A healthy cake recipe loaded with anti-oxidant rich fresh blueberries, quick cooking oats and walnuts.

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 2 cups Oats (quick cooking)
• 2 cups Fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)
• For Dusting Confectioners sugar

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 2 cups Buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Canola Oil (you could use vegetable oil too)
• 1 tablespoon Vinegar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C for 15 minutes. Lightly grease and flour a bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the wet ingredients and the brown sugar.
3. In another bowl combine together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add this to the wet ingredients gradually until blended.
4. Fold in the oats, blueberries and walnuts.
5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake it for 45-50 minutes. Watch for cake pulling out from the sides of the pan.
6. Leave the pan undisturbed for 10 minutes and slowly invert it on a wire cooling rack to cool it down completely.
7. Dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Sugar
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Water
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Butter

Method:

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients.
2. In a liquid measuring mug, measure 1 cup milk. To that add the vegetable oil, water and vanilla extract.
3. Stir in the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Do not over-mix. Lumps are perfectly fine. Set aside for a couple of minutes.
4. Heat a griddle at medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot add the butter and let it melt.
5. Add the melted butter to the pancake batter and return the pan to the stove. Mix the butter into the batter.
6. When the pan is hot enough, pour a ladleful of batter on the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbles appear on the face of the pancake.
7. Carefully flip the pancake and cook until its golden brown.

A nice beginner recipe for those who want to start eggless baking. It’s pretty much simple, straight forward and has a very good taste and texture.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 Cup Vegan Margarine, Softened (I Used Earth Balance)
• 2 Teaspoons Ener-g Egg Replacer
• 1/4 Cup Lukewarm Water
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 And 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
• 1/2 Cup Raisins (Optional, See My Notes)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 350F/180C for 15 minutes. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Blend together the egg replacer powder and warm water until it’s frothy; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and margarine until light and fluffy (See My Notes).
3. Add the blended egg replacer mixture and vanilla extract to the creamed sugar mixture; beat it well again.
4. Sift together the dry ingredients directly into the bowl with the creamed mixture. Combine it well. The cookie dough will be very thick. You can use an electric beater to do the mixing.
5. Fold in the walnuts and then the raisins, if using.
6. Drop tablespoonful of dough onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten it slightly. Bake for about 12-14 minutes. Test bake about 2 cookies to see how it bakes and then you can decide how to proceed with the rest of the dough.
7. Move the cookie sheet to wire cooling rack and leave it undisturbed for about 6-8 minutes. Then remove the cookies from the sheet and let it cool completely on the wire rack before storing it in an air tight container.

Ingredients:

•    2 tablespoons peanut oil
•     1 onion , chopped
•     3 garlic cloves , diced
•     1 green bell pepper , diced
•     1 red bell pepper , diced
•     2 3/4 ounces broccoli florets
•     1 zucchini , sliced
•     1 carrot , cut into matchsticks
•     3 1/2 ounces bean sprouts
•     2 teaspoons light brown sugar
•     2 tablespoons soy sauce
•     1/2 cup vegetable stock
•     salt and pepper
•     1/2 cup cashews (optional)
•     1 tablespoon chili oil (optional)

Directions:

1.     Heat oil in a wok until oil is almost smoking.
2.     Add the onion and garlic and stirfry for 30 seconds. Take care not to burn the garlic.
3.     Stir in peppers, broccoli, zucchini, and carrots. Stir fry for 3 more minutes.
4.     Add bean sprouts, brown sugar, soy sauce and vegetable stock (add chilli sauce and cashews here is desired).
5.     Add a dash of salt and pepper and cook an additional 2 minutes. Serve immediately with noodles or rice.

1. Place chickpeas, carrots, croutons,parsley, onion, garlic, lemon peel, pepper and salt in food processor, process until blended. Shape mixture into 4 patties.
2. Spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add patties; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until bottoms are browned. Spray tops of patties with cooking spray; turn and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until browned.
3. Serve patties on buns with tomato, lettuce and salsa

Makes 4 servings

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
• 2 dried red chile peppers
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3 pounds fresh spinach, torn
• 1 large tomato, quartered
• 4 sprigs fresh cilantro leaves
• 8 ounces ricotta cheese
• coarse sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saucepan heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and saute garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of ginger, red chilies (optional ingredient) and onion until brown. Mix in the cumin, coriander, turmeric and sour cream (add more or less to achieve desired creaminess). Add the spinach, handfuls at a time until it is cooked down, about 15 minutes total. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
2. Pour spinach mixture into a blender or food processor and add the tomato, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of ginger, and cilantro (add more or less according to taste). Blend for 15 to 30 seconds, or until the spinach is finely chopped. Pour back into the saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
3. In a medium frying pan heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, and fry cheese until browned; drain and add to spinach. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Season with salt to taste.

1. 1 1/2 cup kidney beans (rajma)
2. 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
3. 2 large tomatoes
4. 1 tablespoon ginger
5. 1 green chili
6. 3 tablespoon oil
7. Generous pinch of asafetida (hing)
8. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
9. 2 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
10. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
11. 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
12. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13. 1 teaspoon paprika
14. 1 medium chopped tomato for garnishing

Method

1. Wash and soak the kidney beans in about six cups of water for at least 6 hours (kidney beans will be double in volume after soaking).
2. Cut the tomatoes in small pieces, green chili slice lengthwise and take out the seeds (if you prefer mild). Next blend tomatoes, green chili, and ginger and make a paste.
3. Heat the oil in pressure cooker. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed. If the seed cracks right away, the oil is ready. Add asafetida and cumin seeds, as the cumin seeds crack add tomato paste, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, black pepper, and paprika.
4. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the oil is separating from the mixture.
5. Add kidney beans, salt, and three cups of water close the cooker. Cook on medium high heat.
6. As pressure cooker starts steaming turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 12 minutes.
7. Close the heat and wait until steam has stopped before opening the pressure cooker.
8. Kidney beans should be soft and tender. Lightly mash the kidney beans while mixing. Adjust salt, and pepper to your taste.
9. Garnish with chopped tomatoes.

1. Mix flour, salt and water together to make soft dough (if the dough is hard add a little more water). I like mixing the dough by hand.
2. Knead the dough for a few minutes on a lightly greased surface to make smooth and pliable dough.
3. Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes.

Filling

1. Boil 2 medium potatoes with 2 cups of water.
2. After the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium.
3. Let the potatoes cook until they are tender.
4. Once tender, remove them from the water and let them cool down. Note: Do not cool the potatoes under running water because the potatoes will become too soft.
5. After the potatoes are cold enough to handle, peel the skin off and mash the potatoes.
6. Mix green chilies, cilantro, cumin seeds and salt to the mashed potatoes.

Making paratha

1. Divide the dough and potato mixture into 6 equal parts.
2. The potato balls should be about 1 1/2 times larger than the dough balls.
3. Roll the dough into 3 inch diameter circles. Place the potato balls in the center.
4. Seal by pulling the edges of the rolled dough together to make a ball. Proceed to make all six balls.
5. Let them settle for 3 to 4 minutes before rolling them.
6. Heat the skillet on medium high. Note: An iron skillet works best. To check if the skillet is hot enough, sprinkle a couple of drops of water on it. If the water sizzles right away, the skillet is ready.
7. To make it easier to roll the balls, first roll them in dry whole-wheat flour.
8. Lightly press the ball on the sealed side and keep it on the topside when rolling.
9. Roll the ball light handed in to 6-inch circles. Whenever the dough sticks to the rolling pin or rolling surface, lightly sprinkle dry whole-wheat flour on both sides of the semi-rolled paratha.
10. Place the paratha over the skillet. After a few seconds you will see the parantha change color and puff in different places.
11. Then flip the paratha over. You should see some golden-brown spots on the topside.
12. After a few seconds, spread 1 teaspoon of oil on the paratha. Again, flip the paratha and lightly press the puffed areas with a spatula.
13. Flip again and press with the spatula making sure the paratha is golden-brown on both sides.
14. Cool the parathas on a wire rack so they don’t get soggy.