Whole Wheat Apple Cake

This is one of our favorite cake recipes especially my daughter's favorite.  These days even for the kids I use palm sugar or coconut palm sugar for desserts and cakes where brown sugar is required. There is not much difference in the taste as well and coconut palm sugar is also a low-sugar substitute, hence ideal for adults in the family trying to watch their sugars. I make two batches usually once with plain apples for the kids and the other one with chopped walnuts and raisins (hubby's favorite).

INGREDIENTS:
1. Whole wheat flour, 1-1/4 cup.
2. Diced apples,1 -1/2 cup.
3. Chopped walnuts, ½ cup. (Raisins can also be added with the walnuts)
4. Coconut palm sugar, 2/3 cup.
5. Salt, a pinch.
5. Butter or oil, ½ cup.
6. Egg, 1.
7. Baking soda, ½ teaspoon.
8. Baking powder, ½ teaspoon.
9. Cinnamon powder, ¼ teaspoon.

PREPARATION:
Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon powder together. Beat the egg, butter, salt and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is frothy. Add the diced apples, along with flour mixture and mix everything just a few times until there are no lumps in the batter. Pour the batter into a greased baking dish and add the chopped walnuts on top. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Insert a toothpick to check for doneness and remove from the oven.

Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas (With Whole wheat tortillas)

A very easy recipe when you are short on time and want something  quick, different (Mexican) and tasty.  I always have whole wheat tortillas on hand and use it for different recipes, mostly for evening snacks and sometimes breakfast as well. This is very filling and healthy as well. I have used low-fat shredded cheese (a Mexican blend). You can also add other different fillings instead mushroom like chicken, shrimp or even tofu. I have served these with Marinara sauce. Even ketchup is good for dipping.


Ingredients: (to make 2 quesadillas)
1. Whole wheat tortillas or corn tortillas, 4.
2. Spinach, washed and chopped finely, 2 cups.
3. Chopped mushrooms, 1 cup.
4. Garlic, 2 cloves, crushed.
5. Blend of cheeses, like Monterrey Jack, cheddar, and mozzarella, 1 cup. You can also just use cheddar and mozzarella.
6. Salt and pepper as per taste.
7.  Marinara sauce or ketchup for dipping.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil and saute the mushrooms along with the crushed garlic. Once the mushrooms are done, add the chopped spinach and let it wilt. Add salt and pepper now, mix well and switch off the stove. Take one tortilla and spread half of the mixture evenly all over the tortilla. Sprinkle the cheese blend over the mixture and close this with the other tortilla. Place this gently over a pan sprayed with oil under low flame and let it cook for a minute and half and the cheese should start melting by now. Keep pressing the top tortilla gently with a spatula without spilling the contents. Once the cheese is melted both the tortillas stick together. Now flip it gently and let the other side crisp. This is kind of like making a grilled cheese sandwich. Serve hot with Marinara sauce or ketchup.

Variation:   Sliced onions can also be used here. Saute them with the mushrooms.  Leftover rotis can also be used in place of tortillas.

Cauliflower Egg Bhurji

The idea for this recipe is from a cookbook "Deceptively Delicious". I love the concept of this book. It is full kids-friendly recipes, where the authors sneaks in vegetable and fruit purees into kids favorite dishes. Yesterday I tried out a grilled cheese sandwich from the book and my kids loved it. The good part was that the kids had some butternut squash as well instead of just the bread and the cheese and they didn't know the difference. I have bookmarked so many recipes from this book.

Coming on to this recipe, there was a scrambled eggs recipe in the breakfast section where she had added pureed cauliflower into the eggs. This give me an idea to do the same with our regular egg bhurji. There was no big difference in the taste and it was very good. I was happy that there was some vegetables in the dish instead of just eggs. This is also a great way to reduce egg intake and increase the vegetable value of the dish.

Ingredients:
1.  Grated cauliflower, 1-1/2 cups.
2. Diced onion, 2 cup.
3. Chopped tomatoes, from 2 tomatoes.
4. Curry leaves, a sprig.
5. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
6. Fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
7. Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
8. Chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
9. Briyani masala, 1/2 teaspoon.
10. Salt, as per taste.
11. Eggs, 3.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil.  Once the oil is hot, add the fennel seeds and fry for a few seconds. Now add the diced onions and saute for a few minutes until brown.  Now add the grated cauliflower, chopped tomatoes, curry leaves, and ginger-garlic paste and keep sauteing under low flame for 10 more minutes. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, briyani masala powder, and salt and keep sauteing for 5-7 minutes until the dish turns day and the cauliflower turns into a kind of mushy consistency.  At this point, add the eggs and scramble them until they are done. Serve hot with rice or chapathis or bread.

Brown rice and cracked wheat dosa (fermented batter)

This dosa batter recipe stays good for up to a week in the fridge, makes for a wholesome breakfast for kids.  The dosas came out crispy and the kids loved it and did not notice any difference from their usual dosas. The good thing about this is that these dosas are also diabetic-friendly.

Ingredients:
1. Cracked wheat, 1 cup.  Any type of cuts can be used here.
2. Brown rice, 1/2 cup.
3. Urad dhal, 2 tablespoons.
4. Fenugreek seeds, 1/2 tablespoon.
5. Salt, 1/2 teaspoon.

Preparation:
Wash the rice and the dal and soak them together with the fenugreek seeds for 2 hours.  Grind this mixture along with the cracked wheat, salt, and enough water into a fine mixture.  The batter consistency should be that of a dosa batter.  Transfer the batter into a container and let it sit for around 8 hours to ferment and prepare dosas the usual way.