Almond Oats Chocolate Chip Cookie(Eggless)

Know what you Eat - Almonds are low in saturated fat and contain many other protective nutrients - protein, calcium and magnesium - for strong bones, vitamin E and compounds called phytochemicals, which may help protect against cardiovascular disease and even cancer. Oats are an excellent source of iron, dietary fiber and thiamin. They also contain antioxidants that are believed to protect the circulatory system from diseases such as arteriosclerosis, which affects the arterial blood vessel.





Our doctor is firmly believes in a grain free diet,  he advises us to stay away from Rice and Wheat(even whole wheat) as they are fattening. He sketched out a diet plan for us which consist of Finger Millet(Reinventing the wheel), black chick pea, green mung bean and Quinoa. Our staple brown rice and whole wheat(even though i love them i use it occassionally now) has been taken over by other grain & beans in the past few years. Being the staples replaced, now i am slowly working on replacing wheat with other grains in my baking too. This is one such cookie and it gave me lot of satisfaction as it contains the goodness of Oats and protein rich Almonds. Almonds are concentrated in protein. A quarter-cup contains 7.62 grams-more protein than is provided by the typical egg, which contains 5.54 grams. I tried using Almond flour(my ultimate target) alone and the taste was unmatched, but they were lot crumbly.



Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - 10-15 mins

Makes - 18 to 20 Cookies

Ingredients



Oats Flour - 2 Cups

Almond Powder - 1 Cup

Semi sweet Chocolate chips - 4 oz (1/2 cup)

Butter - 4 oz(room temperature)

Agave Nectar - 2 oz

Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp



Method



1) Preheat Oven to 350 degrees Fahrenhiet.

2) Sift Oats, Almond flour, Baking soda, salt and chocolate chips and set them aside.

3) Combine Butter and Agave nectar and then add the vanilla extract.

4) Now add the Oats-Almond mixture slowly to the butter and combine without any lumps.

4) Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

5) Take small amount  of dough, make a ball and flatten them using your hand and place it in the parchment paper.

6) Leave enough space as the cookies will expand while baking and bake for around 10-15 minutes till they are slightly brown and completely baked.

7) Cool them completely(this is must as they will be very crumbly even to touch) and transfer them to an airtight container. Great for kids as a guilt free snack along with some fresh fruits.



Note - I have tried these cookies couple of times, it comes out very well. The consistency of the dough depends on the room temperature. Once i baked them on a very hot day and had to spoon the dough instead of flattening them, still it comes out well. I have tried the vegan version also with 1/2 cup of Canola oil and replacing agave nectar with 1/2 cup Maple syrup. With Maple syrup they are little bit on the crispy side.

Event Participation

1)This dish goes to Just not any other dish hosted by Dew drop in the Kitchen.



2)This dish a sure kid pleaser goes to Kids Delight hosted by Srivalli.



3)This dish goes to Eggless Baking Event Using Oats hosted by Madhu.



4)This also goes to CFK-Chocolate hosted by Hema started by Sharmi.

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Vegan Fruit & Nut Cake/Bar

Know what you Eat - Eating a handful of nuts daily may help prevent weight gain and possibly promote weight loss. The fat, protein and fiber in nuts help you feel full longer, so you may eat less during the day. By helping induce a feeling of satiety, nuts may help people feel less deprived and not like they're "dieting." Dates are a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, sulphur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium which are advantageous for health. Raisins are rich in phytonutrient phenol which is an antioxidant and also a trace mineral, boron, a mineral that is critical to bone health. Apricots contain nutrients such as Vitamin A that promote good vision.



Eggless Cooking has so many wonderful recipes to be tried out. This one fit my bill with very less flour and lot of nutrients coming from the nuts. Madhu's recipe uses buttermilk and i wanted to fortify it some more and used the omega 3 rich Chia seeds as the egg substitute.



Ingredients



Whole Wheat flour - 3/4 cup

Baking soda - 1/4 teaspoon

Baking powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt - 1/4 teaspoon

Raw Sugar - 1/2 cup

Dried fruits(Dates, Raisins and apricots chopped) - 2 cups (The original recipe uses 3 cups)

Nuts chopped - 3 cups(Any nuts i used Almonds, Cashew, Pecan and Walnut)

Chia Seeds - 3 Tbsp(Instead of 3/4th cup buttermilk)

Water - 1 Cup + 1 Tbsp

Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon



Method



1) Soak Chia in 9 Tbsps water.

2) Preheat the oven at 350F.

3) In a large bowl whisk together whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and raw sugar.

4) Now add the chopped dried fruits and nuts of your choice and mix thoroughly using your fingers to remove any lumps.

5) Take the chia gel and transfer it into a blender add the remaining water little by little and blend nicely to create a slurry. Now the slurry will be in white color. Now addvanilla extract and whisk it nicely.

6) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix it well.

7) Spread the batter into a 13×9 inch pan lined with parchment paper.

8) Bake it for 30-40 minuter till a knife inserted in center of the cake comes out clean.

9) Once out of the oven, leave the pan on a wire rack and let it cool completely before cutting into pieces.

10) Slice them into smaller pieces for portion control and enjoy as a guilt free snack.



Event Participation



1) This dish goes to T & T hosted by Poornima originated by Zlamin.



2) This goes to Food for Seven Stages of Life - Pregnancy(Zero Hour) hosted by Radhika.



3) This dish a sure kid pleaser goes to Kids Delight hosted by Srivalli.

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Tamarind Quinoa, Raita, Soup, Shake, Curry(A Wholesome three course meal)

Know what you Eat - A balanced diet is a diet which contains an optimal ratio of nutrients. The philosophy of a balanced diet is that no single food or food type is sufficient for sustaining good health alone. Only through a combination of contributions from various groups in certain proportions can one expect to acheive a healthy diet. An optimal ratio of carbohydrates, protein fruits, vegetables and dairy is required to maintain this balance.

Starter - Soup

Main Course - Tamarind Quinoa, Onion Raita and Sweet Potato Curry

Dessert - Dates & Nuts Shake







Tomato Soup

Ingredients



Tomato - 8 (Small chopped)

Celery - 2 Sticks (finely chopped)

Carrot - 1 big (finely chopped)

Beetroot - 1 small piece(finely chopped)

Mint - 2 tbsp (chopped finely)

Garlic - 2 cloves

Salt - 1 1/2 tsp or to taste

Oregano - 1/2 tsp

Onion powder - 1/2 tsp

Pepper - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Coconut Oil/Ghee/Butter - 2 tsp

Water



Method



1) Heat 1 tsp of oil and add the chopped celery, beets and carrot and leave it for a few minutes till they are half cooked

2) Now add the tomato pieces and cover the vessel and stir in between. Leave it for a few minutes till all the vegetables are cooked.

3) Switch of the stove and let the vegetables cool down.

4) Once the vegetables are cooled completely, transfer them to a blender and blend thoroughly till they become a puree.

5) Heat the rest of the oil and sauté the chopped garlic and mint and transfer the pureed contents to the pan and add water to the desired consistency.

6) Add the onion powder, oregano and salt and stir and leave and switch of once the soup starts bubbling.

7) Now add pepper powder and the soup is ready to serve.







Tamarind Quinoa



Ingredients



Cooked Quinoa - 2 Cups

Pulidarai/Pulihore/Pulikaichal(Spiced Tamarind) Paste - 2 Tbsps

Roasted Peanuts - 2 Tbsp

Oil - 2 Tbspsz



Method



1) Cool and fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and add, the spiced tamarind paste( i will post this recipe later as this post itself has 4 recipes), roasted peanuts and the oil.

2) Combine gently and thorougly till all the quinoa is well coated with oil and the the paste.







Onion Raita



Ingredients



Yogurt - 2 Cups

Chopped Onion - 3/4 cup

Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Fresh ground pepper - 1/4 tsp or to taste

Cilantro - 1 tbsp(optional)



Method



1. In a big bowl, combine yogurt,  salt, & black pepper together.

2. Now add chopped onion and cilantro to the above mixture and serve.







Date & Nut Milk Shake



Ingredients



Pitted Dates - 6 large

Almonds-1/4 cup

Milk -2 cups

Ice cubes - few

Honey - 1 tsp or to taste(Optional if you have sweet tooth otherwise the sweetness of dates will do)



Method



1.Soak the Almonds and dates in warm milk for about 30 mins separately.

2.Grind the dates first and then add the almonds to make a smooth paste.

3. Now add the milk, ice cubes and honey into a blender and blend together.



Event Participation

1) This goes to Well balanced three course meal event hosted by Yasmeen and Food for Seven Stages of Life- Pregnancy hosted by Radhika.



3) The soup goes to Soup and Juice event hosted by Sireesha.

4) The Date & Nut shake goes to Soup and Juice event hosted by Sireesha, FIL-Milk hosted by Sanghi.

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Oatmeal - Apple Raisin Walnut Eggless Bread

Know what you Eat - Apples are rich in antioxidants , fiber, flavonoids and help to maintain a heart-healthy diet. Flavonoids unique to apple - including phloridzin - are thought to play a potentially key role in the special ability of apples to support lung health. Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, a special type of protective fat the body cannot manufacture. In addition, walnuts contain an antioxidant compound called ellagic acid that supports the immune system and appears to have several anticancer properties. . Oats are an excellent source of iron, dietary fiber and thiamin. Whole wheat is rich in dietary fiber and is good source of iron. Chia seeds are very good source of omega - 3, dietary fiber, antioxidants.

With Schools open, i prefer to prepare these kind of dishes and refrigerate, so that it is easier to pack lunch box in the morning. Spread a spoon of peanut butter and send along with a fruit for a healthy and wholesome lunch. Your ideas and suggestions on easy to prepare and wholesome lunch box ideas are welcome. Will really be helpful on crazy and hectic mornings. I saw this recipe in Chow.com. I halved it and made an eggless version, the original recipe uses 1 Tablespoon of Baking Soda and Powder. When i baked it for the first time even though i knew it is on the higher side didn't change the measurement and could feel the strong presence of baking soda. The next time i baked halved both of them and doubled up the chia seeds and it was just fine.

Ingredients

Whole wheat Flour - 1 Cup
Old Fashioned rolled Oats - 1 Cup
Apple - 1
Butter Milk - 1 Cup
Raisins - 3/4 Cup
Walnuts - 1/4 Cup
Honey - 1/4 Cup
Baking Soda - 1 1/2 Teaspoons
Baking Powder - 1 1/2 Teaspoons
Chia Seeds - 2 Tablespoon(you can also use 2 tablespoon egg substitute or 2 tablespoon flaxseed )
Water - 6 Tablespoons
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tsp

Method

1) Soak Chia Seeds in 3 tablespoons of water and set it aside till it swells and a nice gel is formed.
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Combine Whole Wheat, Oats, Salt, Cinnamon powder, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, finely chopped walnuts, raisins and set them aside.

3) Wash, Core, peel and chop apple into very fine pieces and add it to the above mixture.

4) In a small blender, place the chia gel and blend finely for 2 minutes till you get a nice slurry egg substitute.

5) Add this Chia gel slurry to Wheat, Oat mixture and add the honey and buttermilk and combine thoroughly.

6) Generously grease a loaf pan and fill 3/4 full and bake for 30-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Spread a teaspoon of peanut butter on this enjoy as a whole some breakfast, pack for lunch for kids along with a fruit or enjoy as a evening snack.

Event Participation

1) This dish goes to Sunday Snacks - Snacks with Breads hosted by Priya.

2) This dish goes to Eggless Baking Event Using Oats hosted by Madhu.

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Whole Grain Gluten Free Mac & Cheese and a balanced 3 course meal for kids

Know what you Eat - Just one cup of brown rice will provide you with 88.0% of the daily value for manganese. This trace mineral helps produce energy from protein and carbohydrates and is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids, which are important for a healthy nervous system. Peas are one of the few members of the legume family that are cooked as fresh vegetables. Green peas provide very good amounts of 8 vitamins, 7 minerals, dietary fiber and protein. Celery is an excellent source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system. Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. Carrots are by far one of the richest source of carotenoids.

I had to make something for a small guest one of my friend's daughter(4 yrs old), who came in for lunch and a play date with my kids. Went for this simple and delicious one and they all loved it. I prefer brown rice pasta to wheat, they do taste way much better, you should be able to get Tinkyada rice pasta in health and organic food aisle in your food store.

Ingredients

Whole grain brown rice shell macaroni(uncooked ) - 2 cups
Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Frozen green peas - 1 cup
Water

Unsalted butter - 2 tbsp
Grated Cheddar Cheese(Organic rennetless) - 1 1/2 cups
Flour - 1 teaspoon
Milk - 1/4 cup
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp or more to taste
Onion powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Oregano powder - 1/2 tsp

Method

1) Thaw the frozen green peas, cover it with enough water, add 1/2 tsp salt (more as per your taste) cook till tender and set it aside.

2) Bring 2 quarts of water with the teaspoon of salt to a boil in thick-bottomed pan, add the macaroni and cooked through but slightly firm. Drain the water from the cooking pan, and leave the macaroni, add the cooked peas in the pan and keep the stove in low setting.

3) Dice the butter into small cubes and melt it in a saucepan over low heat.Once the butter is melted, begin whisking in the flour.When all the flour is incorporated, continue stirring and cooking for a few minutes. If you plan to be making a white or light-colored cheese sauce, be sure to keep the heat low enough that the flour does not brown. Now add milk and whisk the mixture until its smooth. Allow the sauce to simmer until it has lost its "floury" taste (this will take about 20 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat and gently blend in the cheese and add pepper, onion powder and oregano. If the cheese doesn't seem to be melting sufficiently, you can return the pan to very low heat, but watch it carefully and remove as soon as the cheese is melted.

4) Now add this Cheese sauce to the cooked macaroni and peas and combine thoroughly
and serve hot immediately.

I served this with Soup and for the recipe you can click here, the only addition i did to the soup is adding 3/4th cup of cooked mung bean, mashed finely to make this a complete balanced meal and adding a small piece of beetroot to all the vegetables while cooking to give a nice color. I served Sweetened Mixed Nut Balls for dessert.

Event Participation
1) This goes to What you are Cooking for your Guests hosted by Raji of Rak's Kitchen.
2) This also goes to Well balanced three course meal event hosted by Yasmeen.

3) This goes to C&B Cheese Cheese Cheese hosted by Dido Divya.

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