Oil Free French "Fries"

There are several recipes out there for baked French fries that need only a little bit of oil to coat the potatoes. But recently I came across this interesting recipe that is completely oil free and uses egg whites to crisp up the potatoes. I was a little worried that it might smell like eggs, but I was pleasantly surprised that there was absolutely no hint of eggs once baked!

Ingredients:

1-2 large potatoes (I used Russet)

1 egg white - beaten

Paprika (optional)

Salt to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Fresh parsley - finely chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.

Wash and peel the potatoes and slice them about ¾- 1cm thick. Toss the potatoes with the egg whites and coat evenly.

Lay down the potatoes on the prepared pan in a single layer. Sprinkle some paprika and bake for ~15 minutes. Flip them over and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through (test one of the fries). If you’d like them to be golden brown, broil on high for a minute or so.

Remove from oven, sprinkle some salt and toss around to coat. For an even more delicious flair, toss in some fresh grated Parmesan cheese and parsley.

~Gayatri

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A healthier version of crispy French "fries" - completely oil free!http://cooksofcakeandkindness.blogspot.com/2016/02/oil-free-french-fries.html
Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Peanut Butter Truffles

One more day until Valentine's Day, and you know what that means....sweets! Though, to be honest, it doesn't have to be a holiday to want sweets. I get cravings for sweets all the time. And when I say “all the time” I really mean ALL THE TIME. Thankfully, I can restrain myself so that my indulging-to-craving ratio is relatively low. In an effort to reduce the guilt that sometimes accompanies those indulgences, I’ll try making treats that are a little less unhealthy (like these blueberry banana muffins made with whole wheat flour) or have some benefit to balance the sweet (such as these protein-packed peanut butter oat balls).

This recipe is based on the peanut butter and oat balls. I was actually aiming for a cake-pop type treat - a chocolate covered peanut butter ball on a stick. But, the consistency of these didn’t like the sticks very much, so I turned them into truffles! They are a little bit like buckeyes, but not as sugary-sweet, and they have flaxseed for a little extra fiber.

Ingredients: (makes ~20 truffles)

1 cup oats (I used ½ cup quick oats and ½ cup old-fashioned oats)

½ cup all natural creamy peanut butter

¼ - ½ cup ground flaxseed

⅓ cup honey or maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

~½ cup dark chocolate chips for coating

~¼ cup crushed peanuts for topping

In a large bowl, combine oats, flaxseed, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla, and mix well. Refrigerate for about half an hour to let the mixture firm up. Form balls about 1 inch in diameter.

Heat the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for about 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until all the chips are melted. Dip the balls in chocolate and place them on a plate covered with plastic wrap. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Refrigerate the balls to let the chocolate coating set. Serve the balls in individual mini-cupcake liners for a festive flare. Happy indulging!

~Karla

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Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Saturday, February 13, 2016

Egg Stuffed Paratha

Stuffed parathas are a very common dish in Indian cooking. The fillings range from vegetables such as potatoes, cabbage, to cheese, paneer etc. It’s basically thin bread stuffed with deliciousness, so the possibilities are endless! One of my favorites is egg stuffed paratha. This version of the paratha does not involve filling the dough before rolling. Instead, you roll out the dough very thin and then add the raw egg mixture onto it as the paratha cooks, and then fold the edges over to hold the egg mixture inside. I know it sounds very tricky! My mom has been making it for us for years but I only recently garnered the courage to try making it myself. I have to say my dough wasn’t rolled out as thin as hers, so the dough-to-filling ratio ended up being a little higher, but it was delicious nonetheless.

This paratha is best made on a concave pan, so that the egg mixture can stay in place without spreading outside the paratha. Since I didn’t have a pan like that, I decided to make it in a fairly small flat bottom pan so that the sides of the pan could help contain the filling.

Ingredients:

Chapati dough

Whole wheat flour

Oil (optional)

Warm water

Salt

Filling (enough for 2 parathas)

1 large egg

1-2 Tbsp chopped onion

½ Roma tomato, chopped

1 Tbsp chopped green bell pepper

1 tsp chopped cilantro or parsley

Minced green chilies (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

Any other spices/herbs that you enjoy in your omelettes

Make the chapati dough by mixing wheat flour and salt to taste. Add a little bit of oil (if using) and mix. Knead with enough water to get a soft (but not sticky) dough. Alternatively, you can skip the oil mixed in with the flour and put some oil on your palms as you knead.

There are several good tutorials for chapati/roti making online if you’ve never made the dough or the chapatis before. This is a good one from Aayi’s recipes.

Prepare the filling by whisking the egg and mixing in all the other ingredients. If you prefer, you could saute the onions first.

Make a small ball (~2” diameter) of the dough and using a rolling pin, roll it thin into a somewhat square-ish shape. If you have a flat bottom pan like me, it’s best to have the chapati size larger than the pan size, so that the filling won’t spread outside.

Heat a couple drops of oil in a pan over medium heat, gently transfer the chapati to the pan. Add half of the filling in the center and move the pan around to spread it a little. Bring in opposite corners and try to seal them with some of the egg mixture using a spatula. Once they seem somewhat secured, bring together the other two corners and do the same.

After the bottom is cooked completely and has some nice golden brown spots, flip the paratha over and cook on the other side. There might be some egg mixture leaking out if it is still too raw, but it tastes great so that shouldn’t be a problem!. Take the paratha out once both sides are cooked and the egg mixture feels like it is cooked - a good way to check is to press down gently with the spatula, and a perfectly cooked omelette inside the paratha will seem puffy and spring back.

Serve hot with ketchup or your favorite chutney.

~Gayatri

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Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Caprese Tart

A light and crispy savory tart can be a fun snack or a nice appetizer to begin a meal. The inspiration for this caprese tart comes from a tomato tart recipe by our friends at Breaking Naan. The tomato tart consists of a baked puff pastry, topped with mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and herbs - simple ingredients and easy steps, especially if you’re using a pre-made frozen puff pastry sheet. In this recipe, the toppings are modified just a little by switching fresh basil for chives and adding some tart balsamic vinegar to contrast the creaminess of the cheese.

Ingredients:

1 puff pastry sheet - defrosted if frozen (I used Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry)

Toppings:

2 large tomatoes sliced very thin (I used Roma tomatoes)

1-2 low moisture mozzarella cheese slices

2-3 fresh basil leaves

Salt (optional - I didn’t use any)

Black pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)

Dressing:

Extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Minced garlic

Heat oven to 400 F. Cut the puff pastry sheet into 3 parts lengthwise. The one I used comes folded in thirds making this very easy. Place the puff pastry on a baking pan. Gently roll the edges and seal the seam by pressing down with your fingers. This is an optional step but the slightly raised edges keep the tomato juice from leaking out and it also makes good presentation. Using a fork, poke holes in the pastry (except for the rolled edges) to keep it from rising too much.

Bake for ~15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Don’t brown it too much because it will be going back in the oven with the toppings.

To make the marinade, mix 1 part olive oil with 2 parts balsamic vinegar. Add minced garlic (to taste).

Tear the mozzarella slices into small pieces and spread them evenly on the baked pastry sheets. Layer the tomato slices on top - I got about two layers of thin slices. Spoon over the dressing, add black pepper or pepper flakes (if using), and broil in the oven for about a minute until cheese melts.

Chiffonade or coarsely chop the basil and sprinkle on top of the prepared tarts. Slice and serve warm as an appetizer or a side.

~Gayatri

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Crispy Caprese Tart - inspired by the tomato tart by out friends at Breaking Naan...

Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Sunday, February 7, 2016

Herb-crusted Salmon

Salmon is my favorite fish to eat. I love it in lox form on a bagel with cream cheese, I love it in sushi form (with or without rice), I love it marinated and grilled...I pretty much love salmon any way it’s prepared. Now, quality seafood is not really the first thing you think of when living in landlocked Indiana, especially if you are on your weekly one-stop shopping trip at the nearest superstore. On occasion, though, I’m able to plan exceptionally well and carve out some time to make a special trip to pick up some fresh fish. Invariably, it will last exactly one meal and I will regret not having gotten more.

Sometimes, when I plan meals ahead, I will do some sort of marinade for the salmon, such as a teriyaki type marinade. Other times, I whip up a simple dish needing almost no prep time - herb-crusted salmon! Cover with herbs and spices, pop in the oven, and done! Unless, of course, you want rice or a side. Then there’s a little more planning to do...

Ingredients: (serves 2 hungry adults and 1 kind of hungry toddler)

2 medium-sized salmon filets

~1 tsp thyme

~1 tsp rosemary

~1 tsp sage

~¼ tsp pepper

~1-2 tsp garlic powder

~1 tsp marjoram

note: you can also use fresh chopped or minced herbs

Line a baking sheet with lightly greased foil. Place salmon pieces on the sheet skin-side down. Season liberally with the herbs and spices (amounts in the ingredients list are just a suggestions - adjust to preference) so that a thin crust is formed. Broil ~6-7 minutes on each side. Serve with your favorite side!

~Karla

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Simple, succulent, savory salmon!http://cooksofcakeandkindness.blogspot.com/2016/02/herb-crusted-salmon.html

Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Thursday, February 4, 2016

Nankhatai (Cardamom Cookies)

Nankhatai is a melt-in-your-mouth delicious Indian cookie, typically with a hint of cardamom and often adorned with nuts. It has a typical rounded top and a golden brown bottom. When I first made pudding mix cookies, the shape and texture reminded me of nankhatai - a beloved cookie from my childhood, and I couldn’t wait to try out the recipe with Indian flavors.

Ingredients:

Base ingredients (Same as Orange Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies)

1 packet (5.1oz or 145g) of dry instant vanilla pudding mix - I used the Great Value brand

¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1¼ cup all purpose flour

Add ins:

2 tsp cardamom powder

2-3 tsp finely chopped cashews

2-3 tsp finely chopped pistachios

1 tsp rose water (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Sift the dry pudding mix into a large bowl, discarding any large lumps of sugar. Add butter and beat on high speed for ~5 minutes until the sugar melts and mixture is light and fluffy.

Add flour, cardamom powder, nuts (reserving a few pieces to garnish on top) and rose water. Beat on low speed until combined.

Form 1” diameter balls and arrange them about an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If desired, add a piece of nut on top of each one, pressing it in gently so it sticks.

Bake for ~13 minutes until the nankhatai is puffed up and golden brown on the bottom. Let them cool on a wire rack and enjoy with a cup of tea!

~Gayatri

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A childhood favorite - Nankhatai! Here's an easy recipe for the Indian cookie using vanilla pudding mix.http://cooksofcakeandkindness.blogspot.com/2016/02/nankhatai-cardamom-cookies.html

Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Monday, February 1, 2016

Barbecue Chicken Siopao

Ever since my mother affectionately called my daughter “siopao face” for her adorably pinchable puffy cheeks, I’ve been reminiscing about visits to the Philippines and the delicious stuffed buns that inspired the nickname. Siopao (pronounced show-pow) literally means “steamed buns” and is popular Filipino snack with Chinese origins, frequently sold by sidewalk vendors in the Philippines. It can be eaten on-the-go without need of utensils, and there are many varieties based on the filling - beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, egg. The dough is yeast-y, almost sweet, and so delicious fresh from the steamer.

 

My mother and I made a batch of these recently, and by the time the last ones were finished steaming, almost half of them were already gone! Rather than make dough from scratch, we took a shortcut by using Pillsbury biscuits. We already had some shredded barbecue chicken on hand, so it wasn’t too long before we were munching on these delicious steamed buns!

Ingredients: (makes 16 buns)

1 can (8-count) Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Original Biscuits (we used reduced fat)

~1 cup barbecue chicken, shredded (see note at the end)

Peel the biscuits in half (there will be a natural separation point), then flatten them out into discs about 4in in diameter (keep the center a little thicker than the edges).

 

Place about 1 TBSP of barbecue chicken in the center of each disc, then bring up the sides and pinch together at the top, giving a little twist to seal the dough.

 

Cut small ~2 inch squares of wax or parchment paper and place each bun on its own square. This will help keep the siopao from sticking to the steamer when cooking. Place buns in a steamer with at least 1 inch of space between them (they will almost double in size) and steam in batches, 10 minutes at a time, until all the buns are done.

 

Remove from heat, and peel off wax paper as soon as possible (it is a little easier to remove when the buns are warm). Let cool for 5-10 minutes (if you can wait that long!), then dig in!

 

~Karla

*To make barbecue chicken: see directions here for cooking chicken breast, then shred and toss with your favorite barbecue sauce and a dash of garlic in a pan over medium heat, letting the meat simmer for 5-10 minutes.   

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Delicious steamy barbecue chicken buns!http://cooksofcakeandkindness.blogspot.com/2016/01/barbecue-chicken-siopao.html

Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Friday, January 29, 2016