Tag: vegan


Jan
2014

Strawberry Jalapeño Salsa

categories: Appetizers, Dips & Sauces, Entrée, Sides

Strawberry Jalapeño Salsa1

 

This salsa is so so good. I made it the other night when few friends came over and I knew after the first bite that I had a winner. Thankfully I had clicked few pics beforehand (food blogger problems!) so I decided to make it a post.

Actually, it is quite silly of me to be presenting this as a recipe with strict measurements because, really, you can just chop, drop and taste as you go! So consider this as a rough guideline. You may substitute orange juice in the recipe with lime or make it using pineapple instead of strawberries. Summer on your plate!

 

Strawberry Jalapeño Salsa3

 

This recipe here works so perfectly and you can use it on chicken, fish, meats, tacos, bruschetta, or just scoop it up with chips! Pretty versatile. Bring it to a pot-luck or a party and I bet no one has had it before! It is sweet, tangy, spicy and has a lot going on. Strawberries are in abundance right now, so go for it!

Brighten up your Monday with this simple yet cracking dish!
Have a great week ahead! 🙂

 

Strawberry Jalapeño Salsa2

 

Strawberry Jalapeño Salsa

Serves: 3-4 | Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
  • Zest and juice from 1 medium orange
  • Around 20 fresh strawberries, chopped into small even dice
  • Fresh cracked black peppers
  • Handful of cilantro, rinsed and finely chopped

Directions:

In a large bowl, let onion, jalapeño, orange juice and zest steep till you prepare strawberries.
Add strawberries, pepper, cilantro and toss. Chill until ready to serve.

Note: Don’t make this much more than an hour or so before serving. Like all salsas, it will wilt and the fruit may get a little mushy. An hour is the optical amount of time for the flavors to meld and the juices to start flowing. Longer than that salsa will slowly start to lose its fresh appearance.

Share this recipe:

Jan
2014

Inside-Out Double Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies ~ Whole Wheat & Eggfree!

categories: Baking, Breakfast, Cookies

Inside-Out Double Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies2

 

Hope the new year started on a wonderful note for you all! I am still trying to recover from the indulgent last week we had. But don’t worry, I am not here to talk about my new year resolutions or boring stuff like that 😉 I love how each new year allows us to have a clean, fresh slate giving us time to reflect upon the past and visualize the future.

I simply don’t believe in dieting. Too much of good things can’t ever be bad now, can it! Plus, I always feel that being fit is certainly not about following a restrictive diet but making a lifestyle choice. And I certainly believe in eating healthy which goes without saying as my blog-post titles almost always include healthy, skinny or light, more than you would like to see may be!

So this year is going to be all about being happy! (You can track my progress on my Instagram) Taking each day as it comes. You all know I am not much of a planner so this is all I am looking forward to this year. Umm, may be a bit more of travelling! 😉

 

Inside-Out Double Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies1

 

These cookies were developed in 2013 and I never got a chance to share them at that time. I knooow it’s a crime and hence I don’t want to keep this fabulous recipe from you anymore. So I am choosing to showcase these unbelievably soft and chewy chocolate cookies laced with chocolate chips and M&Ms as a first recipe post of 2014! They are perfectly thick and so puffy. With a pop of color too!

I have kept those of you in mind who are resolute to eat healthy this year. These cookies use whole wheat flour, brown sugar and date syrup. Of course, without compromising on taste. Oh, they are eggfree too! To make them vegan, you may replace butter with olive oil and replace regular milk with soy/almond milk. Best of all world indeed! You may use any or combination of your favorite chocolate chips. I would love to use white chocolate chips the next time around because of the brilliant visual effect it will create!

 

Inside-Out Double Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies3

 

Inside-Out Double Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies ~ Whole Wheat & Eggfree

Yields: Around 30 cookies | Prep time: 15 minutes | Chill time: 30-60 minutes | Bake time: 13 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp flax seed powder + 4 Tbsp water + 5 Tbsp milk
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup date syrup
  • 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 Tbsp milk
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • lots n lots of M&Ms

Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, mix together flax seed powder, water and milk. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, with the help of your electric mixer, beat the butter until soft. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy on a medium speed for about 1-2 minute. Beat in date syrup, vanilla extract and flax seed mixture.
  4. Fold in dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add 3 Tbsp of milk to form the dough. Fold in chocolate chips. Chill the dough in refrigerator for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  5. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Take about 2 Tbsp of dough, form it into a ball between your palms and flatten them. The cookies won’t spread much while baking so flatten how much ever thickness you like. Press M&Ms on the cookie dough. Bake them for 13 minutes. Let them cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them on cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will stay fresh for 1 week at room temperature in an airtight container.

*For vegan version : Replace butter with olive oil and replace regular milk with soy/almond milk.

Inside-Out Double Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies4

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:

Sep
2013

Cinnamon Stovetop Oatmeal ~ For One

categories: Breakfast, Fall, No-Bake, Quick Fix, Spring, Summer

cinnamon stovetop oatmeal -1

You don’t need me tell you how to make an oatmeal. I’m sure, you can handle that on your own.

Maybe I need to remind myself how to make oatmeal. Maybe I need to remind myself to make oatmeal at all… and eat it.. for breakfast. Staring at my laptop first thing in the morning, burning my mouth sipping hot coffee does not make breakfast.

I thought if I needed a reminder, you might need it too. So let’s make this healthy stovetop oatmeal with cinnamon and any seasonal or even frozen fruits of your choice. A treat for that special person, YOU!

Cinnamon Stovetop Oatmeal-2

This oatmeal is perfect for the weather… so comforting and so healthy! The addition of cinnamon is mandatory. You may throw in some nutmeg too. Addition of nuts or seeds not so much but if you do add them, you’ll not regret it. This makes for such a wholesome breakfast in such a short time and hardly demands a ton of ingredients. Water, milk, quick cooking oats and cinnamon – you could manage these everyday, isn’t it? Total no-brainer. Oh, you could also double the recipe to serve two. ?

Have an exciting weekend peeps!

Cinnamon Stovetop Oatmeal – For One

Serves: 1 | Ready under 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk – soy, almond, coconut or cow milk
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp cane sugar/honey/maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup quick cooking oats
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Optional toppings: chopped walnuts, sliced almonds, raisins, cranberries, chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan, add water, milk, cinnamon and cane sugar. If using honey/maple syrup read the last step. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. Add the oats and salt and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer stirring occasionally for a minute.
  2. Turn the heat off. Stir in vanilla and honey/maple syrup (if not using cane sugar). Top with fruits or other toppings (mentioned above) of your choice. Serve immediately.

Shop the recipe:

Here are some items I used to make today’s recipe.

                    

 

Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Cook By Book.

Share this recipe:

Aug
2013

Serenity ~ Coconut Water Fruit Punch

categories: Drinks, Quick Fix, Summer
Serenity2
Its been ages since I last posted drink’s recipe here. In fact, its been long since I stirred up some new fancy-schmancy drink! I have been drinking my share of Iced teas and coffees but have not created any new combination worth sharing…
So here is what I made over this past weekend. And it involves something I’ve been drinking a lot lately! Cocojal.. It’s nothing but packaged tender coconut water.. It comes in pineapple and lime flavors too but I prefer it plain, unflavored one. I’m in so much love with it that I have almost 2 bottles a day. You can see I’m totally addicted!
Serenity3
I know what you guys are thinking.. Every nook and corner of my part of world is bursting with vendors selling tender coconuts and still I drink packaged version! Shocked?! Don’t be.. I prefer the packaged version for several reasons. It’s convenient, I like it chilled and you know it is going to be sweet every single time! If you’re against packaged stuff then feel free to use fresh tender coconut water.
I have been craving for some vacation from quite sometime now. Situation has it that it’s not going to be possible for sometime. Hence I took control of the situation, made this, put my feet up and relaxed while sipping on these. And I envisioned myself at my favorite beach in Goa! If you are in more of a celebratory mood, add champagne/white wine to it!
There is no specific recipe for it as such as it is not exactly science. Feel free to make with whatever combination works for you. It is just that simple… No sugar added required!
I was feeling tropicalish so I added a drop of blue food-color to my drink and it turned in to perfect ocean blue! If you hate food-colors then add Curacao Bleu syrup to achieve the desired blue. Double or triple the recipe if serving a larger crowd as it is so perfect for parties. If making this for girls’ night or bridal shower, add a drop of pink/red food-color! Again you may add a splash of Grenadine syrup to achieve the desired pink. World is much better in PINK! 😉
Garnish with fruits like berries or pineapple and cheers!
Serenity1
Serenity ~aka~ Coconut Fruit Punch (vegan, gluten free, soy free, no added sugar)
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
  • 3 bottles Cocojal, 600 ml (approx 20 oz)
  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • 1 drop blue food colouring
  • Choice of frozen/fresh fruit cubes, for serving

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl or pitcher, stir and refrigerate till it is time to serve. Garnish with fruits on stick.

*Notes:

Do not add ice-cubes to the drink. It makes the drink more watery. If you want then freeze coconut water, pineapple juice or apple juice in an ice-cube tray in advance and add them to drink as “ice” cubes.
Liqueur lovers can stir-in champagne/white wine to the drink.

P.S. I have not been compensated by Cocojal in any way for writing this post. All the opinions expressed here are personal.

Share this recipe: