Tag: Apple


Jun
2014

National Donut Day!!! #RecipeRoundUp

categories: Baking, Breakfast, Desserts, Doughnuts

Whether you prefer doughnut over donut or fried over baked doesn’t really matter, because these glazed, filled, sprinkled, and all around glorious treats are uh-mah-zing no matter what you call them or how you make them! In honor of National Donut Day today, I’m sharing some of my favourites (which are all of them!) from the archives.

So, take out your donut-pans and get your sweet donut craving on!
Go get baking! 🙂

Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze

Baked Lemon Doughnuts with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze

Banana Donuts

Baked Banana Donuts & Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cake Donuts

Red Velvet Cake Donuts

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donuts

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Doughnuts

Baked Chocolate Banana Donuts

Baked Chocolate Banana Doughnuts

Baked Apple Cinnamon Donuts

Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts

Share this recipe:

May
2014

Leeks, Fennel, Apple + Walnuts Warm Salad

categories: Dinner, Lunch, Salads, Sides, Spring

Leeks, Fennel, Apple + Walnuts Warm Salad1

 

Just popping in to say Hi as it’s been two weeks since we last talked! I am feeling unbelievably lazy and  don’t want to write much so I’ll leave you guys with this quick recipe. I hope you guys’ll understand.

Salads are usually underrated but this one right here is a total stunner. Perfect for spring! It was my first time using fennel in my home kitchen so I was quite excited in terms of what to make with it. I’m a salad person so that is what I wanted to experiment first. The combination of leek, fennel, apple and walnuts works so beautifully and sounds quite exotic but mostly they are all simple, earthy ingredients bound together by a simple dressing. I can’t wait to turn these ingredients in to a soup once the rainy days arrive in full swing(which I hope will be soon!).

Enjoy!
xx

 

Leeks, Fennel, Apple + Walnuts Warm Salad2

 

Leeks, Fennel, Apple + Walnut Warm Salad

Serves: as a side for 2/a hearty meal for 1 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
  • 1 apple, cored & sliced (peeling is optional, I didn’t)
  • 1 + 1 tsp lemon juice, divided
  • 10-12 walnuts
  • 1 Tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 2 leeks
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
  • 1 fennel, small bulb, sliced
  • 3-4 lettuce leaves
Dressing:
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 and 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp honey
  • freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • salt, to taste

Directions:

*Preparing Leek : Cut the ends off the leek and discard. Quarter the leek lengthwise, wash under running water to remove all the grit and cut them into slices.
*Preparing Fennel : Check this easy tutorial on The Kitchn

  1. Wash, core and slice an apple. Toss with 1 tsp of lemon juice to prevent discoloration and set aside.
  2. In a fry pan, add the walnuts and toast them on a medium-low heat until fragrant. Set aside.
  3. In the same fry pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic, leeks and thyme leaves to the pan and sauté for about 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally. Add sliced fennel, cook for another minute or so and remove it from the heat. Immediately stir in sliced apples and splash remaining 1 tsp lemon juice.
  4. In a small jar, add all the ingredients for the salad dressing. Close the lid tightly and shake the jar vigorously until completely combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
  5. In a serving plate, make a bed of lettuce leaves and top with salad. Garnish with toasted walnuts. Serve immediately.
Share this recipe:

Feb
2014

‘Breakfast For Two’ ~ Savory Pear & Apple Dutch Baby

categories: Baking, Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Pancakes, Sides

Savory Pear & Apple Dutch Baby1

 

Good Morning & Happy Valentine’s Day ♥ Friends!

Roshni & I are back with our second installment of monthly cook-off. Keeping today’s lovey-dovey holiday in mind, the theme was a no-brainer – ‘Breakfast for Two’. So if you’ve still not thought of V-day breakfast for your sweetie then let us come to your rescue. I come bearing freshly baked savory German Pancake. Convenient without having to stand flipping pancakes on stove one by one and ready in 30 minutes! Slide it in the oven, go about your work (make coffee or arrange breakfast tray) and after 20 minutes, poof!, breakfast is served. No burnt sides too! 😉

Blogosphere is scattered with chocolates, berries and sprinkles for the occasion. Red and pink is so much in the air! I joined  the  bandwagon  too but if you’re not into sweet stuff then this recipe is just perfect for you.

 

Savory Pear & Apple Dutch Baby2

 

Pear, apple, some leeks and smoked Gouda… The fruit is cooked in a pan with some butter and thyme. Heavenly smell to wake up to, if you ask me! The fruit is then arranged in cast-iron skillet or baking pan. Egg and flour mixture is poured over the fruit followed by cheese. The prep requires mere 10 minutes of time and then whole business is taken care of by your beloved oven. It is baked until golden for about 20-25 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

This dutch baby is perfect as a Brunch/Brinner too and should be made on any day, not only on V-day. Make this NOW & thank me later. If you want to make a sweet dutch baby, then try this recipe of mine. And now go to Roshni‘s blog for a great ‘Breakfast For Two’ idea! Let’s check out what she has in store for us all! 🙂

Have a great day all you happy lovers out there! ♥ ♥ ♥

Savory Pear & Apple Dutch Baby

Serves: 2 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20-25 minutes | Total time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp butter (salted works too)
  • 2 Tbsp leeks, washed & thinly sliced
  • Half pear, peeled, cored & sliced
  • Half green apple, peeled, cored & sliced
  • few sprigs of thyme
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1/4 tsp lack pepper (or more)
  • 1/2 cup grated smoked Gouda cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 210ºC / 425ºF.
  2. Heat a small pan on a medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of butter to it. Once butter has melted, add leek, pear, apple slices and thyme leaves to the pan and let cook on a medium heat for about 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally. Set aside.
  3. Mix the eggs, flour, milk, salt and pepper in a blender on a medium speed until just blended, 5-10 seconds.
  4. Add rest of the 1 Tbsp butter in to a 9-inch cast-iron skillet/baking pan and put it in the oven. Wait until the butter has melted completely and sizzling then carefully take the pan out and swirl the butter around coating the pan completely.
  5. Spread the cooked mixture of leek, fruits and thyme to the bottom of the pan. Pour the egg mixture on top. Finally, sprinkle the cheese all over and slide it back into the oven to be baked for 20-25 minutes, until slightly browned on top. Cut the dutch baby into 4 or 6 wedges and serve immediately.
Share this recipe:

Nov
2013

Skinny Zesty Salad

categories: Dinner, Fall, Lunch, Quick Fix, Salads, Sides, Summer

Skinny Zesty Sala1

 

After hogging lots and lots of sweets and fried stuff during 5 days of festivities in the past week, believe it or not, but my digestive system needed a break. So I am doing a cleanse/detox for few days.

I made this skinny salad for lunch one day and have fallen in love with it since then. It is so versatile, protein-packed and healthy even for people with diet restrictions. Yes! It is suitable for all the vegetarians and vegans out there! A complete meal in itself.

Add any or all of the ingredients mentioned below or whatever you have in your refrigerator. Don’t like uncooked Paneer/tofu? Don’t worry! You can grill it with a bit of olive oil and some seasoning before adding it to your salad or skip it. I once made this with just apple, pear, pomegranate and it was still lip-smacking!

So do your body a favor, give yourself a break from cooking and make this hearty salad! 🙂

Skinny Zesty Sala2

Skinny Zesty Salad

Serves: 2 as a side and 1 as a main-course

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 200 gm Paneer/extra-firm tofu, cut into 2 inch-long thin strips
  • 1 small red bell pepper, chopped into thin strips
  • 1 small yellow zucchini, cut into semicircles
  • 1 small apple, thin slices
  • 4 Tbsp black olives
  • Bunch of lettuce
  • few sprigs of parsley, finely chopped

For dressing:

  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
  • Juice from 1 lemon, or more to taste
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat a small pan on stove and add 1/2 Tbsp oil to it. Add garlic and broccoli florets. Stir fry till cooked, approximately for 4-5 minutes. Be careful not to burn garlic. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for dressing.
  3. In a medium bowl, add stir-fried garlic and broccoli florets. To this, add prepared paneer/tofu, bell pepper, zucchini, apple and black olives. Pour dressing over it and toss nicely.
  4. In a salad serving bowl, arrange lettuce at the bottom. Add salad on top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately*.

*If serving later, refrigerate the salad and add apple just before serving.

Share this recipe:

Oct
2013

Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts

categories: Baking, Breakfast, Desserts, Doughnuts, Fall

Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts1

I’ve got some good news for ya all!!!

I FINALLY bought doughnut pan! Eeeeeeep!!!

I was so EXCITED the day it arrived that I wanted to put it to use immediately (As if it’s any surprise!). The stars and planets united and I was faced with early Diwali gifting occasion.. Happiest me! Without any second thoughts I knew it had to be freshly baked doughnuts.

I wanted to make chocolate doughnuts as my first doughnuts in this pan but these were for gifting so I decided against it. I mean, I can’t trust myself around chocolate and the gift couldn’t be an empty box so, smart move I thought! 😛

With the weather we are experiencing and soooo many apples sitting in my pantry, these adorable beauties were born. And I was absolutely pleased with my decision making ability this time around!

Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts2

They were just So So Good, I wanted to eat the whole batch myself… No kidding!! I mean can you imagine anything better where you can have apple, cinnamon and sprinkles, all together?! Oh… our house smelled Dee-vine!

Needless to say that the doughnuts were so soft and moist plus a healthier breakfast option compared to the store-bought deep-fried version. Win-win!

So buy the doughnut pan right away if you don’t already have it. I got mine from here. You NEED it in your life… Trust me! Plus these make such cute gifts for this festive season too!

Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts3

Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts

Yields: 8 to 9 doughnuts

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 medium granny smith apple, peeled and finely chopped

Glaze:

 

  • 1 Tbsp melted butter
  • 2 Tbsp caster sugar + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, mixed together
  • sprinkles (optional)

 

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF. Lightly grease the doughnut pan and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, mix together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Whisk in milk to this mix.
  4. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients all at once to it. Add finely chopped apples. Stir together until no flour pockets remain but be careful not to over-mix.
  5. With a small spoon, dollop batter into the prepared pan. Fill each doughnut pan three-quarters full with batter. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until doughnuts are puffed up and lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the pan for a while before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. While doughnuts are still warm, brush melted butter on each doughnut. Sprinkle some sprinkles on each doughnut followed by cinnamon-sugar.

*These doughnuts are best served the day they are made.
*Feel free to grate the peeled apple if you do not like chopped pieces in every bite!
*Make the recipe eggless by simply replacing egg with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce.

Happy Baking!!

 

Share this recipe: