the year. The house warms up, the air fills with delicious smells and let's be honest, nothing brings the family together like baked food does! If this is what you are looking for, this cookie is right up your alley. And as a bonus, the cookie is vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free! 

These ginger filled cookies are easy to make and taste great! It is kinda like a sugar cookie because the dough is rolled in coconut sugar before being baked. So it is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The traditional spices like ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg make you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside! The cookie is finally dipped in melted dark chocolate for additional oomph!

This recipe introduces the Flax egg. The humble ground flax is mixed with some hot water and allowed to stand for a few minutes. This leads to a flax egg which makes for a simple and healthy egg substitute! 

Ingredients : (Makes 12)

Dry :
1/2 cup Buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon of fresh, grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
A pinch of salt

Wet:
1/2 cup peanut butter
Coconut Sugar : 1/2 cup for the cookies + 1/3 cup for coating
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 tablespoons of maple syrup (or molasses) 
Flax Egg - 1 tablespoon of ground flax meal + 2 tablespoons of hot water.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300F.
• Make the flax egg by mixing the flax meal with hot water. Allow it to stand.
• Whisk the peanut butter and coconut sugar (1/2 cup) till they are well mixed and have no lumps. Add in the flax egg, vanilla and maple syrup and whisk some more.
• Add in all the dry ingredients and stir everything with a spatula till you have a ball of dough. Do not overmix.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/3rd cup coconut sugar on a plate. Make 12 balls out of the cookie dough.
• Lightly coat the base of a cup and a fork with the sugar. Place the cookie dough balls on the sugar plate and flatten them using the back of the cup. Flip the cookies over and use the back of the fork to flatten again. This way, you have round cookies, with coconut sugar on both sides and fork impression on one side. Remember these are not big cookies. Flatten lightly.
• Bake the cookies in the preheated (300F) oven for 25-30 mins, till the cookie is holding shape but is still soft. Let it cool to harden.
• For the chocolate coating, melt a small amount of chocolate chips in the microwave. Once you have melted chocolate, add a few more chocolate chips and stir till everything is melted. This tempers the chocolate.
• Dip the cookies into the melted chocolate and let it cool.

The cookies are ready to be devoured! Happy Holidays all!

Soya Yogurt

We're back. India trip, shorter days and lazying around have kept us away from the blog a little too much. But we're back. And we have missed this!

It's said that you are what you eat. Big words. What to put on a plate is a huge question and not one with a simple answer. One way to start thinking about this is what motivates us - what are we trying to achieve. We both have been pondering about the current state of the planet and what we can do to be better global citizens. The more we understand, the clearer it gets that the small things like what we cook daily can affect the state of our world. Driven by documentaries like Cowspiracy, which motivated us to learn more, we decided ours should be, largely, a plant based, whole food diet.

Here is the disclaimer - We do not like labels. Labels are best suited for the more scientific world but for our homes, maybe not. Labels restrict. Labels give you rules which seem like a fun idea to break. Labels make you feel bad when not kept. So, let's not stick a label on this.

With this in mind, we set out to grocery shop. So. Many. Options. Fresh veges, juices, milks, flours! Yay! Then came my quandary. Yogurt. I love yogurt. I eat yogurt with every single thing. I make dairy based yogurt at home often. So I started scouting and it turned out that I could make/buy non-dairy yogurt. And because we love experiments, we decided to make it at home.

I have started making Soya Yogurt on a regular basis. I am the type of person who doesn't mind a little change in taste or texture. But this was yogurt! This had to taste and feel like what I have always loved. I was surprised that Soya yogurt tastes just like dairy yogurt. It's thick, rich and creamy.

The base is simple and more or less what you'd do to make any yogurt. 

Milk + Bacteria = Yogurt

It helps to warm the milk a little bit before adding the bacteria as bacteria thrives in a warmer climate. The bacteria in question here is Lactobacillus, a bacteria easily available in any store bought yogurt or pro-biotic capsule. While the latter is an option, I found it easier to buy the first tub of yogurt and if you play the cards right, you'd never have to buy yogurt again.

These are the quantities I used. But these numbers are very flexible!
- 1 quart (946ml) Soya Milk
- 2 tablespoons of soya yogurt or dairy yogurt.

Steps:
- Warm the milk on the stove. The moment you see steam coming out, take the milk off the heat. You do not want to boil the milk.
- Pour the milk into a clean glass jar (or any appropriate container). I prefer glass as its easy to clean and the fact that I can see through it helps for any fermentation.
- Mix the 2 tablespoons of yogurt into the milk and cover the container.
- Store in a warm place (I prefer to keep it near the stove).
- The yogurt should be done in 12-24 hours. If you stay in a colder climate, give it another 12 hours if needed.

Your delicious, creamy yogurt is now ready! Use it for everything you'd use dairy yogurt for. And if you need more ideas - hang in there for my secret Chana Masala recipe coming up soon!

Carrot Juice

Juice is good for you. We are not the first people to tell you this but here goes. A glass of fresh pressed juice is the best way for the body to absorb all the nutrients from fruits and vegetables. They are great for our immunity, our energy levels and our brain. So, whether you are looking to ward off a cold or just get more nutrition into your diet, this is a good way to start.

Since we now agree that we love juice, let's talk about making juice. There are many juicers out there and at different prices. Each has its pros and cons. We have not made the leap to a good one yet, so we make do with a simple blender and a nut milk bag. Whether you have a juicer or a blender, you have to try this juice!

Ingredients:
- 5 carrots
- 5 oranges
- 1 inch of ginger
- 2 teaspoons of turmeric

Setup:
1. If you are using organic vegetables, you can leave the peel on for the carrot and ginger. If not, peel them.
2. Peel the oranges.
3. For straining, we place a nut milk bag on a bowl. You can also use a strainer or a cheese cloth over a bowl for the same results.

Instructions:
- Drop in pieces of orange into the blender and blend well. Pour it through the strainer into the bowl.
- Chop up your carrots into chunks. Add to the blender with the ginger. To help the carrots blend easily, add some of the strained orange juice. If you want to dilute the juice, you can add water also. Blend well. Strain the juice into the same bowl as the orange juice.
- Add in the turmeric into the juice and mix well.
- Store in a bottle in the fridge and drink it up within 3 days.

What do I do with the pulp?
You have many options. You can add the carrot pulp to soups or stews to thicken it. You can add the orange pulp to your baked goods or porridge. If you have plants, this makes for good plant food too. As I explore more, I will add a few recipes for the pulp usage too!

This recipe is a starting point. You can go crazy with any combination of ingredients and make as many different varieties as you like! So, let's get juicing!

Granola!

Some people have 'Zen' mornings. Wake up listening to the birds chirping, go for a run, eat a big breakfast and reach work before everyone else. That is the exact opposite of our mornings. We are all about snoozing, hurrying and running to work. In the midst of all the morning madness, it is usually breakfast that suffers. Weekday breakfasts are the most unappreciated meals and ironically, the most essential also. It is what your body needs to re-energize for the long day ahead.

With this in mind, I am always on the lookout for easy breakfast recipes - ideally ones that I can make before hand. And if you are on the same mission, this recipe is right up your alley.

Oats are soon becoming the quintessential breakfast staple in our homes. This horse-feed is rich in fiber, high is protein and is known to lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure. There are many health benefits to be had from oats but the bottom line is - Oats are great for you! It keeps you full for longer and makes for a wonderful breakfast. But here is the catch - if you are tearing open a packet of pre-mixed oats or granola - you are probably not on the right track. Most pre-mixed oats are high in sugar and other additives which are not what one should eat first thing in the morning - or any other time of day.

Here is a recipe for a simple, homemade Granola.

Base Recipe Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats. [These do better here than steel cut oats.]
1 heaping teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
3 tablespoons of maple syrup.
2 tablespoons of olive oil [or coconut oil]
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Additions:
Dried fruits : Raisins, Apricots, Goji berries, Blueberries
Nuts : Pecans, Almonds or Walnuts
Seeds : Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds
Dried coconut gratings

Now, for the simple recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Mix the wet ingredients -- maple syrup, oil & vanilla extract, till they are blended well. 
3. Add cinnamon + oats and mix well.

Your base is ready. Yes, that's it!

While this is good by itself, the additions make for a more nutritious breakfast. My version has pecans, sunflower seeds, coconut gratings and raisins. Add in your favorite additions to the base granola and mix well. Just remember to leave out the dried fruits at this point and add them in at the end. [I forgot this and ended up rescuing the granola!]

Spread your mix on a oven proof tray which is lined with parchment paper to avoid sticking. Bake it for 20-25mins. Mix it once after 10mins to ensure even coloring. Once the color is a toasty brown, pull it out of the oven and let it cool. Add in the dried fruits you had left out earlier and mix well. Store in airtight container(s) for up to two weeks.

Note: Try to use the best quality of ingredients. As and when possible use organic oats, pure maple syrup [one without additives] and vanilla extract [not essence!]. More of my rants on eating better coming soon!

We love eating this every morning with some honey, yogurt and fresh fruits. Hope your mornings are a little more 'Zen' after this recipe!

Spinach Almond Pesto

Growing up, pasta was restricted to fancy restaurant menus. Today, pantries around the world have a packet of pasta lying around somewhere. Its time to bring that packet out and make this delicious, healthy pasta. 

Pesto is a very versatile recipe. Traditionally made with basil & pine nuts, they go great on pastas, salads and sandwiches. The word pesto, however, has little to do with the ingredients and more to do with the circular pounding process, traditionally done using a mortar-pestle . At home, we love experimenting with pesto recipes. The way I think is - take a green [or a combination of them] + take a nut + add a few complementing spices and good olive oil - vóila ~ Besto Pesto! Our choice here is spinach and almonds, as these are easy to get hold of, if you don't have it lying around already. This is a wonderful way to add more greens to your diet and is as simple as turning on your blender.

Ingredients :
- 3 big handfuls of baby spinach [or regular spinach, cleaned and cut]
- 1/3rd cup of almonds
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon of paprika [or chili powder]
- 1 teaspoon of dried herbs
- Salt & Pepper
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- Pasta for two people [I used brown rice Linguini pasta]

To cook the pasta, boil some salted water. Once the water bubbles, add in the pasta. Remember, the bubbles help keep the pasta strands separated. Cooking time depends on the pasta and you can find the times on the packet. 

Toast the almonds on a dry pan till you see some color. Now the fun starts. In your blender, add the spinach and toasted nuts. Blend till everything is combined, yet the texture should be a little coarse. Now add in all the spices [garlic, dried herbs, salt & pepper]. Blend some more. Finally, with the blender running, pour in the olive oil through the small opening on top of the blender.

Your pesto is done! And your pasta should be done too. Reserve some of the pasta water and run the pasta under some cold water to prevent it from over cooking. Add the pesto on a pan and warm through. Add the cooked pasta to the pesto mix. Add in the reserved pasta water if you need to make the mixture more saucy.

Serve the pasta in a bowl. The pasta goes well with olives, cheese [feta or parmesan go great] and some freshly crushed black pepper. A few almonds or pecans, chopped, would be a great topping too!

Take a moment to admire the green goodness before you dig in! Enjoy!

Chickpea crêpes + Turmeric potatoes

Brunch is the perfect weekend meal. The idea of combining breakfast and lunch is nothing short of perfection - waking up late, one big meal and fewer dishes to wash up. San Francisco is the Mecca for brunch and we do them too often. We hope to write up a blog entry listing our favorite spots in SF, someday!

Brunch at home can be equally enjoyable. Along with the above advantages, you can go from bed to brunch in pajamas! This is one such recipe. Easy, quick, healthy and so yummy! I don't know if crêpe is the right word here. The consistency is between a crêpe and a pancake but I will call it a crêpe. This 'crêpe' is made using chickpea flour which is a wonderful addition to your pantry. It is gluten-free but can still hold things together. Indian cooking calls for chickpea flour in pakoda batter, for thickening curries or making sweets. This is an Indian inspired dish and a healthier take on the Great Indian Masala Dosa [rice and lentil crêpes with a potato filling]. All of these ingredients can be found in an Indian Store or a local speciality food store but the mantra is -  It is more important to make it than make it exactly - so feel free to add something new or leave out something and let me know how that went in the comments below.

Recipe:

Crêpe:
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 green chili chopped [keep the seeds for additional eat]
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves [also called Kasuri Methi]
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup of water
- Salt to taste

Heat up the oil and temper the cumin seeds, fennel seeds and chili till you smell the spices. Add the tempered spices, baking soda and fenugreek leaves to the chickpea flour. Add half of the water to start with and mix till there are no lumps. Add more water till you have a batter slightly thicker than a crêpe batter. Add salt. Do not panic if the batter looks grainy. Set this aside for 20mins [Pro tip : You can make the filling in the meantime]

Grab a flat non-stick pan or skillet and a couple of drops of your favorite oil [I use olive oil]. Once the oil heats, pour in a couple of ladles of the batter. Use the back of the ladle to spread the crêpe. Once you see bubbles form on the top and a beautiful brown base, flip the crêpe and give it another minute or so, till completely cooked. Repeat till all the batter is used up. I always mess up my first crêpe but that is ok! The pan heats up perfectly after the first one and I get the scraps to munch on while I make the others.

Potato filling:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
- 5-6 curry leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon split yellow mung beans [optional]
- 2 teaspoons of ginger [or more]
- 1 whole green chili [leave the seeds for more heat]
- 1 big onion, sliced lengthwise
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cooked potato
- Salt + Pepper

Cook the potato. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the mustard seeds to the hot oil and wait till they pop! Then add in the mung dal [optional], ginger, curry leaves, chili and cook. Once the ginger looks cooked, add the onions and salt. The salt helps to draw out the water from the onions. Once the onions have gone soft, add turmeric and cook some more. Finally add in the potato and pepper. You are done once all the potato is coated with the yellow-ness of the turmeric.

You can fill the potato mix in the crêpe but I like serving it on the side with a side salad [spinach-sprouts-salt-olive oil-pepper], lemon wedges and sweet, juicy tomatoes which take the dish to another level! We put all of this in one BIG serving bowl and dig in!