Blackberry Cobbler Cake

Blackberries, are a sweet, juicy, low-calorie food that adds a variety of nutrients to your diet.


NUTRITIONAL FACTS: Blackberries, like most berries are low in calories and high in nutrients. Per half cup, blackberries have 37 calories, 9g of carbohydrate and 4g of fiber. Other nutrients in blackberries include vitamins A, C, and K, magnesium, potassium, and fiber. Vitamin A helps maintain eye health while vitamin C promotes wound healing, keeps gums healthy and helps the body absorb iron. Vitamin K, along with magnesium, are important in promoting bone health. Potassium plays a role in health blood pressure levels. And fiber helps control cholesterol and keeps you regular.

(Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/110325-blackberries-nutrition/#ixzz1izqK1C7L)

This sweet and tangy dessert is perfect after a Sunday lunch and a great way to use up a tart batch of Blackberries. I saw these yummalicious berries in my supermarket on sale and had to buy them, Ofcourse...

RECIPE: Blackberry Cobbler Cake

(Adapted from John Shields)

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla
1 pint (2 cups) fresh Blackberries
1/2 to 1 cup sugar, for berries
1 cup hot water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 by 8-inch baking dish.
2. Stir together 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 2 Tbsp butter, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla .
3. Toss the berries with the sugar to taste and stir into the batter.
4. Spoon the batter into the baking dish. Pour 1 cup hot water over all and bake for 45 (50 minutes for frozen berries), until the batter rises to the surface around the edges of the pan and is light golden brown.
5. Serve plain or with vanilla Ice-cream.

Step-by-step proccess,

 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 by 8-inch baking dish.

NOTE: I get asked a lot, "Do I have to use an 8 by 8 inch dish or do I have to use a tube pan for a recipe?" Answer is NO you don't. You can use whatever you have on hand. To demonstrate, I have used an oblong dish that I use for serving food. You don't need every pot and pan that a recipe asks for. Just get creative and use whaever you have. I promise it will taste delicious no matter what shape or pan you use :) Since there was less surface area exposed to the heat it took about 8 minutes more in the oven so make sure you adjust the timing depending on the size of your vessel.

Stir together 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 2 Tbsp butter, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla.

   

Toss the berries with the sugar to taste and stir into the batter.

Spoon the batter into the baking dish. Pour 1 cup hot water over all and bake for 45 (50 minutes for frozen berries), until the batter rises to the surface around the edges of the pan and is light golden brown.

   

Serve plain or with vanilla Ice-cream or green tea sorbet.

Enjoy!!! The sweet-tart and savory cobbler was just perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Spicy Peanut Kachumber Salad

This is one of my most loved and popular creations. No matter how big a serving I make, it gets goddbled up FAST.... I have doubled-tripled-quardrupled it but I still run out :) You will be amazed at how humble and simple to prepare it really is.

RECIPE: Spicy Peanut Kachumber Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
1 Onion, coarse dice
1 Seedless Cucumber, diced
2 Avacados, diced
2 Tomatoes, diced
1 Green chilli, chopped
handful fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 Cup Peanuts, roasted and lightly salted
Dressing:
2 Lemons, Juiced
salt to taste
1 tsp Cumin seeds, roasted and ground
1 tsp Corinader seeds, roasted and ground
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika

Method

1. Chop the onions, cucumber, avacados, tomatoes, chillies and coriander.
2. Now add the peanuts and toss it all up.
3. Whip up all the dressing ingredients and drizzle over the salad. Toss it well and that is all it takes to make the best salad in the world :).

Dinner rolls

These Rolls are a cross between dinner rolls and biscuits. They are light, flaky and a perfect texture to eat with a soup or dip in a gravy. My kids love these and can't wait for them to come out of the oven.

RECIPE: Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

2 cups of Bisquick

1/2 cup of Greek Yogurt (Fage 0% Milk)

1/4 to 1/2 cup of 7-Up soda

1/4 cup of butter

Method

1. Add the Bisquick into a medium sized mixing bowl.
2. Fold in the Greek Yogurt.
3.  Then add the 7-Up little by little and mix until a soft dough ball is formed. You don't want to make it too watery so add a little at a time.
4.  Then add the 7-Up and mix until a soft dough ball is formed.
5. Place the dough ball on top and use your hand to press the dough out.
6.  Use a drinking glass to cut out biscuits.
7. Tilt the pan so the bottom is lightly coated with the melted butter.
8. Place the cut out biscuits over the butter in the baking pan.
9. Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes or until biscuit tops are golden brown.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before transferring to a bread basket or serving platter.

Step-by-step process,

Add the Bisquick into a medium sized mixing bowl. Fold in the sour cream.

Then add the 7-Up and mix until a soft dough ball is formed.

Dust the counter top or cutting board with a little Bisquick. Place the dough ball on top and use

your hand to press the dough out. Use a biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut

out biscuits.

Roll it into a ball again, flatten it and cut out more rolls

Then melt the butter and place it into a 9” round baking pan. Tilt the pan so the bottom is lightly

coated with the melted butter. Place the cut out biscuits over the butter in the baking pan.

Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes or until biscuit tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let

sit for 5 minutes before transferring to a bread basket or serving platter.

Served with the Bean and green soup

Hearty Bean and green soup

Sniffles or not this is one of those soups that does the trick every time. It is a highly nutritious and satisfying soup.

The Truth About Kale

Kale has been deemed the "Superfood" for the last few years. I read an article a few months back (WebMD Magazine) and it was called the Nutritional Powerhouse by a panel of experts.

Since then I have incorporated Kale in our diet in a big way. It is a low calorie and anti-oxidant rich vegetable that I use in soups, pastas, quiches as well as sauteed with potatoes or tofu. My kids wash it and eat it raw. Believe it or not I put some in my smoothies and it tastes great to the horror of my husband. He is pretty unadventurous in terms of this (well I don't blame him, sounds awful unless you try it) I turned my nose up at it too until I tried it and it is a staple snack now.

Kale is readily available in the US, not sure about its availability outside the US. Would love to know if you live in another country and can find it easily. I can rave about the benefits of Kale for the rest of the day but you get my point.  Lets get started with today's recipe.


Bean and green soup with Kale

 RECIPE: Hearty Bean and Green Soup
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive oil
6-8 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Onion, chopped
4 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp Italian herb seasonings
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp caraway seeds (black cumin)
4-5 Cups Chicken or vegetable broth
4 Cups Raw Kale, chopped (hard stalk and veins removed)
1 Can Cannellini beans, un-drained
1 Can Navy beans, un-drained
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Cup Coriander, chopped


Method

1. In a large pot heat the olive oil, add the cumin and caraway seeds. Once they start to sizzle add the garlic and onions till soft and translucent.
2. Add the Kale and saute until wilted.
3. Add the broth and the whole can of Cannellini beans. Add half of the Navy beans as well. 
4. Add the tomatoes, Italian herb seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Crush the left over navy beans with your hand and get it to a pasty consistency. Add to the soup to thicken. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes.
6. Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve with dinner rolls.

Step-by-step process,

I like to start by chopping all my ingredients. Mince the garlic, chop the onions, tomatoes and coriander. 

If you have not worked with Kale before make sure you wash it thoroughly and using organic Kale would be my preference. Make sure you take out the hard veins and stalks from the kale and finely chop the rest of it.

remove hard veins and stalks

In a large pot heat the olive oil, add 1/4 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp caraway seeds. Once they start to sizzle add the garlic and onions till soft and translucent.

Add the Kale and saute until wilted.

Wilted

 Add the broth and the can of Cannelloni beans. Add half of the Navy beans can.

Navy Beans

Cannellini Beans

Add the tomatoes, Italian herb seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Crush the left over navy beans with your hand and get it to a pasty consistency. Add to the soup to thicken. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes.

Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve with dinner rolls.

Served with dinner rolls

Enjoy!!! It was such a satisfying meal...Look out for these easy Dinner rolls recipe next.