Meatballs

Meat balls are a very versatile dish, This can be used in different ways. I prefer baking them because that retains the moisture and softness more.

Any ground meat - 1lb [i prefer 80% lean beef]

eggs - 1

breadcrumbs - 1/2 cup

milk - 1/2 cup

onion - 1 medium

garlic - 4 cloves

cheese [romano or parmesan or monterey jack] - 1/2 cup

some dry or fresh parsely and basil leaves.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cooking oil on a baking sheet or dish.

Finely chop onion, garlic and leaves if using fresh(For a finer texture grate onion n garlic).

Saute them in a tsp of oil.

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Make small balls and place on the baking dish.

If the mixture feels too loose to hold balls, add a little more bread crumbs.

Bake in oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

Enjoy as such as an appetizer or add it to pasta sauce and pour over spaghetti or any of your favourite pasta.

Or make a meat ball curry. You can use my Chicken Curry recipe, substitute chicken with meat balls. Viola!! Enjoy!

[if you dont have an oven, pan fry them in medium heat with a couple of teaspoons of oil]

Low fat Rotini Pasta

For this recipe I have used rotini pasta, you can use what ever you have in your pantry.

Trying to make it more healthy, included spinach and low fat cheese. You can add more vegetables of your choice.

Rotini pasta - 2 cups

onion - 1

80% lean beef - 1 lb

spinach - 1 bunch

garlic - 3 or 4 cloves

1% low fat cottage cheese - 1 cup

yoghurt - 1/2 cup

chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

garam masala -1 tsp

some dried or fresh parsely and oregano.

Any low fat italian cheese - 1/2 cup grated.

salt to taste.

Boil water, add salt and cook pasta or 10 to 12 minutes.

Wash and chop spinach and onions.

In a pan, add a little oil, saute onion, garlic followed by spinach.

Add the meat, chilli powder, garam masala, salt and dry leaves.

Let it cook for 10 minutes.

Blend cottage cheese smooth.

Add it and the yoghurt.

Add drained pasta and grated cheese and heat it through and serve.

Eggless Pound cake -Dressed Up

This is an egg-less pound cake with whipped topping and a pineapple filling in between.

For Egg-less pound cake:

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all purpose flour - 2 1/4 cups

butter - 1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cup

condensed milk - 1 1/2 cup

baking powder - 1 1/2 tsp

baking soda - 1/2 tsp

vanilla essence - 1 tsp

plain soda water- 1 1/2 cup

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease the baking tray with butter.

Take the flour, baking powder and baking soda and sieve then together.

In a wide mixing bowl, whisk together softened butter and condensed milk until smooth.

Add some flour, some soda and whisk it well, repeat until all flour and soda are done. Do not add them all at once .Add them in 3 or 4 additions.

Whisk in vanilla essence.

Pour into the prepared dish and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes.

For whipped cream

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heavy whipping cream - 2 to 3 cups

vanilla extract - 1 tsp

sugar - 2 tbsp

Take whipping cream into a bowl.

Start whipping slowly until soft peak forms.

Now add sugar and continue whipping until thick peak forms.

Once done keep covered with a plastic wrap in refrigerator unit ready to frost.

For pineapple filling

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1/2 of a pineapple chopped small

sugar - 1 cup

Cook the pineapple over medium heat.

Keep in low flame,add sugar and keep stirring until dissolved.

Let it cool.

Assemble and decorate

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Bake the cake and let it cool.

Cut into 2 layers. Spread pineapple filling in between.

Frost outside with whipped cream.

For a simple decoration I have made a flower out of jelly bean rolled out and some chocolate dress ups.

Vazhakka Moru Curry or Moru Kalan

This is a dish from Kerala. The thicker version of this is called Kurukku Kalan which is one item for sadhya[a vegetarian feast]. For that its the same recipe except that u may double the coconut grated and add less water. Thinner version is what I'm giving below.

Ingredients:

Raw banana - 1

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

curd - 1 cup

curry leaves - a sprig

mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

dry red chilli - 1 or 2

oil- 2 tsp

salt to taste

for grinding:

grated coconut - 1/2 cup

cumin seeds - 1 tsp

green chilli - 1 or 2[add more if u want it more spicy]

Method:

Peel the skin of the banana and chop into small pieces.

Cook it with a little turmeric powder and salt and some water.

Beat the curd and mix in a cup of water and keep.

Grind together grated coconut,cumin seeds and green chilli.

When the banana is cooked add the coconut mixture and curd in very low flame.

Add some water if desired and keep stirring until heated. Do not let it boil.

Check for salt.

In a small pan heat oil, splutter mustard followed by fenugreek seeds, dry red chilli and curry leaves.

Pour this over the prepared curry.

Done.

Chembu mezhukkuperatti or Taro root stir fry

Taro or Arbi or Colocassia or chembu(in malayalam) root is a root vegetable which is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin E, potassium and manganese.

This is a simple recipe with it.

Chembu or taro root - 1/2 lb

onion - 1/2

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

chilli powder or crushed chilli - 1/2 tsp

salt to taste

curry leaves - 1 sprig

mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

oil - 2 tsp

Remove the skin and slice taro root into desired size pieces.

Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard and curry leaves.

Add onions chopped followed by taro root slices.

Fry for a minute. Now add turmeric powder and crushed chilli and salt.

Sprinkle some water and cover and put it in medium low flame.

Check for doneness, if not sprinkle a little more water and let it cook.

Open the pan and stir fry for 5 minutes.