Custard Apple Bars on a Snowy Day

So I love how custard goes with apples... Why not come up with a dessert based on these two buddies?

This recipe is inspired by a cozy snowy day, where my family and I are gathered around the fire. All schools have been closed and I am already on a vacation (yaaay). What's more enjoyable to me than a gooey warm dessert in such circumstances!

Custard Apple Bars

Ingredients (20 bars)
1.5 cups white flour
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups warm Custard (may use powdered custard)
1 egg
1 Tbsp butter
0.25 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
3 Apples (sweet apples)
3 Tbsp candied orange peels (Optional)
Lemon zest
1 cup sugar and a bit more for apples and topping
2.5 tsp baking powder
pinch of vanilla
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts

Procedure
1) Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt)
2) Combine eggs, oil, vanilla and lemon zest.
3) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones. Combine using your hands and add the butter.
4) Add water if necessary
5) Slice the apples into thin slices and and chop the orange peels.
6) Combine them with a bit of flour, cinnamon and sugar to decrease their moisture.
7) Spread three quarters of the dough into a greased pan (keep the rest for the topping).
8) Prepare the custard as the instructions of the custard-powder container you have. Remove form fire before they are viscous.
8) Bake for about 8 minutes, then pour the apples and orange peels. Pour the custard above, and then the walnuts.
9) Form small rolls from the remaining dough so that you get chunks of them. Scatter above the mixture in the pan. Scatter a bit of sugar above.
10) Bake at 400* for about 45 minutes or until dough is well baked.
11) May be served hot or cold :)

10 Minute Oreo-Lotus-M&Ms Trifle

So I had invited my friends over for dinner... Of course, no dinner is perfect without a dessert. But I wanted to prepare something special for my special pals. I stated thinking thinking about the stuff we indulge into at work; Oreos, M&Ms and Biscoff Lotus Biscuits! Afterwards, things flew into my mind easily :)

There are no strict steps or ingredients to form my trifle, just out your heart into it and all will be fine. I used the following:

Ingredients
- 20 Lotus biscuits coarsely crushed
- 6-8 packages cooled Whipped Cream (Sweetened with Vanilla)
- 9 Oreo Cookies coarsely crushed
- 4 Tbsp Cream Cheese
- 2 Tbsp Yogurt
- 2 packs of M&Ms (peanut)

Procedure
- Place the crushed Lotus biscuits at bottom of transparent tray.
- Add the Yogurt and Cream cheese to the Whipped Cream and blend thoroughly.
- Add half of the cream atop of the Biscuits.
- Add Oreos (leave a bit for garnish)
- Add rest of whipped cream
- Garnish with rest of Oreos and M&Ms.

Fast, Easy & Skinny Eggs with Cheese

After arriving at home on a Saturday working day (I bet you hate such days as much as I do), I had to fix myself a treat since my family was out. Though I was very hungry, I craved for something delicious and easy to prepare... Eggs was the first thing to come to my mind, so I elaborated this idea until I reached a very satisfying, healthy and magically delicious recipe!

Ingredients (per 1 person)

2 Medium eggs at room temperature

Small onion (thin slices)

Handful of mushrooms

Boiled white beans or potatoes (small cubes)

1 Tbsp Parmesan

1 Slice of Light Cheddar Cheese

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Fresh rosemary

Pinch of black pepper

Pinch of salt

Pinch of Paprika

Olive oil

1/2 cube Maggi

1 Tbsp Water

Procedure

• Put eggs in a bowl of water and heat for about 5 min (before they are firm).
• Place a Pyrex with a splash of oil on low fire.
• Add onions, mushrooms, garlic, salt and black pepper.
• Peel the eggs and spread them onto the mixture on fire 
• Add the slice of cheese and then the Maggi.
• Finally add Parmesan and Paprika and cover the Pyrex.
• Keep on medium fire for about 5 min until all flavors mature.
• Remove from fire and add a splash of olive oil and salt to taste.
• It is best served with finely chopped onions, tomatoes and parsley.

Give it a try and enjoy!

My Crazy Version of Curry Chicken with Pineapple, Coconut Milk & Bananas!

            

From http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/vegetable-curry/

Resuming my usual quest for interesting recipes, I found Jamie Oliver's fine Chicken Curry adaptation. Of course, I put some of my trial and error suggestions ;)

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• A touch of chilly powder or essence
• 1 handful of curry leaves
• 2 thumb-sized pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely grated
• 3 onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 6 small-medium tomatoes, chopped (or one large can tomatoes)
• 1  14 oz can coconut milk
• 4 chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2 inch strips
• Pineapple according to taste
• Bananas (not too ripe) circular slices according to taste
• 1 Maggi cube (Optional)
• Basmati rice

Optional veggies to add: Chopped Carrots, Mushrooms & Peas

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan, and add onions and garlic as well as cumin, chilly, mustard and turmeric. Heat until slightly brown
2. Add curry leaves and ginger and simmer for a bit.
3. Add tomatoes and simmer for 5 min.
4. Then add pineapple, coconut milk and the chicken broth if available. Keep until you have a thick sauce.
5. Add bananas and then chicken.
6. Add Maggi and let them simmer for about 10min.
7. Let them cool for about 10 min for flavors to blend.
8. Serve with rice.

Best Homemade Chocolate-Peanut-Strawberry Cheesecake

I found an interesting recipe on Fragrant Vanilla Cake and it seemed yummy. So, I decided to manipulate it a bit to get a cheesecake/ice cream which is easy to fix and fall for ;)


This is my version of a Chocolate Peanut Strawberry Cheescake! What's more to ask for, right?!

For the Crust: Blend raw peanuts (salted or honey roasted) & Oreo cookies until creamy, add a bit of sugar and oil according to taste.
Layer 1: Cake leftover with chocolate syrup and dark chocolate bits.
Layer 2: Cream cheese, milk, powdered sugar, bit of strawberry jell-o powder and water (mix until thick).
Layer 3: Microwave strawberry jam with water to form thickened syrup.
Refrigerate each layer alone for about an hour each, and leave all overnight for ice creamy results!

Best Healthy Snacks for a Roadtrip

Good evening *it's evening where I live, no idea about your place* Anyway, hope you all had a nice weekend!

Tonight, I feel like talking about roadtrips ♥ I doubt any one isn't an advocate of roadtrips! Being on a vacation, I am always planning trips to places in my country I have never been to or it has been a while since I visited.

I am obsessed about looking every detail; snacks for the car, sites to pass by, restaurants to visit, souvenirs shops... Since I am health fanatic, preparing snacks for the time spent in car seems challenging! Chips, chocolate, candy, juice all seem too "fatty" or "sugary". As a result, I decided to dwell upon recipes for fast-to-fix and boosting, yet, delicious and healthy snacks.

Source: http://www.123rf.com/photo_3755580_a-rustic-wooden-scoop-of-trail-mix-including-sunfkower-pumpkin-seeds-peanuts-walnuts-almonds-raisins.html

I'd like to start with a must-pack snacks which are essential not only for trips but also for a working or university day. Two words: Almonds and walnuts! Of course, peanuts and cashews follow as long as they are raw. At the eve of my trip or working day, I soak half a cup of walnuts and almonds combined. The next day, I dry them, put in a small Tupperware, throw in my handbag, and i am ready to go! I must say, however, not to excessively eat such snacks because they contain considerable amount of fats (healthy ones); 15 pieces would be alright :) Sometimes, I feel like adding raisins, pumpkin seeds, and dried fruit.

Fruit and veggies! Yeah, apples and carrots as well as cabbage strips and cucumbers are weird but really adequate snack ideas for trips. You know, in my opinion, roadtrip food is anything that keeps the teeth crushing  What I'm very excited about finding, is a recipe which takes fruit snacks to another level! Apple slices soaked in lime and orange juice... They are YUMMY and so refreshing especially on a hot summer day. Here is the source of the recipe: 

http://www.letstalkfitness.com/raw-apple-snack

Crackers and cereal bars are trip-saving! Soja and rice crackers may substitute the classic ones for gluten-free seekers. Moreover, cereal, oat and granola bars are rich in energy and nutrients. Here is a homemade recipe for such bars:

Source: POPSUGAR http://www.yumsugar.com/Fruit-Oatmeal-Bars-White-House-Recipe-23288631

If the trip is long, many spreads may be packaged. For example, hummus, roasted eggplant, bean and oat spreads are some delicious spreads ideas. They can be prepared in the form of dessert or appetizers. What is exciting is that the mentioned ingredients are low in fats, gluten and even carbohydrates and packed with proteins and nutrients instead! Below are some recipe links I like to pack and inspire from:

- Hummus Variations:

Source: Serious Eats http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/01/hummus-recipes-toppings-snacks-dips-slideshow.html#show-301461

- Snickerdoodle Spread made of beans or hummus:

Source: Chocolate Covered Katie http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/25/snickerdoodle-dip/

- Spreads or Truffles variations:

Source: The Healthy Chef http://www.thehealthychef.com/2013/02/chocolate-truffles/

My last suggestion is the best of all! First, mix with your trip ingredients people you like to accompany *not grumpy ones*. Then, pack a spirit full of energy and enthusiasm. Finally, grab a camera to preserve all your smiles and laughs!

Have a wonderful roadtrip  

Donna Hay's Pavlova: A Lovely Recipe

Yum yum yum... Finally, a post about food ♥♥

This afternoon, I stumbled upon a food show and instantly fell for it! It was Donna Hay, and her recipes are so simple yet elegant! As I always do following mu inspiration by a chef, I attacked the net searching for Hay's recipes and I found a masterpiece. 

Its name, texture, presentation... All reflect royalty in the form of sweetness! PAVLOVA *I wonder why I haven't tasted, baked, or stared at a piece of this beauty*

Here is the recipe and snaphot of Pavlova from Donna Hay's website
https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/desserts-and-baking/pavlova

• - 4 eggwhites
• - 1 cup of caster sugar
• - 3 tsp cornflouror cornstarch
• - 1 tsp white vinegar
• -  Serve with whipped cream and fresh fruit

© Donna Hay Home Pty Ltd

What adds to my enthusiasm to try this recipe is that it doesn't contain fats in the cake dough; magic eh?! I added this to my to-do list, so I'll update you about the results