Orange-Carrot Cake

Posted: March 27, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Baked from Scratch, Cakes, Carrots, Juice, orange, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Remember the pulp left over from this delicious juice?Take a look:

Isn’t it gorgeous??
I decided to turn it into a cake. And what a delicious cake it was. And it called for minimum sugar too.

To make this cake,I just twisted,my mom’s regular cake recipe,to accomodate the pulp.This recipe was a hand-me-down from one of my mom’s friends and it was the first cake I ever baked.It still is,my go-to recipe,for when I want to quickly whip up a cake for tea.
Here goes:

Ingredients :

3 eggs
3 cups Self Raising(whole wheat) flour
1 cup sugar
3/4th cup oil
1 and 1/2 cup orange carrot pulp
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp cinammon powder

Method:

Beat eggs and powdered sugar together.Add oil to the mix and slowly start adding the AP flour.Simulatenously,also add the fruit pulp.Finally add the ginger and cinammon and mix a final time. Pour into a pre-greased tin and bake at 180 deg C for 20-25 mins,or till the skewer,inserted in the center of the cake,comes out clean.

This would yield a 9″ square cake.
If you do try it,do leave a comment and let me know,if it was:)
Happy Baking !!

P.S. you can reduce the quantities of sugar.. I had to add this much for the resident sweet tooth!

A Rose for the Princess

Posted: March 21, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Kid-knits, Knitting, Uncategorized | 1 Comment


I started this cardi for the little Diva,in May 2010. I think I finished most of the knitting by June 2010..Then came the daunting part- the sleeves…actually picking up stitches from the underarm. I took it to India,to get my grandma to teach me..but somehow I didn’t find time for that.
Then came the carpal tunnel and the left wrist was literally a pain to work with..and somewhere down the lane,my yarn-related craft mojo,disappeared too.. So,this poor Cardi was left to languish in some dark recesses of my cupboard.
As the days are getting colder,I decided to atleast,finish working on this..I tried the sleeves once again..but wasn’t too confident..and so,just dropped the idea of sleeves and settled for Cap-sleeves instead.
I am really happy with the way,this one turned out.The finishing is much much better than this one.
This is my first lace project and I am glad I took it up.Here’s a close up of the lace:

Ms.Aadya is mighty pleased.I knit it slightly bigger,so that she can wear it for a longer time.
Details:
Pattern : Pip’s Cardi fromRavelry
Yarn : Moda Vera- Varigated-Red.
Needle size- 3 1/4 mm.

Happy Holi:)

Posted: March 21, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Festivals, Uncategorized | Leave a comment


Wish you a very happy and colorful Holi,this year!

Orange-Carrot Juice

Posted: March 14, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Carrots, Juice, orange, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Aadya and I are fighting the flu.Our noses haven’t stopped leaking and the throat is hurting too..All we want to do is drink..And I think my body is specifically craving Vit.C.
I dragged myself off the couch and made this amazing fresh juice.It was so refreshing to just look at …drinking it was heavenly.

Here are the ingredients:
4 juicy oranges
4-5 medium sized carrots.
Here’s what I did:
First squeeze the oranges.
Next peel and chop carrots in bite-sized pieces or little bigger.Then blend the carrots with the orange juice. Then just strain the pulp.
OMG!The pulp is so gorgeous..I have never seen such lovely color..I didnt have the heart to throw it..So,I saved it.Now,to figure out,what to do with it..may be I’ll bake a cake??Lets see..
Anyway,how about you have some juice,while I think about it??

Choco-chip muffins

Posted: March 8, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Baked from Scratch, Choco-chip, Chocolate, Muffins | Leave a comment

I made these gorgeous muffins for Aadya’s school lunch tomorrow 🙂
The recipe is from here and my only changes to it are:
1)Used Whole wheat self raising flour instead of regular one.
2)replaced margarine with canola oil.

My take- The cupcakes are nice and moist.Only,next time I will add a little more than the 3/4 cup sugar recommended..even a cup or little more than that would be fine too. I made mini muffins and baked a 9″ round cake with the remaning batter.. pretty cool,eh? Oh!I would reduce the temperature by about 10 degrees too.. (atleast in my oven)
Hope you like enjoy making these too:)

Look what I just did

Posted: March 4, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

MayG led the way..how could I not follow!!

Would you???

Sabudana Khichdi

Posted: March 2, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: snack, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Does that make you wanna reach out and take a bite?? No!?? then,I really need to take better pictures.Trust me when I say,that this is the most delicious treat ever!
Today is Mahashivratri-one of my favorite festivals.I think this time scales are tipped higher because of the yummy foods associated with this day.This was the day,when everyone in my family fasted-including little kids.Seriously there was so much food it was more of a feast.The normal menu comprised of- Sabudana khichdi,Potato Bhaji,Shikran(banana+ milk fruit salad)buttermilk,Sabudana thalipeeth(sabudana+potato pancakes),candied sweetpotato,rajgira vadi,bhagar,chips and milk/tea. Who would want boring regular food then? I miss some of the foods,and wish I can make them someday-specially the candied sweet potato-but I can’t replicate my grandma’s perfect flavour.Till then,we’ll make do with Sabudana khichdi and potato bhaji 🙂

Sabudana Khichdi :
Ingredients:
2 cups sabudana( tapioca pearls)
3/4 cup peanut powder( dry roast the peanuts,take off the skin and grind the peanuts coarsely)
1 potato(boiled)
3-4 green chilies
2 tsp cummin seeds
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
fresh corriander leaves for garnishing.

Preparation:

Soak the Sabudana in water.Drain and keep aside for 2-3 hours,till all the pearls are soft and fluffy.
Add peanut powder,salt and sugar to the fluffy sabudana and mix well.
Heat oil in a thick pot or kadai. Add cummin seeds,green chilies,potato pieces.Fry the potatoes for 2 minutes.
Add the Sabudana mix to the pot and mix well. Keep stirring till the sabudana pearls turn translucent and soft.
DO NOT COVER OR ADD WATER-otherwise,you will end up with a sticky,soggy mess. If you need to,add a little oil or ghee.
Garnish with chopped corriander,and serve hot with a lemon wedge and fresh yogurt.
I love it especially when the slight sweetness from the sugar,the tangy lemon flavor and fresh yogurt come together in my mouth…ummm…yummm!
I have shared this recipe with so many friends and they always complain that it doesn’t turn out like mine.. well,I’ll just say,keep mixing and stirring till your arm is about to fall off all the sabudana pearls turn translucent..really thats the trick..That and be generous with the peanut powder.
If the calories bother you,workout more the next day.. but for now-Enjoy!!!