Homemade Whole Grain Bagels and Citrus Coleslaw

Though not as good-looking as the bakery bread ,these Chubby bagels were satisfying enough for my first attempt.Also the fact these are enriched with different kinds of whole grains,low in fat and devoured warm out of the oven ,the pure pleasure of baked bread.Likewise,it was exhilarating to bake them in choicest flavors.
I'll save the sweet kind for another post and focus on the savory and spiced for now.Each of these are enjoyable in any meal of the day.Breakfast ,slather on some low fat cream cheese or nut butter spread and for a more hearty lunch or dinner fill in with any combination of veggie stuffing ,like citrusy no-mayo cabbage slaw(coleslaw) for instance.Chopped up in the slaw ,are two kinds of the cabbages -savoy and red cabbage,the citrus dressing remains same for both.

Here is the line up of wholesome Homemade Bagels

Spiced Whole Grain Bagels has whole grains - whole wheat flour,barley flour ,seeds - Sesame and flax seed meal,Spices - Whole crushed red chillies,garlic and ground coriander.


Onion and Garlic Bagels has whole grains - whole wheat flour,ragi millet flour,oat flour ,seeds - flax seed meal ,topped with onion,garlic and spices


Seed topping Bagels has whole grains - whole wheat flour,ragi millet flour,oat flour ,seeds - flax seed meal,sesame and poppy as topping.


Key to baking a soft on inside and crusty on outside whole grain bagel :

1.Use only fine ground whole grain flours,coarse ground will not yield soft bagels.
2.Use a natural sweetener like honey,agave ,jaggery or dark brown sugar to boost the yeast.
3.Proof(allow the dough to rise) after shaping them for at least an hour .
4.Boil them at right temperature,hot but not boiling.
5.Shape it right.There are two ways to roll the bagel,either by rolling it in to a little rope and pinching the ends together or poke a finger through the middle of the dough ball and work the fingers around the inside to shape the bagel.Using the first method couple of my bagels opened up ,hence the later method was more reliable for me.


Recipe : Whole grain Bagels adapted from recipe at Real Food Living
Makes 8 bagels
Ingredients
1 pack active dry yeast(about 1 teaspoon)
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour[or 2 cups whole wheat flour ,1/4 cup barley or oat flour and 1/4 cup Ragi millet flour]
1 tablespoon flax seed meal or 2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon Agave nectar (or honey) or Dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Toppings for the bagels such as seeds,chopped onion, or garlic

Method
Prepare the Dough
Dissolve the yeast in warm water, stir in the sugar and allow the yeast to rise and get frothy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl combine the flour, salt,flax seed meal and agave or sugar. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil and knead until well combined.Apply some more oil on the sides of the bowl cover and allow to rise until double it size about 3-4 hours or leave it overnight in a dark corner.

Shape and Proof
Remove the dough onto a dry counter (you may need to wet your hands slightly). Divide the dough into 6 or 8 equal pieces . Roll each into a round ball and cover with a damp cloth. Let them rest for 20 minutes.

Now comes the shaping. You can roll each ball into a rope and pinch off the ends making a bagel-shape, or poke finger through the middle of the dough ball and work the fingers around the inside to shape the bagel evenly. The hole should be about 2 inches in diameter.Place the shaped bagels 2 inches apart on a baking sheet,Cover all the shaped bagels with damp cloths. Let rest for an hour at room temperature.

Place your 2 oven racks in the lower middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F. If you are using a stone, make sure the stone is in the oven for the preheating.


Boil Bagels:
Fill a large wide stockpot with water and bring to a boil.

When the water comes to a full boil, gently drop 2-3 bagels ONE AT A TIME into the water. They will sink and then float. Let them boil for 2 minutes. With a large slotted spoon, turn the bagels over to boil on the other side for 2 minutes. If you like them less chewy, boil only 1 minute per side.

Remove each bagel (tapping the slotted spoon to remove any excess water) and place them back on the same greased parchment paper. They will have almost doubled in size.

If you wish to top your bagels, do so when they are right out of the boiling pot. Sprinkle on your toppings.

Bake
When all your bagels have been boiled and topped, place 2 baking sheets into the pre heated oven, one on each shelf and bake for 15 minutes until crust is brown.Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Transfer the baked bagels to cooling racks and let sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Flavor Variations
Spiced : Mix some fresh crushed red chili flakes and ground spices(pinch of coriander or cumin) in the dough.
Topped with Onion and Garlic Lightly sauté chopped onions,garlic and ground spices of choice,and top over the bagels after boiling them.

Citrus Cabbage slaw(coleslaw)



Recipe : No-mayo Citrus Cabbage slaw(coleslaw)
Ingredients
4 cups Cabbage(I used savoy cabbage),finely shred
2 oranges,segmented
2 spring onions or scallions,thinly sliced
1 carrot,finely grated
1/2 cup mixed toasted nuts and seeds(I used soynuts,pumpkin seeds,sunflower seeds,black sesame seeds)
1 cup escarole(can also use romaine lettuce),chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro,chopped

For Citrus dressing
1/2 cup orange juice,freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice,freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper,freshly ground

Method
Prepare the dressing by whisking together all the dressing ingredients.
Mix all the other ingredients in large salad bowl.Pour over the dressing and toss to combine.Let sit in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the flavor come together.Serve Cold.Can be stuffed in a hearty whole grain sandwich or bagel.

The bagels taste best the same day however I also cherished it toasted the next day.


The bagels are my entry for Susan's Yeast Spotting and Citrus Slaw for the Health Nut Challenge 5

Orange Tian with Kumquat Marmalade and Saffron Citrus sauce

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.


Orange Tian is a dessert sure to tickle your taste buds with sunny citrus flavor shining through in every layer.The dessert is made of 4 luscious layers: a pate sablee with orange marmalade, a cream layer topped with fresh orange segments and served with an orange sauce.The dessert is assembled upside down and unmolded,so that the bottom layer (the orange segments) becomes the top layer.We had the liberty to use any kind of citrus and fortunately I had access to a range of citrusy delights,I went for distinct citrus element in each layer.With Orange and Grape fruit in the segment layer,followed by orange blossom in the cream,finally kumquat marmalade over the zesty pate sablee.


Recipe : Orange Tian with Kumquat Marmalade and Saffron Citrus sauce
A notable change I made for the cream layer is of use agar-agar(the extract from seaweed available in most Asian markets),vegan substitute for gelatin to stabilize the light cream,it worked perfect.Also I did not treasure any cookie cutters,so for molding ,the used olive tin cans were an economical substitute.Just had to carefully cut the other end of the can like the opening end.



Makes 8 round desserts(about 3 inches diameter)
Ingredients
For the Pate Sablee
All-purpose flour 1 /2 cup(200grams)
Baking powder(alum-free) 1 teaspoon(4 grams)
1 Organic Egg
2 tablespoon dark brown sugar or palm sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder(optional)
1 teaspoon Orange zest
Unsalted butter 2 tablespoons ice cold, cubed
Salt 1/3 teaspoon


Directions:
Put the flour, baking powder, ice cold cubed butter and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
In a separate bowl, add the egg, orange zest and sugar and beat with a whisk until the mixture is pale. Pour the egg mixture in the food processor.
Process until the dough just comes together. If you find that the dough is still a little too crumbly to come together, add a couple drops of water and process again to form a homogeneous ball of dough. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until you obtain a 1/4 inch thick circle.
Using your cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and place on a parchment (or silicone) lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the circles of dough are just golden.

For the Kumquat Marmalade or Orange Marmalade:
Freshly pressed orange juice 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams
8-10 kumquats or 1 large orange
pectin 5 grams
1/4 cup brown sugar or palm sugar

Method
Finely slice the kumquats or orange. Place the slices in a medium-sized pot filled with cold water.
For kumquats no blanching is required ,cook 20-22 minutes until tender.
For Oranges ,Simmer for about 10 minutes, discard the water, re-fill with cold water and blanch the oranges for another 10 minutes.Blanch the orange slices 3 times. This process removes the bitterness from the orange peel, so it is essential to use a new batch of cold water every time when you blanch the slices.Once blanched 3 times, drain the slices and let them cool.

Once they are cool enough to handle, finely mince them(kumquats or oranges).In a pot over medium heat, add the minced orange slices, the sugar you just weighed, the orange juice and the pectin. Cook until the mixture reaches a jam consistency (10-15 minutes).
Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.

For the Orange Segments:
For this step you will need 4 oranges and 1 large Grape fruit or 6 oranges.

Cut the oranges into segments over a shallow bowl and make sure to keep the juice. Add the segments to the bowl with the juice.


For the Saffron Citrus Sauce :
2 cups fresh squeeze Orange juice
2 tablespoon brown sugar or palm sugar
pinch of saffron
1/4 teaspoon agar-agar(for thicker sauce)

Place the juice ,saffron and sugar in a pan on medium heat and begin heating it.Reduce to 1/2 its original quantity and dissolve agar-agar for a little more thicker sauce.Cool in fridge.


For the Light Cream :
Light cream 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams
3 tablespoons of hot water
2 tablespoon Agar-agar or 1 tsp Kosher\Halal unflavored Gelatin
1 tablespoon of confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon Orange blossom water

Bring the milk to a slow boil,add the gelatin or agar agar,stir well and cook until completely dissolved.Turn off heat.Mix in blossom water.Let cool just until the mixture starts to set.Then proceed to layering it.

Assembling the Dessert:
Make sure you have some room in your freezer. Ideally, you should be able to fit a small baking sheet or tray of desserts to set in the freezer.

Line a small tray or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. Lay out 6 cookie cutters onto the parchment paper/silicone.

Drain the orange segments on a kitchen towel.

Have the marmalade, whipped cream and baked circles of dough ready to use.

Arrange the orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter. Make sure the segments all touch either and that there are no gaps. Make sure they fit snugly and look pretty as they will end up being the top of the dessert. Arrange them as you would sliced apples when making an apple tart.

Once you have neatly arranged one layer of orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter, add a couple spoonfuls of prepared cream and gently spread it so that it fills the cookie cutter in an even layer. Leave about 1/4 inch at the top so there is room for dough circle.

Using a butter knife or small spoon, spread a small even layer of orange marmalade on each circle of dough.

Carefully place a circle of dough over each ring (the side of dough covered in marmalade should be the side touching the whipping cream). Gently press on the circle of dough to make sure the dessert is compact.

Place the desserts to set in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.

Using a small knife, gently go around the edges of the cookie cutter to make sure the dessert will be easy to unmold. Gently place your serving plate on top of a dessert (on top of the circle of dough) and turn the plate over. Gently remove the cookie cutter, add a spoonful of caramel sauce and serve immediately.


Check out other daring beautiful attempts of Tian at DB blog roll.

Fruit and Nut Quinoa

Quinoa(pronounced KEEN-wah) originating from the Andes region of South America,is revered for its excellent nutritional profile.Its gluten-free with an exceptional source of protein,contains all eight essential amino acids and is high in iron,calcium,magnesium,phosphorus,B vitamins and fiber.With mild,slightly nutty flavor ,its a sensible substitute for white rice or couscous.

Quinoa is easy to cook like rice and couscous.Makes a delicious meal mixed with vegetables,herbs and spices.Quinoa is also great in soups and stews.Adding juicy fruits and nuts would tempt even a pickiest eater.
Recipe Fruit and Nut Quinoa
serves 4
Ingredients
2 cups Organic Quinoa
1/2 a medium onion,finely chopped
1 clove garlic,finely grated
1 teaspoon fresh ginger,finely grated
pinch of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder or cayanne
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup berries(I use frozen cranberries and strawberries,use fresh when in season)
1 Orange,peeled and cut
1/2 cup each of pineapple and mangoes,diced
1/2 lightly toasted nuts (I use almonds and walnuts)
2 tablespoon fresh herbs(Parsley or cilantro),chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Method
For a richer flavor,quinoa can be toasted in a dry skillet for a few minutes before cooking.Stir continuously during toasting to prevent burning and to toast the grains evenly.Rinse quinoa before cooking,place in a fine strainer and place under cold running water until water runs clear.Drain well after rinsing.
Heat oil on medium heat in skillet,add the onions,garlic and ginger,saute for 3-4 minutes.Add the spices and toast for another minute.Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.Then stir in the quinoa,lower heat and simmer,covered,until quinoa is tender but still chewy,that is until germ separates from the seed ,about 15 minutes.
Mix all the fruits, nuts and sprinkle the herbs before serving.

Health nut Challenge 3 :Healing foods - please share yours.

Orange Ginger Drink

Berries are gone,Oranges seem like the only vitamin C rich fruit that survives through the frigid season.Orange is often recommended while recovering from a seasonal sickness for its richness in antioxidants

Not just when sick,the Orange Ginger Drink is a rejuvenating anytime drink ,that might even drive away the winter blues.Blending the Orange with the pulp adds fiber.And ginger gives a zing besides enhancing the nutrition.


Orange peel

Don't dispose the peel of the oranges,it has many good uses.I use the peel in the drink,which in some studies have shown to lower cholesterol.

Recipe: Orange Ginger Drink
Serves 3
Ingredients
3 Oranges
Peel of 1/2 an orange without the white rind (or about 1 teaspoon orange zest)
1 teaspoon ginger,freshly grated
1/2 cup fruit puree(I used peach puree)

Method
Rinse the oranges in warm water to get rid of any pesticides.Dry with kitchen towel.To peel the Orange,use a sharp knife to thinly cut through the skin without any white pith.Too much peel can make the drink bitter,so just use a little in the beginning and add more as per your taste.
Halve the oranges.Keep one halve on the cutting board and cut the top and then the sides along the white rind.Repeat same with all of the oranges.Cut in quarters and blend them together with rest of the ingredients in a powerful blender until smooth.I prefer the drink at room temperature during the cold season and chilled in summers.


Health nut Challenge 3 :Healing foods - please share your creations.Rules of the event.

Poached Pears with Saffron in Rhubarb Sauce

This elegant and simple dessert is from Hassan M'souli's Morrocan Modern,a neat collection of authentic Moroccan food with a modern twist.Of all the delectable Moroccan desserts featured in the book,this fruity dessert caught my eye for its fascinating flavors with luscious rhubarb sauce and fragrant saffron and Orange blossom.

Rhubarb

These pretty red stalks of rhubarb with earthy sour flavor and inedible(Toxic!) leaves are the fresh pick of late spring season.Originating from China ,its dried roots are used as remedy for many illness in traditional Chinese medicine.In America Rhubarb's got the nickname as "pie plant" for its a popular filling along with strawberries in pies.
Rhubarb is packed with Vitamins K & C, Calcium, Potassium, Manganese and is a good source of fiber.Read more about its health benefits.
A simple syrup\sauce with rhubarb was perfect get started,do explore loads of other rhubarb recipes here.The tart sweet sauce paired deliciously with lightly sweet pears infused with fragrant saffron and orange blossom.The sauce also goes well over yogurt and custard with sprinkle of nuts.


Recipe : Poached Pears with Saffron in Rhubarb Sauce
Ingredients
4 pears,peeled and cored,with stalks on
1/2 a lemon,juiced
3 cups water
1 tablespoon Orange blossom or rose water
pinch of saffron threads
1 cinnamon stick
1 bunch rhubarb(3 stalks),leaves removed and sliced
2 tablespoon raisins
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Method
Place pears in a bowl and squeeze on lemon juice to prevent them from going brown.
combine water and orange blossom water in a large saucepan,add the cinnamon stick.Bring to a boil,reduce the heat,add saffron and place the pears in ti the simmering liquid.Cover and continue to cook for another 30 minutes ,or until the pears are almost cooked.Remove the pears from the saucepan,place in to a bowl and pour over 1/2 cup of cooking liquid.Allow to sit for an hour or refrigerate overnight for flavors to intensify.
Heat the remaining cooking liquid over low heat,add the rhubarb stalks and cook for 10 minutes.Take out the cinnamon stick and blend the sauce .
To serve,place sauce in to shallow bowl or plate and set pears in the middle.Sprinkle raisins and nut over the sauce.Garnish with mint


This is my entry for Weekend herb blogging,the lovely hostess this week is Cinzia of Cindystar.

Mamoul cookies and Cinnamon Tea

The melt-in-the-mouth delicious mamoul cookies are one of the most popular middle eastern cookie.I used to buy a box every time I shopped at the middle store ,besides dates these are available in variety of fillings with fruits and nuts.But when yours truly turned a health nut and started scrutinizing the processed foods nutrition labels,the mamoul were sadly out listed from my choice of cookies.Until I found Kate's recipe, simple enough to bake some of my own with desired amount of fat and sugar.Amazingly the recipe worked quite well even after reducing sugar and fat quantities ,and the Orange blossom water used imparts the lovely fragrance and hint of refreshing flavor.Traditionally wooden molds are used to shape the cookies,in her recipe kate shows a very easy method to make mamoul without the molds.Thanks to Kate,I can enjoy these delectable cookies again without guilt.

Makes about 12 cookies (3-inch long-oval cookies)
Ingredients:
1 cup fine semolina(sooji rava)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoon melted butter or ghee
2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoon Orange blossom water or rose water
1/2 cup reduced fat Milk(a little more if needed)
1/4 teaspoon powdered anise or ground anise seed(optional)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt

For filling
1 cup(4 ounce) about 6-8 dates,pitted and pressed to make a paste
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For rolling
1/4 cup Walnuts or pistachios,chopped

Method
In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients.Mix butter\ghee ,sugar,orange blossom water and milk in another bowl. Gradually add this in to the flour mixture,knead the dough until evenly mixed.The dough should be smooth and moist,add little more milk if needed.Cover and let rest for one hour.
Prepare the filling by combining the pressed dates and cinnamon .make 2 inch long rolls of the mixture and Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Make walnut-sized balls of the dough. Press down each of the balls using a thumb to form a cup to place the filling.place the date roll.Close the open end and roll between the palms to form a cylindrical shape.Place on a baking sheet and finish making the rest.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until bottom is lightly brown. Completely cool on a rack.Store in an air tight container.Tastes best if consumed within 4-5 days since its low in fat and could dry out sooner.
These Mamoul cookies are off to Srivalli's Mithai Mela and Ria's Let's Celebrate.My Sweet Potato chocolate Bundt cake and Nutella cake are also joining in Ria's Celebration.

Nutrition and Calories
Nutrition is in the core with mineral rich dates,also a good source of fiber and vitamins.The crust is pretty much all carbs.The fat calories are reduced to about 2 grams per cookie ,compared to about 9 grams in the original recipe.

Cinnamon Tea

The flavor of light Cinnamon Tea complements really well with mamoul.
Ingredients
3 cups water
1 teaspoon herbal tea mix or tea powder
2 cinnamon sticks(use ceylon variety)
1 teaspoon sugar

Method
Brew all the ingredients for about 15 minutes ;strain and serve hot.

Click - Cookies

This cookie Cookie click is my entry for Click Photography event at Jugalbandi,Cookies are the theme of this month.

Alfa-alfa Sprouts Olives Citrus Salad.

I learned a lot about Alfa-alfa sprouts from Malar's enlightening post here.Hunting in vain for the alfa-alfa seeds in stores everywhere I was unmindful that a store very close by sells the full-grown alfa-alfa sprouts for just a $1,certainly affordable and saved all the work of sprouting at home.
Make sure the sprouts you buy from a reputable store are fresh and ISCA(International Sprout Growers Association seal) certified label on the package.Read more about caution while sprouting at home in my post here.
The tangy green olives and citrus fruit complement well with the crisp sprouts for a quick and refreshing crunchy-munchie salad.

Ingredients
2 cups Alfa-alfa sprouts
1 cup green olives
1 Orange or grape fruit,segments
1/4 cup dried fruits like Cranberries or Raisin or Cherries
1/4 cup roasted nuts like almonds,pecans or walnuts
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange blossom water or rose water(optional)
1/4 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method
Prepare the dressing by whisking together oil,salt spices ,orange blossom water and lemon juice.Combine the rest of the ingredient in a large salad bowl,drizzle over the dressing and mix .Serve on side with whole grains.

The salad is my entry for A fruit a month(AFAM),hosting the Olives this month is Priya's Easy N Tasty recipes.And WYF:Quick Meals.

Wholesome Qatayef(Middle Eastern Stuffed Pan Cakes) with Orange Blossom syrup

The aromatic rose and orange-blossom essence impart the exotic hint of flavor, characteristic to Middle Eastern desserts.Qatayef is one such ambrosial dessert,prepared like pancakes,only richer with the nutty fruity(at times cheesy) stuffing and soaking sweet in orange blossom syrup.These are also referred as "Ramadan pancakes" for it a popular delicacy in the middle east during the fasting season.
I fiddle with the original recipe(as in the book Arab Table) ,to make it suitable for breakfast or brunch or snack with whole grains,flax seed meal and light on sweetness.And baked them instead of frying for the sake of my waistline.
The Orange blossom water is exclusively sold in most middle eastern stores,can also be purchased online.The essence is suitable for flavoring the salads and smoothies. For this recipe if you can't hunt for the Orange blossom water,then the more common rose water can be used instead.
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(Makes about 12 medium pancakes)
Ingredients
For pancakes
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup fine semolina(sooji rava)
1 tablespoon Flax seed meal(optional)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the Dry Fruit and Nut Filling
1 cup nut (walnuts,roasted almonds,pistachios)coarsely chopped
1 cup dry fruits(figs,dates,cherries ,cranberries or raisins),chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon orange blossom water(or rose water)

For Orange Blossom Syrup
(makes a light syrup)
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon Orange blossom water(or rose water).

Method
Prepare the batter
Combine the yeast, sugar and warm water in a mixing bowl. Add the flours ,semolina, and salt. Mix thoroughly to make a smooth batter.Cover and allow to rise for an hour.

Filling and Syrup
Mix all the ingredients of the filling and set aside.
To make the syrup,bring the water and sugar to a boil.Simmer until reduced to 1 cup,mix in the orange blossom water.Turn off the heat.

Make and bake or fry the pancakes
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat.Add a little water in the batter if needed.Grease pan with little oil,using a ladle pour the batter ,spread if need for a nice rounded pancakes. Do not flip the pancakes,allow to cook until the the bubbles have formed and the surface of the pancake is dry.Remove them on to a plate and arrange in a single layer. Finish making pancakes with rest of the batter.

To stuff the pancakes ,hold them bubbled side up,make a pocket(see the images).Place about a tablespoon of filling in each.Just pinch all over the edges to close them.Repeat same with rest of the pancakes.

To Bake
Preheat oven to 350F(180C).Arrange the stuffed pancakes on a baking sheet.Bake for about 10-15 minutes,until lightly crisp.
Shallow fry(Not preferable ,increases the fat calories in the pancakes)
In a big non-stick pan,add 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil and fry the pancakes ,about a minute on each side.

After baking or frying them,pour the syrup immediately all over the pancakes.Serve warm with fresh fruit,sprinkle with orange zest and grated nuts .

These fragrant pancakes are off to Heart of the Matter,featuring flowers this month,hosted by Lucullian Delights

Orange Carrot Salad with Orange blossom(orange flower water)

The citrusy Orange carrot salad with the piquant Orange blossom is another one of those heart-healthy feel-good Mediterranean salads with fresh,dried fruits,nuts,herbs and vegetables with splash of flavorful olive oil.The Orange blossom(Orange flower water)is the most unique ingredient in the salad,made by distillation of fresh bitter-orange blossoms.Must be available in most Mediterranean or Middle Eastern food stores.
Served with whole grains like brown rice or green freekah,this salad makes a healthsome meal.

(Adapted from Elise's Original recipe).

Ingredients
2 Oranges(Navel or Valencia)[you could also use Grapefruit]
1 cup Carrots,Shred
1/4 cup dried fruits like Cranberries or Raisin or Cherries
1/4 cup roasted nuts like almonds,pecans or walnuts
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange flower water
1/4 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and cumin
1/4 cup freshly chopped herbs like Mint,Parsley or Cilantro


Method
Segment the oranges and mix all the ingredients in large salad bowl.Let sit in fridge for an hour for flavors to infuse then serve with a whole grain like,Green Freekeh Pilaf.
We loved this salad so much that I made it twice last week.Below is the picture of simpler version of the salad without the dried fruits and nuts.

The Orange Carrot salad is also off to Sunshinemom's Food In Colors event,the color of the month is Orange and host is Aparna of My diverse Kitchen.

Beauty Update
My blogger friend Sangeeta gives this useful beauty tip,thanks dear:)
The Orange blossom is also a very good skin toner,use it in face pack just like rose water.

Strawberry Cobbler With Orange Carrot Frozen Yogurt

Strawberry cobbler is another one of the delectable baking recipes I found in the Book Reader's digest Baking with Love,borrowed from the library here.The book is so cool,I'm not sure I'll ever return it back,I've already renewed it 8 times already now(almost 6 months).The Original recipe called for plums,but I used strawberries instead which are equally delicious ,in fact you could use any kind of berry ,Cherry Cobbler is another classic Cobbler recipe.The warm cobbler served with frozen yogurt made with fresh home made Carrot and Orange juice makes this dessert all the more scrumptious.

And did I say I made this special dessert for a very special occasion,my wedding anniversary.My boys absolutely love juicy berries,more than me or my hubby ,this dessert was most devoured by the little sweet hearts.I'm pleased to send this recipe over to "Cooking for kids With Love",a food event in memory of Pedatha’s spirit of love and nurture, and her innate knowledge of good food..And to two other food events celebrating Love Cooking with Luv For Luv and Made for each other.

Ingredients
10-12 Fresh Strawberries,Hulled(top cut) and sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup unsweetened fruit juice Apple or Orange or Pomegranate or Grape

Crust
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 cup All purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon Cold Organic Butter
2 tablespoon Brown or white sugar
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 cup cold Skimmed(fat free) Milk

Method
Preheat Oven to 350F
Put the sliced strawberries,juice and cinnamon stick in a baking dish about 8x8 inches.
Prepare the crust\topping by sifting flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl.Rub in cold butter until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.Stir in sugar and chopped walnuts.Make a well in the center,add the milk and mix to soft(not sticky dough).

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for few seconds.Roll out a rectangle about 1/2 cm thick and little wider than the diameter of the dish.With a sharp knife or pizza cutter or pastry wheel,cut dough in to strips about 1 cm wide.

Dampen the rim of the baking dish with water.Arrange the strips over the fruit in a lattice pattern,pressing each end on to the rim of the dish and trimming the ends of the dough neatly.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the topping is golden and the fruit is tender.Remove
the cinnamon stick before serving.

Serve warm with or without a scoop of low fat ice cream or frozen yogurt.


Adapted from Original recipe at Baking Obsession
Orange Carrot Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened Low fat Organic yogurt(Use Full fat If desired)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup fresh carrot juice
1/2 teaspoon Orange zest
1/4 cup Fine sugar
2 tablespoon Corn syrup (to prevent crystallization)

Method
Squeeze out all the water from the yogurt by placing it in a muslin\Cheese cloth and set aside.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in bowl,whisk to dissolve sugar,then stir in the fresh juices and the yogurt.Process in a ice cream maker and transfer in a freezer proof container and let freeze for 4-5 hours until firm before serving.

The Orange Carrot Frozen Yogurt is my entry for Sunshinemom's Food In Colors event,the color of the month is Orange and host is Aparna of My diverse Kitchen.

Thank You Note
Lovely bloggers Judy,Malar and Varsha passed me the Amazing Blog Award,Triple Awards,Good Chat Award,Emerald awad,Super Duper Chef award.Thank you ever so much,its immense pleasure to be appreciated with such cool awards.

It's Pay back time!

I'm please to pass this token of gratitude(I designed it myself) to the bloggers who take time to leave encouraging comments and useful suggestions at my blog.

Aalya,Anjum,Ann,Aparna,Asha,Ashwini,Alka,AnuDivya,AnuSriram,
Andhra flavors,Arundhuti,Aquadaze,Armina,Archy,Bharti,Curry leaf,Cham,Cheri,Cynthia,Dibs,Divya Dil Se,Dershana,Deesha,
Deeba,Farida,Gita,G.Pavani,Happy cook,Hijabee,Hema (Adlak's Kitchen),
Indhu,Ivy,Jasmina,Jayasree,Jaishree,Jane(Plainjane),Jennifer,
Joie de vivre,Laavanya,Lubna,Malar,Mona,Navita,Priyanka(notyet100),
Poornima Nair,Rajani,Rajee Karthik,Raaji,Rajeshwari(Rak's Kitchen),Rekha,
Laavanya,Malini,Mahima,Maimoona,MeetaK,Meeso,Mediterranean Kiwi,
Mediterranean Turkish cook,Nazarina,Neema(RecipeSwap),
Nithya Praveen,Noor,Pallavi,Preety,Priya,Purva,Rathna(Asvadha)
Rosa,Sanghi,Sara(Sara's Kitchen),Sara g,Sra,Sangeeta,
Sameera,Selba,Sefa,Seena,Shama,Sharmila,Shaheen Purple Foodie,Shifa Firoz,Sia,Soma,Sowmya,Suma,Sunshinemom,SriLekha,sriharivatsan,Srivalli,
Sunkanya Ramkumar,Sweta(Bonne Nutrition),Swapna Pravin,Syeda,Trupti,
Ujwal,Uma,Umelbanat,Vandana,Varsha,Vaishali,Viki,Vidhas,Vibaas,Vij,
Veggie Belly,Wendopolis,Zainab & Meedo(Arabic Bites),Zee.

Pardon me If I missed any of ya names,please feel free to claim it,I owe it to you.And please pass this on to your buddies around the blog sphere.

An Update: Made for Each other Food Event

The Strawberry Cobbler with Orange-Carrot Frozen yogurt is the winner of Made for Each other Food event,which invited the recipes with foods that make a lovable combo.Here are the lovely entries.Thanks to Rathna for the exciting food event:).

Saffron Orange Basundi(Sweetened Milk)

The juicy thirst-quenching Oranges are best during the winter months.Rich in vitamin C,often prescribed for a flu remedy,citrus fruits like Oranges are best defense for our immune system.

Better than a glass of sweetened orange juice ,a large whole orange a day can provide up 5grams of fiber(Daily recommended is 25g for women and 38g for men).


The rich basundi is famous Gujarati(in western India) dessert,the fruity addition adds a layer of nutrition and flavor to the sweet dessert.First spotted at Nupur's blog then recently reminded by Sowmya ,I waited too long to try this zesty dessert.I made this just this morning with gorgeous bunch of oranges we bought during the weekend.It was so good I ate even my hubby's share,who won't mind any way cause he enjoys his oranges whole more than in a whole fat milk. Please note my desserts are mildly sweet so please adjust the sugar accordingly.

Serves 3
Ingredients
4 cups of whole Organic milk
1/4 cup sugar or 3-4 tablespoon condensed milk
big pinch of saffron
2 Juicy Oranges(I used Navel)
1 teaspoon Orange zest
few pistachios for garnish

Method
In a heavy bottom pan,bring milk to a slow boil along with the saffron and sugar,reduce heat and simmer while stirring occasionally until it reduces to half its original quantity,about 2 cups.You can add a teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in tablespoon of water for thickening the milk,cook for extra 5 minutes.Let cool completely ,mixing oranges in warm milk can curdle it.Set in refrigerator until cooled.
Segment the orange,big or small,Remove the white pith entirely ,here is helpful slide show.
Mix these slices in cooled milk,serve or chill for another hour if desired.Before serving sprinkle orange zest and some pistachios.

Served in small portion,I was not satisfied even after 4 servings of this size.


Orange Basundi is my late entry for the Weekend wokking :Oranges ,hopefully the host of the month TS and JS of Eating Club Vancouver will accept it.Weekend wokking a world-wide food blogging event created by Wandering Chopsticks to celebrate the multiple ways we can cook one ingredient.

Food Glossary
Orange Zest: The aromatic peel of orange which also has the essential oils.To zest an Orange,use a mini-grater or micro pane and grate just the orange part of the peel totally avoiding the white pith which is bitter.Orange zest adds the unique flavor when used in cookies ,bread or desserts.

Other Orange recipes Posted:



An Award and An appeal
My new blogger buddies Jasmina and Hijabee have honored me with the butterfly blog award,thank you so much ladies:).
Hijabee is raising funds for her friend in need.please check her post for the details of the appeal to donate for a sister in need.

Almond Orange Muffins-My little bit of winter sunshine

The winter blues have set in,the days are short,sun sets as early as at 5 o clock in my part of the world.Despite the long, cold sunless gloomy days,I can brighten my day by eating good mood foods. Fresh baked citrusy Orange muffins with wholesome almonds is one such uplifting foods to beat the winter blues.

Ingredients
1 cup almond meal or finely ground almonds
1 cup all purpose flour
1 large Orange
2 Organic Eggs
2 tablespoon butter softened
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Pure Honey
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 cup low fat butter milk
1/4 cup reduced fat Organic milk or Orange juice
Silvered almonds for decoration
Method
Preheat the Oven to 350F.
Beat the eggs ,butter and oil until smooth.Gradually mix in the butter milk,milk,sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy.
Sift the flour and the baking powder in to a large bowl.Mix in the almond meal and the egg mixture,stir until well combined.
Peel the orange very thickly so that white pith is removed.Segment the orange and halve the segments.
Line the muffin pan with paper cups,place a teaspoon of mixture in each paper cup and place the halved orange segment on the top.Add more mixture until the cup is two-thirds full.Sprinkle with slivered almonds.
Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.

Get a charge out of the cold day with the warm muffins and you desired hot beverage.

I'm sending these over to Purva's Christmas feast Event and JZ's Santa's Holiday Challenge