Eggless Chocolate Sponge Cake

This is a slight variation to the eggless chocolate cake I bake regularly. I used dutch processed cocoa in this cake, which made it look very dark and tasted delicious. Another difference was that I used vinegar in this cake, I was skeptical about using vinegar but the cake tasted very good. 

Eggless Chocolate Sponge Cake

All-purpose flour - 3/4 cup

Whole-wheat flour - 3/4 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Dutch processed cocoa powder - 2 tbsp

Canola Oil - 1/4 cup

Cold milk - 1 cup

Baking soda - 1tsp

Vanilla extract - 1tsp

White vinegar - 1 tbsp

Salt - a pinch

Preheat oven to 350F and grease the baking pan with oil. 

Mix sugar with oil and milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. 

In a separate bowl, mix flours, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Gently mix this dry mixture into the wet ingredients in 3-4 batches. Gently mix, make sure you don't over mix. 

Pour the cake mixture in the prepared pan. Bake for about 40-45 minutes. Insert a tooth pick in the center of the cake, if it comes out clean your cake is ready. 

Note: For vegan cake, you can replace milk with water. 

Chana Pindi (Chickpeas Cooked in Onion and Tomato based Gravy)

I found this recipe at Sanjeev Kapoor's website and trust me I have become famous among my friends for this. Everything about this recipe is too good to be true. The best thing is the chana masala, it does take a little bit time to dry roast your own masala but it is totally worth the taste. 

Chana Pindi

Chickpeas (White Chana) - 1.5 cup (soaked overnight)

Tea Bags - 2

Pomegranate powder (Anardana) - 1 tbsp

Coriander Powder - 4 Tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Dry Mange Powder (Amchur) - 1/ tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tbsp

Oil - 2-3 Tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Onion, chopped - 2 medium

Tomato, chopped - 2 medium

Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 Tbsp

Green chillies, slit - 3-4

Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Take soaked chana in a pressure cooker. Add tea bags and salt and cook until chana becomes soft. Once cooked remove the tea bags. 

Dry roast anardana, half coriander powder, half the turmeric powder, half the red chilli powder, and amchur. This is the chana masala. 

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and sauté until it changes colour. Add onions and sauté until it turn translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, remaining turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and continue to sauté. To this add chopped tomatoes, green chillies and cook until mixture reduces to a pulp.

Add boiled chana to this mixture along with chana masala and garam masala. Stir to mix well and let it simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes. 

Serve hot with white rice or naan. 

Light Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I love Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheddar Soup, I mean who doesn't. It is rich, creamy, and yummy. When I found this soup recipe, I was super excited to try it. However, when I looked at the 'RICH' ingredients, I knew I can't use all these ingredients and feel guilty for a week. So I lightened it and loved it. Of course, it is not as rich as Panera Bread's soup but definitely good. 

Broccoli Cheddar Soup 

Butter - 2 Tbsp
Onion - 1 Medium, chopped
All purpose flour - 1/4 Cup
1% Milk - 2 cups
Chicken Stock - 2 Cups
Fresh Broccoli - 1/2 lb 
Carrot - 1 cup, grated
Nutmeg - 1/4 Tsp
Cheddar Cheese - 4 Tbsp
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste


Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add milk.

Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.

Add salt and pepper add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.

How I made it light: 
- The original recipe used half and half instead of milk, I substituted it for 1% milk
- I only used 4 Tbsp cheese, the original recipe asked for 8 ounces (16 Tbsp)
- The recipe also had an additional step of sauteing onions separately in butter, I skipped it to save on butter

Warm Mexican Layered Dip

This has definitely topped my list of dips. My husband and I are huge fans of guacamole so I wanted to try something different this time. This dip is warm so perfect for winters. I have already tried it twice and served it to a couple of friends, guess what they loved it too! :)

Warm Mexican Layered Dip

Refried Beans - 1 can
Cream Cheese - 2 Tbsp softened
Taco Seasoning - 1 Tbsp
Frozen Corns - 1/2 cup (roughly)
Salsa - 1/2 cup
Cheddar Cheese - to sprinkle
Fresh Cilantro chopped - to garnish

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and taco seasoning with a fork. Add little water/milk to mix nicely. 

Add frozen corns in a microwave safe bowl and let them cook for 1 minute. 

Spread refried beans evenly on the bottom of a platter you want to use to serve this dip. Top with the cream cheese mixture and next layer corn. Now layer it with salsa and sprinkle with cheese. 

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 10-12 minutes or until cheese melts completely. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.

Broccoli Rice

This is an amazing side dish and can go with everything. I served it with baked salmon and was a wonderful match. 

Broccoli Rice

Fresh Broccoli Florets - 1 Cup
Onion, cut into thin slices length wise - 1 small
Rice, uncooked - 1 Cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Olive Oil - 1 Tbsp

Heat pan and add oil to it. Add cumin seeds and when they start changing color, add chopped onion. Cook on medium heat, until it becomes translucent. To this add broccoli and cook it for 5 minutes. Now add pepper and stir gently. 

Add rice with 2 cups of water, add salt and stir gently. Bring it to boil. Turn the heat to simmer, cover and cook. Continue to cook till rice is fully done. 

Pancakes

I made pancakes this morning, I generally want to try something new for Sunday breakfast. I got up this morning and some pancakes was the first thing that came to my mind. I found the perfect recipe this time. Pancakes were soft, fluffy and very simple to cook. You don't need any weird ingredients, I am sure everything will be there in your pantry. We topped it with fresh strawberries, sour cream and maple syrup. 

Fluffy Pancakes

Milk - 3/4 cup (I used skim milk)

White vinegar - 2 tbsp

All-purpose flour - 1 cup

Sugar - 1.5 tbsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Egg - 1

Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Mix milk and white vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes to 'sour'

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt in a bowl. Whisk for 1-2 minutes. Then add egg, oil and milk mixture to it. Whisk until lumps are gone. 

Heat non stick pan, add some 1 oil or cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls batter into the pan and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula and cook until browned on both sides. 

Top them with fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, and banana), sour cream and maple syrup. 

Note: 

- This batter makes around 6 pancakes

-  The original recipe had 2 tbsp melted butter instead of olive oil. Feel free to replace that if you are not calorie conscious. 

Baked Salmon with Avocado Salsa

We usually go out for dinner on Friday but it was too cold this time to go out so I wanted to make something different. I had 2 ripe avocados lying in my fridge for a couple of days so I wanted to use them along with salmon and I found this interesting recipe of baked salmon with avocado salsa. Trust me it was very simple and super delicious. I served salmon and avocado salsa with the side of broccoli rice. 

Baked Salmon

Salmon - Cut into pieces

Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Ground Coriander - 1 tsp

Ground Cumin - 1 tsp

Ground Pepper - 1 tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Red Chilli powder (or paprika) - 1 tsp

Juice of 1 lemon 

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and marinade salmon with the spice mixture for 20 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 425 F and bake salmon until done. It usually takes 25-30 minutes. 

Avocado Salsa

Avocado, peeled and sliced length wise - 2

Onion, cut length wise - 1 small

Jalapeno Pepper, minced - 1/2

Juice from 1 lemon

Olive Oil - 1 Tbsp

Cilantro chopped - to garnish

Salt - to taste 

Combine the avocado, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and salt in a bowl and mix well, chill until ready to use.

Note: You can add more jalapeno pepper based on your spice tolerance.