Delicious, juicy and easy, this rich chocolate raisin cake is the perfect addition to your child's lunchbox and off course perfect to pack and take to work or on a picnic.

Ingredients:

• 125 grams Butter (Room Temp)
• 1 1/2 cups Self Raising Flour
• 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 cup Raisins
• 1 cup Caster Sugar
• 2 Eggs Lightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2cup Warm Water
• A pinch of salt

For Frosting:

• 1/2 cup Fresh Cream
• 1cup Icing sugar
• 100gms Cadbury Milk Melts
• 1 teaspoon Cocoa powder

Method:

For Frosting:

• Place cadbury milk melts in a saucepan and gently heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Keep aside and cool slightly. 
• In a bowl combine the melted chocolate, fresh cream, icing sugar and cocoa powder. Mix well and keep in the refrigerator.

For Cake:

• In a large bowl combine self raising flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and mix well.
• In a another bowl whisk together butter, caster sugar and eggs. Add water simultaneously and whisk it until sugar gets dissolved.
• Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Stir until combined. Add raisins and mix well.
• Pour the mixture into a greased and base-lined 20cm cake pan. Bake in a moderate oven 180°C for 40 minutes or until cooked. Cool for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Spread frosting over the cooled cake and decorate as desired.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 4 cups(150ml cup) of Basmati(Long grain) Rice
• 500grams Chicken (Bone or Boneless)
• 1 Large Onion chopped lengthwise
• 4 Green Chillies,chopped lengthwise
• 1cup fresh Cilantro/Coriander Leaves
• 1cup fresh Mint Leaves
• 1tablespoon of Lime Juice
• 3tablespoon Warm Milk
• 4 Cloves, 4Cardamoms, 1 Cinnamon Stick, 4 Bay Leaves, 4 Star anise
• 1tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
• 2teaspoons Red Chilli Powder
• 1/4teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/2teaspoon Coriander Powder
• 1/4teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1cup thick and fresh Yoghurt
• A pinch of Saffron
• 6 cups water(150ml cup)
• Oil for deep frying
• 30ml Oil
• 1tablespoon Ghee(Clarified Butter)

Method:

• Wash thoroughly rice and soak them in water for 15minutes
• Mix saffron with 3tablespoons of warm milk and keep aside.
• Mix well chicken pieces, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, garam masala, yoghurt, turmeric powder and marinate it for 1 hour.
• Heat oil for deep frying. Fry chopped onions until they turn golden color and crispy.
• Meanwhile cook rice in a large pot with 6 cups of water, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, star anise, salt to taste and 1tablespoon oil. Cook until rice is 3/4th cooked. Do not over cook the rice, be careful at this step. Keep aside.
• Now take a pressure cooker ( I used 10litres capacity pressure cooker). Pour 20ml oil at the bottom and arrange the marinated chicken and sprinkle little oil on the top of the chicken. Add half of the rice on the top of chicken pieces. Add Mint and Coriander leaves on the top of the rice. Again add a half of the left over rice on top of them and add fried onions and green chillies on it. Add the remaining rice. Pour ghee on the corners of the rice. Now make 3 holes from the top of the rice till it touches the bottom of the cooker. Pour 1tablespoon of saffron milk and lime juice in each hole.
• Cover the pressure cooker and cook for 5minutes in high flame. When the pressure starts coming out put the whistle of the cooker. Now simmer the stove and cook for 10 to 15minutes in low flame. Turn off the stove and keep the cooker aside for 20minutes. Do not open till that time.
• Carefully mix the rice from the bottom of the pan. 
• Sprinkle few fried onions on top of it and serve hot with Raita and Cucumber Onion Salad

Serves 2
Ingredients:

• 4 Slices of  Toasted Wholemeal White Bread
• 1/2 Carrot cut into thin strips
• 2 tablespoons grated reduced fat Cheddar Cheese
• Few green Oak Lettuce leaves
• a pinch of onion powder
• 1/2 tsp Olive oil

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan. Lightly toss carrot slices for 2 to 3minutes.
• Add a pinch of onion powder to carrot slices and remove from pan.
• Sprinkle cheddar cheese on each slice of toasted bread and top with lettuce leaves and tossed carrot slices.
• Serve with Pineapple Juice. 

Ingredients:

• 500 grams Potatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/4tsp Smoked Paprika
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Method:

• Mix well Potato wedges, Paprika, salt and olive oil.
• Arrange them in a baking dish and bake them for 30 minutes or until potatoes are crispy and tender.
•  Serve hot with Tomato chilli sauce.

Serves 2
Ingredients:

• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
• 250gms chopped fresh pineapple cubes
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 4 teaspoons Sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Almond Flakes to garnish

Method:

• Combine avocado, pineapple, orange juice, sugar, lemon juice and juice in a blender; puree until smooth.
• Garnish it with Almond flakes and Serve chilled

 

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Sweet Potato, skin peeled and cut into cubes
• 5 Garlic flakes
• 1tablespoon olive oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• In a bowl mix well sweet potato cubes, garlic flakes, salt and oil.
• Arrange them in baking dish and bake them for 20 to  25 minutes, stirring once or twice during roasting.
• Yummy garlic flavored sweet potatoes are ready.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 8 Salmon Fish Fillets
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
• A Pinch of Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Garam masala
• 6 tablespoon oil
• Coriander leaves and Lemon wedges to serve 

Method:

• Remove the scales of the salmon fish and wash thoroughly and keep them aside.
• Mix salmon fillets, lemon juice, half teaspoon red chilli powder, salt, half teaspoon coriander powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and marinate it for 30minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add the marinated salmon fish fillets and shallow fry them until they are well cooked on both sides flipping them in between carefully. ( Fry each side for 10minutes)
• Fry them until they turn golden color on each sides in medium flame. Now add the remaining red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and mix well. Fry for 5minutes.
• Gently remove each fried fillet from the pan and arrange them on a serving plate.
• Garnish it with coriander leaves, lemon wedges and serve hot.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• One full  Broccoli cut into florets
• 4 medium Potatoes(skin removed) cut into cubes
• 1 Large Tomato chopped finely
• 1 small Onion chopped finely
• 1/2tsp grated Ginger
• 1/2tsp chopped Garlic
• 1/4tsp Turmeric Powder
• 2 small Green Chillies chopped
• 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
• 1/2 tsp or more Red Chilli Powder
• 1/4tsp Coriander powder
• A Pinch of Garam Masala
• 1/2tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1/2tsp Cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• 1/2tsp Dry Fenugreek Leaves/Kasuri Methi
• 4tbsp Olive Oil
• Cilantro leaves for garnishing
• Half cup or more water for gravy

Method:

• Wash Broccoli florets and soak them in salted hot water for 5minutes. Remove from water and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and cumin seeds and allow it to splutter. When spluttering starts add green chillies, onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder and fry for 5minutes.
• Add potatoes, curry leaves, little salt, mix well and close with a lid and cook for 7 to 8 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and cook for 5minutes
• Add Broccoli florets, half cup water, close the lid and cook for 10minutes.
• Cook until broccoli is well cooked and thick gravy forms.
• Garnish it with dry fenugreek leaves and cilantro leaves and serve hot with Rotis, Wrappers, Rice, Bread.

Serves -4  
Ingredients:

• 6 Hard Boiled Eggs - cut into 2 halves
• 2 Large Onions,chopped finely
• 2 small Green Chillies chopped
• 1/2tsp grated Ginger
• 1/2tsp grated Garlic
• 1/2tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1/2tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1/2tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1tsp Red Chilli Powder or paprika
• 1/2tsp Coriander Powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 sprig of Curry Leaves
• 4tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Few Cilantro Leaves to garnish

 Method:

•  Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.
•  Once spluttering starts add green chillies, chopped onions, turmeric powder, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and fry until onion turns golden color in low flame.
• Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and mix well.
• Add the hard boiled eggs into the pan, mix well carefully and close the lid and allow it to cook for 10minutes in low flame.
• Now open the lid, cook for another 5minutes in high flame, stirring in between.
• Finally garnish it with cilantro leaves and serve hot with Rice.

Try this delicious strawberry jam and I bet you will never purchase one..This is so simple and easy to prepare recipe at home and the jam is soft, spreadable and delicious. Here goes the ingredients
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients:

• 500gms Fresh whole ripe Organic Strawberries chop them into cubes
• 1 cup White Sugar

Method:

• Place strawberries and sugar in a large saucepan.
• Bring to boil over medium heat for 1 hour or until fruit is soft. Stir for every 10minutes mashing them lightly.
• Once the jam thickens, remove from heat and allow it to cool.
• Store in a airtight jar or container and store in the refrigerator where it will keep for several weeks

 

 

One of the most inexpensive vegetable to juice and more refreshing on a hot summer day is nothing but Cucumber. It is a powerful tonic for skin, hair, nails and applying cucumber slices on eyes reduces the puffiness around eyes.
Homemade Cucumber Face pack  for Glowing Skin:
Process 1/2 cup cucumber slices in a food processor. Add a 2 to 3 drops honey and 1tbsp Fullers Earth Powder. Mix well and apply to face and neck for 30minutes or until the pack becomes dry. Rinse off with cold water. 
Detoxify your body with the cucumber watermelon juice
Serves 2
Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Cucumber cubes(Peel the skin and chop them in cubes)
• 1 Cup Watermelon cubes
• 1tsp Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Cup Pineapple Juice

Method:

• Process Cucumber cubes, Watermelon Cubes  in a Juicer.
• Pour the juice mash into the strainer and use a spatula to gently stir the mash until no more juice is separating out.  Keep aside the pulp.
• To this cucumber and watermelon juice add Pineapple, Lemon Juice and mix well. 
• Pour the juice in serving glasses and serve with watermelon cubes

 

Makes 12 Muffins
Calories Per Muffin : 92 Calories
Ingredients:

•     30gms Unsweetned Cocoa Powder
•     250gms Oatmeal
•     200ml Low Fat Milk or Skim Milk
•     50gms Plain Flour
•     1  egg
•     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•     50ml Honey
•     2 teaspoon baking powder
•     1/2 teaspoon salt
•     4teaspoon unsalted Butter(Room Temp)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• Grease 12cup Muffin tray with a little butter and sprinkle a dash of plain flour.
• In a large bowl combine oatmeal, plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and mix well.
• In a small bowl, combine, milk ,egg, butter, honey, vanilla extract and mix well. 
• Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Stir until blended( Do not over mix)
• Spoon the batter into the cups, filling each about  2/3rd full
• Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, for about 20 -25 minutes.
• Cool for 5minutes, remove from the tray and serve

    
Oatmeal Nutritional Facts:

Oatmeal is considered as magical food, given its many health benefits.It helps to reduce craving for food that are not good for you, which helps to loose your weight. It consists of higher fiber levels and lower fat levels and a good source of nutrition that helps to fight against heart disease by reducing bad cholesterol levels. 

The main compound in oatmeal which makes it so healthy is 'beta-glucan', an all-star compound which helps in the treatment of diabetics and complications associated with it. Beta-glucans also promote wound healing and alleviate ischemic heart injury.

If you are looking for a food that can help you begin your day with lasting energy and which can help you lose weight, and can help in the fight against heart disease and other anxiety-inducing diseases, eat oatmeal.