Double Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroon Tart (vegan, gluten-free, grain-free)

Halloween week without chocolate is simply a crime. We must fill our quota! Luckily, I have the perfect solution..

After teasing you with this dessert the other week (and seeing you lose your mind over it) I figured I better deliver the goods. I set a lofty goal of making this chocolate pie as friendly to as many different dietary needs as I could. I always love a good challenge in the kitchen; it keeps me on the brink of crazy town.

In addition to being vegan, this pie is also gluten-free, grain-free, and nut-free. A Halloween miracle if you ask me!

It’s also free of self-control because it’s impossible to have any when this pie is near. Obviously.

Halloween chocolate quota fulfilled. Check, check, GULP.

After drowning myself in chocolate, I’m absolutely thrilled with the final result. Plus, now I have a freezer full of chocolate pie for a couple parties we’re hosting this week. [Eric said, “Well that’s if I don’t eat it all first!”]

And of course, let’s not forget HALLOWEEN. Adriana is going as a carrot to balance out the chocolate. I know…she’s going to hate me. But come on, a newborn carrot bunting costume? JUST STOP.

Tip: I had major trouble with the pie crust sticking to the dish in an early trial. Eric saved the day with his genius solution. It involves three strips of parchment paper placed on the base of the dish, and then you cover it with a piece of plastic wrap on top. This way you can pull out the entire pie using the parchment paper. It still takes some wiggling to pop it out, but this worked so much better than my other attempt. Thanks Eric for letting me sleep at night. Note: The pictures below don’t show the parchment strips because it was an earlier trial.

Ok enough chit chat. I’d say there’s still time to whip up a crazy decadent, show-stealing, rich chocolate pie. And it’s no-bake to boot. Thirty minutes of prep and a few hours in the freezer is all that stands in your way. Nothing scary about that!

PS- Don’t mind the long recipe – I learned a lot of tips as I made this pie so I wanted to be as helpful as I could when writing up the recipe.

Double Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroon Tart

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, no bake/raw, nut-free

By Angela Liddon

Calling all chocolate macaroon lovers! That's everyone, right? This tart combines two of my favourite flavours - dark chocolate and coconut. The velvety filling is made up of 70% dark chocolate and rich coconut milk while the coconut, date, and cocoa crust tastes just like a chocolate macaroon. Be sure to read the entire recipe before you begin to pick up my helpful hints.

Yield
9-12 servings

Freeze time
3 hours

Prep Time
30 Minutes

Cook time
10 Minutes

Total Time
40 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 1/4 cups packed pitted Medjool dates (see note)
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 1/2 tablespoons ground flax seed
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon water (if needed to bind the dough)

For the filling:

• 3 (70%) good-quality dark chocolate bars (300 grams total)
• 1 (400ml) can full-fat coconut milk, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• small pinch fine grain sea salt

Coconut whipped cream (optional):

• 1 (400ml) can full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice)

For the garnish:

• 1/2 cup toasted large flake coconut, flaked sea salt, leftover coconut whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Toast the coconut (optional step, but recommended): Preheat oven to 325F. Place shredded coconut and large flake coconut (if using for garnish) on baking sheet. Keep separate on baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until lightly golden but not brown. Set aside to cool.
2. Line a 9-inch glass pie dish with 3 (2-inch wide) strips of parchment paper, one going each direction, with overhang. Now place a large piece of plastic wrap on top and press down (see this photo for a visual). The parchment strips will allow you to lift the pie out after freezing. I highly recommend doing this or the crust will stick miserably to the dish.
3. Prepare the crust: In a heavy duty food processor, add the pitted dates and process until finely chopped. A big ball will form. Add in the rest of the crust ingredients (including the toasted shredded coconut - but not the large flake coconut) and process until everything is combined. The dough should stick together when pressed between your fingers. If it doesn’t, add optional water and process again.
4. Spoon the crust mixture into the prepared pie dish. Spread out evenly. Starting at the centre, press down firmly moving outward and up the sides of the pie dish. Place dish in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
5. Prepare the filling: Break up chocolate bars into chunks and place into a medium-sized pot. Melt the chocolate over the lowest heat setting (or use double boiler). When the chocolate is 2/3 of the way melted, remove from heat and stir until completely melted and smooth.
6. With a spatula, spoon the melted chocolate into a large bowl. Now pour one entire can of room temperature full-fat coconut milk into the bowl with the melted chocolate. Whisk vigorously until completely smooth. Finally, whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Set aside.
7. For the whipped cream (optional): Open the can of chilled coconut milk and scoop off the cream portion only. Discard the water or save for a smoothie. Place the cream into a bowl along with one tablespoon of pure maple syrup. With electric beaters, whip the cream until smooth.
8. With a spatula, scoop the chocolate filling into the pie crust (to avoid overfilling, you might want to refrain from using all the filling- see my note below). The pie dish will be very full.
9. Drop a few tablespoons of whipped cream all over the chocolate filling and swirl it all around with a knife. Carefully transfer the pie dish into the freezer on a level surface for approx. 3 hours, or until firm throughout.
10. Remove pie dish from freezer and let sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes. Grab the parchment paper and lift the pie out of the dish (I had to grab the strips of paper and wiggle it back and forth several times before it popped out).
11. Slice and garnish with toasted coconut flakes, leftover coconut cream, and flaked sea salt, if desired. Serve immediately as pie will soften quickly.

Notes: 1) If your dates are firm, soak dates in a bowl of water for 30 minutes prior to starting. Drain well. 2) You can totally skip the coconut whipped cream if you prefer. 3) The chocolate filling makes almost too much filling for the pie and it nearly overflows. If you prefer, you can leave out 1/4-1/2 cup of filling. You can place leftover filling in a small dish and freeze it, then cut into "freezer fudge" - just an idea! 4) For how to make coconut whipped cream, see this tutorial.

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PS – Looking for other Halloween recipes? You’re in luck – I have 3 pages of recipes

PPS – Don’t forget there is still time to enter The Oh She Glows Tea Shoppe giveaway!

The impact of numerology over the names

Whenever an infant is born into a family, it’s a norm to first assess him/her with a name. The name of a person is just not a word to be referred to them but actually is the definition, a description of their personality and the briefing of their traits. It should be made very sure that while naming a person all the necessary measures are taken care of. They say that labeling of a product is done properly to define the quality of that product. The same theory can be applied upon assessing names to the young ones too. The better the name the more illustrative would be the definition.

 

While a lot of people who believe in ancestry, name their children on the basis of their legacy or the family trees, while others who believe in Numerology have different opinions. The people who believe in numerology work and practice a lot with numbers before naming their kids. In numerology each letter of your name is said to have an individual corresponding number. Cornerstone is said to be the first letter in your name while capstone is said to be the last one. Under Numerology the first vowel is also given sheer importance, as it is said to fulfill all your urges and dreams in life. Each and every letter in this section has a meaning of its own and preparing a name with all those combine meaningful letters will eventually make out the best desired result. The sum of the numbers in your birth date and the sum of numbers you make out while naming a person displays a great deal in the character, the future, the strengths and the weakness of an individual. Numerology helps in standing and fighting against all these weaknesses and odds. Believers say that numerology make you achieve whatever you want in life, and not just infants, a lot of people change their names in the later stages of their life too after realizing the problems they are suffering in their lives and in order to fight against them. This concept of Numerology was initially brought up by the Babylonians but gradually everyone started practicing it and eventually it became so popular and effective that now it is practiced across almost all over the world. There might be no scientific proofs about the authenticity of these numerology charts, but people still have faith in ample numbers about the relationship of words and numbers.

 

People also believe that in Numerology the on goings and the redemption is based upon three major factors; the date of birth, the name given to you on your birth and the name you use currently. The third factor can well be managed according to the needs and necessary requirements by the Numerology charts. There are ways to work over your names even if you’re a grown up in order to get over the grey shades you are going through in your personal lives. So everyone needs to go through that Numerology chart while assessing their young ones with new names.

 

Browse through name meaning, rankings, other people's comments, ratings, and other statistics in addition to the name meanings.

 

Tomato Shorba ( Desi Khana)

Tomato shorba is a tangy soup made from tomatoes and coconut milk, mildly spiced with cumin seeds and green chillies. The addition of jaggery imparts a slight sweetness and reduces the sourness of tomatoes, making the soup all the more pleasing to the palate.

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Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Makes 3 servings

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups roughly chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tsp besan (bengal gram flour)
1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
3 curry leaves (kadi patta)
2 slit green chillies
1 tbsp grated jaggery (gur)
salt to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

Method

1. Combine the tomatoes and 1½ cups of water in a deep non-stick pan and cook on a medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes or till the tomatoes turn soft.
2. Allow them to cool completely and blend in a mixer to a smooth mixture.
3. Strain the mixture using a strainer and keep aside.
4. Combine the coconut milk and besan in a bowl, mix well using a whisk and keep aside.
5. Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds.
6. When the seeds crackle, add the curry leaves and green chillies and sauté for a few seconds.
7. Add the tomato purée, coconut milk-besan mixture, jaggery and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring continuously.
8. Add the coriander and mix well.
9. Serve hot.

Green Pea Skin Soup

A creamy soup with no cream! The Green Pea Skin Soup is a deliciously unique soup made with the skin and the pods of green peas, cooked with milk and onions. When you open the cooker after the required whistles, it might seem like the milk has curdled, but worry not, that is the way it is supposed to be. Once you blend, strain and season it, the soup will be just perfect!

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Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 16 mins
Makes 3 servings

Ingredients

3 cups green pea skin
2 tbsp green peas
2 tsp butter
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 cup milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) to taste

Method

1. Heat the butter in a pressure cooker, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
2. Add the green peas skin and green peas, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
3. Add the milk and ¼ cup of water, mix well and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
4. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Cool completely.
5. Once cooled, blend in a mixer till smooth.
6. Strain the mixture using a strainer and transfer into a deep non-stick pan.
7. Add the ¼ cup of water, salt and pepper, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
8. Serve hot.

Introducing The Oh She Glows Tea Shoppe!

I’ve had to keep this new business under wraps for the better part of 2014, and somehow I managed not to spill the beans…err, tea leaves! If there was any doubt that I could keep a secret, this has to be at least some proof. This wasn’t easy because I’ve been so excited about this new venture and I love sharing what’s going on behind the scenes with you guys. Thankfully, the day is finally here and I can tell you all about The Oh She Glows Tea Shoppe which features our own line of loose leaf teas. This new business has been a major labour of love. Eric, myself, and our business partner Pete have worked so hard to make this dream come to life and we couldn’t be more proud of our organic, premium loose leaf tea blends.

Why tea?

The funny thing is, I was never a tea drinker until I met Eric during our last year of high school. Eric’s Irish and English roots made tea a staple in his diet since he was very young. During the early stages of dating, I’d be invited over to his house and we’d soon find ourselves sitting around the table with his family. A huge pot of tea would be brought over to the table surrounded by mugs, milk, sugar, and spoons. Before this point, I don’t think I had consumed a single cup of tea in my entire life (late bloomer, I suppose), so the first time I was offered tea I politely declined (major faux pas!). Miraculously, I was somehow invited back a second time and decided to give it a shot. I soon found myself falling in love with the social ritual…and eventually, the taste, relaxation, and comfort that tea provided.

After realizing how balanced, healthy, and energized tea made me feel, it became a staple in my diet. I experimented with hundreds of different tea blends over the years and a day didn’t go by when I didn’t make a cup of some sort. I started drinking multiple cups a day and sampled oodles of teas from detoxifying herbal teas to energizing green and black varieties. Yup, I was hooked. The Liddon clan converted me into a full fledged tea drinker!

But there was just one problem – many of the tea blends that I bought from the store were lacking flavour, bitter, or simply disappointing, and I accumulated boxes of teas that would go unused. My unused stash became a bit of a problem, like the dirty secret in the back of my pantry. In the back of my mind, I thought it would be fun to create my own line of specialty teas that I could confidently stand behind. I’m thrilled to say that day has finally arrived.

The Oh She Glows Tea Shoppe represents celebrating a balanced, healthy lifestyle and taking time to sit back and enjoy the finer things in life – both goals that I strive for in my daily life. I’ve personally selected only the best-tasting, high-quality loose leaf tea blends that I drink on a day to day basis – nothing else. In our tea shoppe, you’ll find energizing morning blends, after dinner dessert teas, teas for wellness, and teas that you simply cannot imagine living without. I hope they become a staple in your diet like they have in ours.

A very special thanks to our friend and talented food photographer, Jeff Coulson, for shooting all of the photography. Have you ever seen tea look this good?!

Here are the varieties of tea you’ll find in our tea shoppe (click for more info):

Nourish – Rooibos // Comfort – Vanilla Rooibos // Clarity – African Mint // Indulge – Apple Crumble 

Vitality – Black Currant Rooibos // Canadian Eh? – Black Maple // Latte Lover – Caramel Latte 

Latte PM – Caramel Latte (Decaf) // Toxin Flush – Detox Wellness // Glo Getter – Blueberry White 

AM Buzz – English Breakfast // In the Clear – Focus + Concentration // Immunity – Cold & Flu

Be Calm – Moroccan Mint // Delight – Orange Creamsicle // Relax + Digest – Peppermint

Revitalize – Black Lemonade

We are always testing new ideas for flavours, and we hope to introduce new tea blends in the coming months. You can follow our Facebook page and Twitter account for updates on new flavour releases and sales! Also, if you have any ideas for tea flavours that you’d like to see in the shop, drop us a line and let us know. We’re all ears!

// Pre-Order Specials //

Right now we’re kicking off with a pre-order special until Sunday November 9th. Strike while the tea pot is hot! All pre-orders will begin shipping out on November 10th. We currently ship to Canada and USA.

- 10% off all individual teas

- 15% off Starter Pack

- 15% of Combo Pack: Any 3 Teas

- Free Shipping on orders over $100

// CONTEST GIVEAWAY //

To celebrate our launch week, we’re giving away an Oh She Glows Starter Pack to one lucky blog reader! The starter pack contains two tea tins (you chose the flavours), The Perfect Teaspoon, and a Stainless Steel Mesh Infuser.

To enter this contest, please see our Rafflecopter giveaway below!

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Good luck and happy tea drinking from The Oh She Glows Tea Shoppe!

Flourless Thumbprint Breakfast Cookies (Vegan + GF)

This past month has been an emotional one, that’s for sure. Both on a personal level, and the world at large. I’ve experienced incredible highs, where my heart feels like it’s just going to burst. I’ve laughed more than I have in a while, cried happy tears, and watched in awe as our baby girl experiences her new world each day. This week Adriana has started to really see us, studying our faces, and she’s giving these huge, goofy grins in return. Maybe she just passed gas, but I’d like to think she’s really tickled pink with her mama! Or maybe she thinks we’re funny looking? Her eyes light up when she hears my voice and my heart just about melts every time. It’s amazing how these simple moments can bring so much happiness. Happiness that I never knew existed before she came along. It makes me forget about everything else…the hard times, the frustrated tears, the postpartum pains, and the self doubt. There’s been a lot of those emotions too and I’m sure there will be plenty in the future, but I know the one consistent thing is that our love will get us through anything. It’s the one reassurance that keeps me going when I’m having a hard day.

This month has found me back in the kitchen a fair amount. For one, I’m hungry all. the. time. It’s a bit ridiculous. And two, it’s so comforting, especially during a time when my emotions and day to day routine are all over the map. The act of cooking and baking is a reassuring daily ritual, so I find myself squeezing in some simple food prep whenever I can, even if it’s a simple pan of roasted vegetables or a batch of breakfast cookies that can be whipped up in 10 minutes. It’s all about simplicity right now.

Did someone say breakfast cookies?? Yea! These cookies won’t make you feel sluggish or give you a sugar crash. No one wants to start off their day like that. Thanks to the super wholesome ingredients, you’ll be feeling amazing, light, and energized. I made these simple creations because I needed some healthy fuel handy for our early morning nursing sessions. Now that I’m breastfeeding at all hours of the day and night, my hunger sneaks up on me and I need something fast and portable. I definitely don’t consider these a breakfast replacement (my appetite is much too strong for that), but they are a nice snack to take the edge off. They would also be nice as a pre-workout snack too.

I used a base of oats and ground flax, which are thought to help boost milk supply in nursing mamas. Flax has a nice amount of omega-3 fatty acids and for good measure I added a hefty dose of cinnamon to help balance blood sugar levels. No sugar crash here! Feel free to play around with the recipe – I think shredded coconut, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, nuts/seeds, etc. would all be fun to try out.

PS- If you are looking for super easy “dessert” cookies, check out the other cookie recipe I posted on Instagram this week! Yup, it’s a 2 for 1 kinda week. Cookies for all!

Flourless Thumbprint Breakfast Cookies

Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, soy-free

By Angela Liddon

Healthy, wholesome breakfast cookies sweetened with banana. These cookies are soft, doughy, and dense - almost like portable baked oatmeal. Have fun changing up this recipe with different mix-ins, like chopped nuts or seeds. Recipe adapted from Ambitious Kitchen.

Yield
8 cookies

Prep Time
10 Minutes

Cook time
12 Minutes

Total Time
22 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mashed ripe banana (2 large)
• 2 cups rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 3 tablespoons ground flax seed
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 8 teaspoons jam
• Peanut butter (or almond or sunflower seed butter), for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, add the oats and pulse until a coarse meal forms (see picture in blog post).
3. In a large bowl, mash the banana. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except the jam and nut butter. The mixture will be very wet and dense.
4. With a retractable ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop the dough into 8 mounds. The cookies do not need to be spaced far apart on the baking sheet as they don't spread out. Press your thumb (or small spoon) into the centre of each cookie to create a well. Fill each well with 1 heaping teaspoon of jam.
5. Bake cookies at 350F for 11-13 minutes, until the cookies are slightly firm, but soft and doughy in the middle. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack for 10 minutes or so.
6. If desired, serve cookies with your favourite nut or seed butter. They also taste great with a pat of coconut oil or vegan butter!

Note: To make the cookies nut-free, omit the peanut butter or swap it with sunflower seed butter instead. 2) For those allergic to banana, you might be able to sub it with applesauce (and you might need a couple tbsp of granulated sugar to make up for the sweetness of the banana). I haven't tried this yet, but I will update this recipe if I do!

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Vegetable Soup

If ‘Vegetable Soup’ sounds too similar, read this recipe before you decide! This version of the ever-popular soup comes with an innovative twist, as it uses a stock of moong dal, tomatoes and onions, which imparts a very pleasing consistency and flavour to this nutritious soup. With loads of crunchy veggies and a tinge of tomato too, each spoonful of this toothsome soup is a feast to the taste buds.

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Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 18 mins
Makes 3 servings

Ingredients

For The Stock
1 tbsp yellow moong dal (split yellow gram) , washed and drained
1/2 cup roughly chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup roughly chopped onions

Other Ingredients
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup carrot juliennes
1/2 cup chopped spinach (palak)
2 tsp oil
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) to taste

Method
For the stock

1. Combine the moong dal, tomatoes, onions and 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
2. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
3. Blend the mixture using a blender till smooth. Keep aside.

How to proceed

1. Heat the oil in a deep pan, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
2. Add all the vegetables, except the tomatoes and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the prepared stock and tomatoes, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 4 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
4. Add the tomato ketchup, salt and pepper, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring occasionally.
5. Serve hot.

Vegetables and Beans Soup

Added to 3 cookbooks
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A warm and tasty soup with a mix of different vegetables filled with nutrition. Enjoy it with bread sticks or garlic bread.

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Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tsp oil
1 tomato
1 potato
1 onion
1/4 cup green peas
1/4 cup canned red kidney beans (precooked)
1/4 cup corn (makai ke dane)
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and

Method

1. Cut all the vegetables in to small cubes and mix all the ingredients and saute it in a pan with oil.
2. Cook for five mins and add water to it and let it cook for about 10 mins.
3. Once vegetables are cooked, it is ready to be served.
4. You can garnish it with coriander and some grated cheese on top.

Quick Vegetable Broth ( Healthy Soups and Salads Recipe)

हिन्दी में पढ़ें 

Quick Vegetable Broth provides lots of energy and nutrients while also being very soothing and pleasant, so much so that it sends a warm feeling through you, relaxing your nerves as you take every spoonful. This tasty, colourful and easy-to-cook soup is a low-cal treat brimming with the goodness of a basketful of vitamin A rich veggies. The best part of this soup is no ingredients are strained so that the fibre remains intact.

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Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 7 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
1/2 cup peeled and thinly sliced potatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup thinly sliced bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki)
2 tbsp finely chopped celery (ajmoda)
1/4 tsp butter
4 whole black peppercorns (kalimirch)
salt to taste

For The Garnish
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
3 tbsp grated low-fat paneer (cottage cheese)

Method

1. Combine all the vegetables, butter, peppercorns, salt and 3 cups of hot water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 1 whistle.
2. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
3. Serve hot garnished with coriander and paneer.

Spinach, Paneer and Dal Soup

हिन्दी में पढ़ें 

A lip-smacking soup using low-fat paneer. Spinach, Paneer and Dal Soup being rich in calcium and protein helps to maintain bone strength and repair damaged tissues.

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Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 cups finely chopped spinach (palak)
3/4 cup low-fat paneer (cottagte cheese) cubes
1/2 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow gram) , washed and drained
3/4 cup finely chopped onions
2 tsp low-fat butter
salt and to taste

Method

1. Combine the yellow moong dal, spinach, onions and 6 cups of water in a deep non-stick pan, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes or till moong dal turns soft.
2. Allow it to cool completely and blend the spinach mixture (along with the water) in a mixer to a smooth purée.
3. Transfer the purée into a deep non-stick pan, add the butter, salt, pepper and paneer, mix well and bring to a boil.
4. Serve hot.

Italian Minestra ( Soups and Salads Recipe )

‘minestra’ means soup in italian. This italian delicacy refers to a bubbling pot with many ingredients that are simmered into a thick soup. In this version, we’ve retained baked beans and spaghetti- the authentic ingredients and supplemented it with the use of assorted vegetables and spices. It is a good idea to keep the soup boiling on a stove, if you are having a party, and ladling the soup into bowls. Serve with grated cheese and parsley.

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Preparation Time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped french beans
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped celery (ajmoda)
1 bayleaf (tejpatta)
1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped potatoes
1 cup thinly shredded cabbage
1 vegetarian seasoning cube
salt to taste
1/4 cup spaghetti
1/4 cup baked beans
freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) to taste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the onions, french beans, carrots and celery and sauté on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add 4 cups of water and bayleaf and bring to boil, while stirring once in between.
3. Add the tomatoes, potato and cabbage, seasoning cube, salt and spaghetti, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 8 to 10 minutes, or till the spaghetti is cooked.
4. Add the baked beans and pepper, mix well and simmer on a slow flame for 2 minutes.
5. Serve immediately.

Cheese and Vegetable Soup

The best soup for cheese lovers! Kids, especially will go ga-ga over this creamy, cheesy, delicious soup. A thick soup made with vegetable stock, this soup is also home to chunky veggies. With oodles of fresh cream and a generous garnish of grated cheese, the Cheese and Vegetable Soup is rich and pampering to the core.

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Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 22 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

3/4 cup grated processed cheese
1/2 cup potato cubes
1/2 cup carrot cubes
1/2 cup chopped french beans
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour (maida)
1 recipe vegetable stock
1/4 cup fresh cream
1 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and

For The Garnish
2 tbsp grated processed cheese

Method

1. Heat the butter in a non-stick kadhai, add the plain flour and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
2. Add all the vegetables, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
3. Add the vegetable stock and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 12 to 15 minutes or till the vegetables are cooked, while stirring occasionally.
4. Add the fresh cream, parsley, pepper powder and cheese, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring continuously.
5. Serve hot garnished with cheese.

Capsicum and Bean Sprouts Stir-fry Soup

A simple yet healthy and refreshing soup with capsicum and bean sprouts.
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Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup thinly sliced red capsicum
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) powder to taste

For The Garnish1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wok/ kadhai; add the onions and sauté on a high flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add the red capsicum and bean sprouts and sauté on a high flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add 3 cups of hot water and salt, mix well and cook on a high flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
4. Switch off the flame, add the pepper powder and mix well.
5. Serve immediately garnished with coriander.

Cauliflower Soup ( Low Calorie Healthy Cooking )

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Cauliflower soup! you are quite unlikely to have come across a soup made of only cauliflower! i’ve created this tasty broth from cauliflower, lined with low fat milk. Cauliflower is high in water content and has very little fat. I’ve added milk to enhance the protein and calcium content, and onion and garlic to mask the cooked flavour of cauliflower. Serve it hot on a chilly winter night. This recipe is perfect for those who likes to have milk-based soups!
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Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tsp oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 cups chopped cauliflower
2 cups low-fat milk , 99.7% fat-free
salt and to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped celery

Method

1. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame till they turn translucent.
2. Add the cauliflower and sauté on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of water and milk, mix well and bring to boil.
4. Add the salt and pepper, mix well and simmer till the cauliflower is partially cooked, stirring once in between. Keep aside to cool.
5. Blend using a hand blender, so the soup looks like a coarse purée.
6. Transfer the purée back to a non-stick pan and bring to boil.
7. Add the celery, mix well and simmer for another minute. Serve hot.

Cabbage, Carrot and Onion Soup

A sumptuous soup of nutritious vegetable stock thickened with white sauce, the cabbage, carrot and onion soup stands out because of the addition of chopped veggies that provide a refreshing crunch to creamy soup. As always, a dash of pepper is all it takes to flavour this wholesome soup.

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Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

For The Stock
1 cup roughly chopped cabbage
1 cup roughly chopped bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki)
1 cup roughly chopped onions
1 cup roughly chopped potatoes

Other Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage
1 cup white sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) powder to taste

Method
For the stock

1. Cut all the vegetables into big pieces. Add 6 cups of water and cook in a kadhai for 8 to 10 minutes.
2. When cooked, pass through a sieve and keep the water aside and discard the vegetables.

How to proceed

1. Heat the butter in a deep pan, add the vegetables and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add the stock and bring to a boil.
3. Add the white sauce, salt and pepper, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
4. Serve hot.

Carrot and Bottle Gourd Soup with Rice and Cheese Balls

Added to 7 cookbooks
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The carrot and bottle gourd soup with rice and cheese balls is as exotic as a soup can be! this wholesome soup of carrot, bottle gourd and potatoes is quite sumptuous and can served as an appetiser or in a larger bowl as a snack in its own right. That said, the innovative twist to this soup lies in the crunchy-munchy garnish of rice and cheese balls. Make sure you drop the balls on the soup just before serving to retain the crispness.
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Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

For The Soup1 cup carrot cubes
1 cup bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki) cubes
1/2 cup potato cubes
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup fresh cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tbsp butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) powder to taste

For The Rice and Cheese Balls1/4 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup grated processed cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
4 tbsp plain flour (maida)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
oil for deep-frying

Method
For the soup

1. Combine the carrots, bottle gourd, potatoes, onions and 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
2. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
3. Blend in a mixer to a smooth purée and strain it. Keep aside.
4. Heat the butter in a deep pan, add the prepared mixture, milk, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Keep aside.

For the rice and cheese balls

1. Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and mix well.
2. Shape them into small balls and deep- fry a few balls at a time.
3. Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.

How to proceed

1. Just before serving reheat the soup, add the rice and cheese balls and serve immediately.

Cauliflower Nutmeg Soup

Added to 44 cookbooks
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Gourmet cooking can sometimes be easier than everyday cooking; what makes it ‘gourmet’ are the aesthetic, innovative touches! If you do not believe us, try this Cauliflower Nutmeg Soup. It can be prepared easily and quickly using common ingredients, but a thoughtful twist of flavouring the cauliflower soup with nutmeg makes it unique and exotic.
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Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups cauliflower florets
1/4 tsp nutmeg (jaiphal) powder
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 tbsp plain flour (maida)
1/2 cup milk
salt to taste

For The Garnish2 tbsp grated processed cheese
1/4 tsp nutmeg (jaiphal) powder

Method

1. Boil 4 cups of water in a deep pan, add the cauliflower and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 10 minutes or till they turn soft, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
2. Heat the butter in a deep non-stick pan, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
3. Add the plain flour and cook on a medium flame for a few seconds, while stirring continuously.
4. Add the milk, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring continuously.
5. Add the cauliflower-water mixture, nutmeg powder and salt and mix well.
6. Blend in a mixer till smooth.
7. Serve immediately garnished with cheese and nutmeg powder.

Cauliflower, Cabbage and Tomato Clear Soup

Added to 4 cookbooks
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Try this unique soup, which combines protein and fibre rich lima beans with a horde of vitamin-rich veggies into a delectable, comforting and filling soup. In the preparation of this cauliflower, cabbage and tomato clear soup, we have retained and used the water in which the lima beans was cooked, not just to avoid nutrient-loss but also to enhance the flavour. You will love the mild, nutty flavour of this clear soup.
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Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 22 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

3 tbsp boiled vaal (field beans/ butter beans)
1/4 cup chopped french beans
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1/2 cup cube tomatoes , without seeds
1/4 cup boiled green peas
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
1 tbsp cornflour dissolved in 2 tbsp water
2 tbsp chopped celery (ajmoda)
2 bayleaves (tejpatta)
1 tbsp butter
salt and to taste

For The Garnish2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp grated processed cheese

Method

1. Soak the lime beans in enough water for 3 to 4 hours and drain.
2. Combine the lima beans with 1½ cups of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
3. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
4. Heat the butter in a pan and fry the celery and bay leaves lightly. Add the french beans and cauliflower and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Add the cabbage, tomato and green peas and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
6. Add the lima beans along with the liquid, 2 cups of water, salt, cornflour-water mixture, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring continuously.
7. Add the pepper and mix well.
8. Serve hot garnished with the chopped parsley and grated cheese.