Crunchy Fruit and Veggie Salad

I love salads and the one I am sharing today is my recent favourite. It has all my favourite ingredients - fruits and nuts! My hubby who doesnot have too much liking for salads, is also a huge fan of this one. When I serve him this, not one bit is left in the plate. Do try it out and I am sure you will like it :-)!

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

200g pack of crunchy salad leaves (Escarole, Radicchio, Frisee leaves and thinly sliced
carrot and cabbage).
2 tomatoes sliced in halves.
1 cup chopped pineapple chunks.
1 cup grapes.
1 small red onion cut in strips.
¼ cup dried cranberries.
¼ cup walnuts.
¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.

For the dressing:

¼ cup virgin olive oil.
2 tbsp lemon juice.
1 tbsp ketchup.
2 tbsp chilli sauce.
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
2 tbsp sugar.

Process:

1. Toss all the salad ingredients together. Keep them in the refrigerator until needed.

2. Mix all the dressing ingredients and stir well. Keep in the refrigerator.

3. Before serving add the dressing to the salad and toss well. Serve in individual plates.

Enjoy! Have a nice weekend!

Pineapple Smoothie

Friends, I am so elated as I right this.... I am off to India tonight and will be back by Oct end. I will have access to internet sometimes so will post a few recipes from my draft and will surely drop to your blogs to see your posts.

With bags almost packed, what I was concentrating oflate was emptying my refrigerator. I had a pineapple sitting there to be used soon. I made salad with a portion and reserved some for this smoothie. I loved it but my husband wanted it to be strained first. He doesnot like small fibrous bits coming in his mouth.

He says,'Its a smoothie, so it has to be smooth'. I agreed.

This delicious smoothie is a perfect breakfast blend and will surely kick start your day!

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh chopped pineapple cubes.

1/2 cup low fat yogurt.

1/2 cup low fat milk.

Sugar to taste.

A slice of pineapple for garnishing.

Ice cubes, optional.

Process:

Blend all the ingredients in a blender. Strain it and pour into 2 glasses. Garnish with a piece of pineapple and serve immediately!

Enjoy!

Rise N Shine

As promised in my post here, I am here again with another of my favourite juice..As the name goes, this juice being a combo of oranges, pineapple and grapefruit, is exotic and vibrant in colour!

It is sure to bring a ray of sunshine to the gloomiest of mornings! Pineapples are packed with minerals and nutrients so they make a perfect addition to this breakfast blend. Grapefruits have a slightly bitter after taste(I like it), so many people doesn't like it much. But, I tell you, you wont feel it in this blend. This juice is perfect for a refreshing start of the day. Try it and am sure you wont be disappointed..

Makes 1 large glass.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped pineapples, fresh.

2 oranges, peeled and cut into wedges.

1 pink grapefruit, peeled and cut into wedges.

Black Salt to taste.

Freshly ground pepper to taste.

Process:

First juice the pineapple through a juicer followed by oranges and grapefruit. Stir in the black salt and pepper. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Marvelous Macaroons

I was very delighted when Champa had sent me 2 of her baking cookbooks all the way from US around 2 months back. Although I had bookmarked quite a lot of recipes to try from them but had been postponing it till today. All these while I was trying to keep my calorie intake in control!!

Well, since it had been a while since I had baked something new, my hands were literally itching to bake. So, finally I decided upon these 'Marvelous Macaroons' from the book '101+ Hurry -Up Cookie Recipes' sent by Champa. They really turned out 'marvelous'. To be honest, I have never tasted a macaroon before, but, I was happy with my results. The recipe given in the book was for about 40-42 macaroons. So, I scaled it down proportionally to get 12. However, my macaroons turned out to be slightly bigger than those shown in the book's picture.

Needless to say, I am sending these to Champa's Bake-Off and Baking from a book#4 this time being hosted by Ruchikacooks

 I used:

1/3 cup finely chopped/crushed tinned pineapples.

1/2 cup condensed milk.

1/3 cup dessicated coconut.

2 tbsp margarine.

2 tbsp chopped almonds, toasted.

1/2 tsp lemon zest.

2 drops almond extract.

1/2 cup+2 tbsp AP flour.

1/2 tsp baking powder.

Makes around 12 no. 

Process:

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Drain pineapples well and place them in a large bowl. Add milk,coconut, margarine, nuts, lemon zest and almond extract. In a small bowl combine flour and baking powder. Beat into pineapple mixture until blended. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 1 inch apart onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 13-15 mins or till lightly browned.

Garnish with whole almond, if desired. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Enjoy!!

Pineapple Raita

I had this raita first time in a restaurant in India and O Boy! I was bowled. I am a big fan of this exotic lush fruit and of late my hubby is loving it too. It goes well with some spicy pulao or biriyani. But, I can simply devour the whole bowl of pineapple raita all by itself.

I found a few interesting facts about pineapples while surfing the net. I thought it might interest you guys too.  So, here they are:

- The pineapple is a member of the bromeliad family. It is the only available edible bromeliad today. It is a multiple fruit. One pineapple is actually made up of dozens of individual flowerets that grow together to form the entire fruit. Each scale on a pineapple is evidence of a separate flower. 

Is not that strange!

- The benefits of pineapple are all the vitamins and minerals the fruit is loaded with. Its nutrients include calcium, potassium, fiber, and vitamin C. In addition it is low in fat and cholesterol. It is valuable for easing indigestion, arthritis or sinusitis. The juice has an anthelmintic effect; it helps get rid of intestinal worms.

Sending this off to Yasmeen's Health Nut Challenge 7 - Tropical Temptations.

Coming back to the recipe:

Ingredients:

400 ml low fat yoghurt.
1/2 cup finely chopped pineapple.
Fresh chopped coriander leaves.
Salt and sugar to taste.
½ tsp roasted cumin powder.
¼ tsp red chilli powder.

Process:

Mix the yoghurt, chopped pineapple and fresh coriander. Season with salt, sugar, cumin powder and red chilli powder and its ready to serve!

  

Enjoy!!

Apple Celery and Pineapple Salad

I had this salad first time in Govinda's restaurant here. We loved it and since them I make it at home often. Its very simple and tastes great.

Ingredients:

1 cup Pineapple Chunks preferably fresh.
1 stalk Celery chopped.
1 Apple chopped.
1/2 tsp black salt.
1/2 tsp black pepper powder.
1 tsp sugar.

Process:
Mix all the chopped ingredients and keep them in fridge. Just before serving add the salt, sugar and pepper powder. Toss well so that the mixture is even. Serve immediately. It is best served cold.

Sending this off to Srivalli's Thanda Mela. Enjoy!

Eggless Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I had a few pineapple slices in my refrigerator and my hands were itching to bake something. So, I decided upon this cake. I have baked this cake many times now but never got to post it in this space. I used soft dark brown sugar here for the glaze. However, it can be replaced by plain granulated sugar if liked.
Needless to say, it tasted delicious and was over in no time.

Pineapple and Cinnamon Pancakes

I had a few tinned pineapple rings in my refrigerator and I was wondering what to do with them. I did not want to bake a cake nor did I want to throw them. So, I decided upon these simple cinnamon and pineapple pancakes. I had read this recipe in a magazine and I liked it, so I jotted it down. It had eggs in it but I simply omitted it. Still it came out good. I had kept pineapple chunks quite big compared to what was asked in the recipe coz I like it that way, juicy chunks as you eat. Here is the recipe for "Pineapple and Cinnamon Pancakes".