Guilt-free No Bake Quinoa Mango Pudding Crème Brûlée!!...and a Health Challenge and give away!!

Today is a day for indulging!Indulging in a smooth and luscious creamy dessert using Quinoa!Yes our very own, humble herb,transported to a different altitude.An altitude of greater proportions, greater heights in terms of taste and flavors.We bloggers are always looking to make complicated recipes to impress our readers, but sometimes its the simplest of recipes that deserve all the attention!This is one such recipe.

The intention was to make a dessert using Quinoa.But what started off as a simple experiment, gradually started taking the shape of something more decadent.My imagination running wild,I eventually decided to make a crème brûlée,but a skinny version. I made the pudding exactly like like an eggless rice pudding,and substituted lite coconut milk for regular milk.

I have to tell you that this is the first time I was making a dessert using Quinoa, so initially I was a bit apprehensive, but this tasted wonderful!The velvety texture and the sweet medley of cinnamon, ginger and vanilla makes it a very comforting dessert to indulge in.The coconut milk adds that extra depth of flavor and the mango with the thick Greek Yoghurt makes the perfect topping!Guilt-free and sinfully good!

Quinoa Mango Pudding Crème Brûlée
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Ingredients:
For the pudding:
Quinoa-1/2 cup
Lite Coconut Milk-1 14oz can
Turbinado Sugar-3/4 cup
Ground Cinnamon-1tsp
Vanilla Extract-1 tsp
Ginger powder-1/2 tsp


For the Mango Topping:
Plain Greek Yoghurt-1 pot 6oz (I used Fage)
Mango puree-1 cup
Turbinado Sugar-2 tbsp


Process:
In a saucepan combine together Quinoa, 1 cup of Coconut milk and let it boil.Once it starts to boil, cover with a lid and cook on low heat until Quinoa is cooked.Once its cooked add the remaining Coconut Milk, Sugar , Cinnamon, Ginger and Vanilla and cook on medium until it comes together and thickens.Your pudding is ready!


In a separate bowl mix the Yoghurt, Mango and Sugar.Keep aside.
Divide the pudding among four ramekins and top it up with the Mango Topping covering the pudding all over.

Sprinkle a tbsp of Turbinado sugar evenly all over the crème brûlée and either use a torch to melt the sugar to from a crispy top or like me broil it for a few minutes [leave the oven door open so you can keep an eye]until golden!Serve warm!

Notes:The coconut milk thickens over time,so don't fret if you don't see it thicken straight away!Leave it for a few minutes and you'll see it starting to thicken.

You can also use cooked Quinoa for this recipe.Just add the coconut milk [adjust accordingly] and spices to get a nice consistency.Cook on medium until it all comes together.

Moving on to another exciting offering today!A Health Challenge and a Giveaway!


Have you heard of Slimkicker?
Its a weight loss and fitness site that helps motivate you to stay healthy by turning your diet and fitness goals into a game with points, rewards and challenges.They have tools that help you track your calories as well as recipe suggestions!


You can enter into a 7 to 30 day diet and fitness challenge with others and 'check-in' daily to tell them how you're doing.If you level up, you get to participate in giveaways to win cool prizes! Isn't that fun?

SlimKicker can be used alongside any diet program and is all about learning proper nutrition, portion control and acquiring important habits.

AND they have a chance for YOU to create a health challenge as part of their game!So what's for grabs if your idea is chosen?Well its this!

Its an Ozeri Touch Professional Digital Kitchen Scale!!

This product 

• provides accurate measurements from 0.1 oz to 17.6 lbs (1 gram to 8000 grams).
• Features advanced touch sensitive buttons for easy operation, and a large Blue Backlit LCD screen that displays weights in pounds, kilograms, grams, and ounces (lb/oz, kg/g, fl.oz., ml)
• It calculates the net weight of the ingredients (automatically subtracts the container weight to calculate the weight of the ingredients being weighed)

How do you enter?


Simple, just leave a comment with your suggestion of a fun, creative fitness or a diet challenge.That's it!


Slimkicker will then pick their favorite and let me know.
[This giveaway is open to all USA residents and will be open until Wednesday June 6th 2012 11.59pm EST.]

The winner will be announced on June the 7th (Thursday)!!Please make sure to leave your email address or any other way to contact you so I can inform you.

Disclaimer-I was not offered any compensation in cash/kind for this giveaway.


This giveaway is now closed!

Soba Noodles with Swiss Chard and Mushrooms~ #Sunday Supper

Soba noodles has made its way into my favorite food items list!What is Soba, you might ask?Its a Japanese noodles made with buckwheat flour.Its roughly as thick as Spaghetti and has a nutty taste.Its high in Vitamin B1, B2, minerals and protein!It has huge health benefits not limited to decreasing cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, reducing fat accumulation amongst others.{Source-health hokkaido}

I love the fact that's its a quick cooking noodles [takes about 4-5 minutes to cook] and this dish is very easy to put together.Ideal for busy nights or days when you're looking to cook-up something fast! I'm very excited to bring my dish to our #Sunday Supper this Memorial Day Weekend!If you thought the noodles itself was healthy, my addition of Swiss Chard and Mushrooms make it even more healthier and give it so much flavor and a dark color, that makes for a nutrition packed supper for the whole family.

The garlic, ginger and chilli flakes spice up the noodles and the combination of Soy,Oyster and lemon juice flavors the whole dish.You can add your favorite meat or seafood for a Non-Vegetarian version.Its a meal that's well balanced, wholesome and delicious!

Soba Noodles with Swiss Chard and Mushrooms
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Ingredients:

Soba Noodles-1 pck (8oz)
Swiss Chard-1 bunch (6 leaves)-chopped
Baby Bella Mushrooms (or any of your choice)-2 small pck (8oz each) cut into chunks
White/Yellow Onion-1 medium sliced
Crushed Ginger-1 tbsp
Crushed Garlic-1 tbsp
Red chilli flakes-1 tsp
Soy Sauce-2 tbsp
Oyster Sauce-1 tbsp
Lemon juice-2 tbsp
Oil-2 tbsp
Basil-for garnish

Process:

Boil the noodles according to the instructions.Keep aside.
In a small bowl mix together Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce and Lemon Juice.

In the meantime heat oil in a wok and add the onions.Saute for about a minute and add the ginger, garlic and chilli flakes.Cook for about a minute and add mushrooms.Let the mushrooms and get nice and golden brown and all the water has evaporated(do not add salt).

Once the mushrooms are golden add the Swiss Chard and the sauces.Let the Swiss Chard wilt and cook for about 4-5 minutes.Add the Soba noodles and mix together.Check the seasonings and add salt if required.Garnish with some chopped basil and serve!

(Sunday Supper is on a Mission to Bring Back Sunday Supper Around the Family Table in every home. Join us every Sunday with great recipes and inspiration. Please contact Isabel of Family Foodie for more information.)
This week our #SundaySupper Group is hosting their favorite Memorial Day Menu.  From the drinks to the desserts, they all sound amazing!  
Cocktails:

• Best Margaritas Ever by Supper for a Steal
• Sparkling Watermelon Sangria The Weekend Gourmet  

Salads:

• Creamy Bacon and Avocado Pasta Salad by Daily Dish Recipes 
• Sweet and Savory Ham and Mango Salad by Rambling Notebook
• Summer Pasta Salad with Lemon Lime Dressing by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Soba Noodles with Swiss Chard and Mushrooms by Soni’s Food for Thought
• Malaysian Pickled Vegetables by Cookistry
• Wedge Salad & Homemade blue Cheese Dressing by In the Kitchen with KP 
• Grilled Cesar Salad with Homemade Caesar Dressing by The Messy Baker 

From the Grill:

• Grilled Balsamic Pork Kebobs by Momma’s Meals 
• Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps by That Skinny Chick
• Grilled Shrimp Po Boys with Radicchio Slaw Pescetarian Journal
• Bourbon Soy Sauce Pork Chops and Tilapia Family Foodie 
• Green Chile Bacon Cheeseburgers by Damn Delicious

Classics:

• Kalua Pulled Pork by Juanita’s Cocina

Desserts:

• Mocha Latte and Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding Cups by Mrs. Mama Hen 
• Ice Cream Pie by Make Dinner Easy
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Rice Crispy Treats by Chocolate Moosey
• Lite Mango Coconut Ice Cream with Berry Ginger Topping by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Stars and Stripes Pound Cake by Big Bear’s Wife
• Chocolate Lava Cake Cositas Bonitas
• Mango cardamom Cupcakes Beetle’s Kitchen 
• Watermelon Muffins The Meltaways
• Mango Swirl Cheesecake Baker Street

What are you cooking/eating this Memorial Day ?

Red Curry Chicken Kebabs with Thai Mango Salad

Today I bring to you my most favorite appetizer in recent months.Each of these kebabs are a carnival of spicy deliciousness!The flavors explode in your mouth,the moment you take one bite.So succulent, so juicy, so moist, so so wonderful that I cannot tell you how much I love this simple yet amazing dish!

This recipe is the result of trying to use-up two items I had on hand.Chicken mince and with the abundance of mangoes in the stores,some big juicy mangoes!Thai cuisine came to mind and since I had Red Curry paste in my refrigerator, I thought of making Red Curry Kebabs along with a delicious Mango Salad to go with it!I found this amazing recipe for the kebabs in a blog called Gourmet Getaways and the recipe was exactly what I was looking for!I tweaked the original recipe a little bit to suit my taste and the result was unbelievable.

I've used ripe mangoes for the salad, although most Thai Mango salads call for unripe mangoes.Like I said I just used what I had available.If you want you can substitute unripe mangoes as well.This makes for a great party food and will appeal to both kids and adults alike.The salad is very easy to put together and goes very well with these kebabs!In the past I have served this salad with Tofu and Thai fish cutlets ( recipe coming soon!).
The earthy spices in the Red Curry combined with the ginger and garlic flavors the kebabs while the lemon juice adds its tanginess.The coriander leaves lends its freshness and the Mango Salad makes this combination complete!Earthy, sweet, tangy, exotic flavors at their best!

Thai Red Curry Chicken Kebabs with Mango Salad
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Ingredients:

For the Kebabs:

Chicken Mince-1 lb
Red Curry Paste-3 tbsp
Ginger crushed-1/2 tbsp
Garlic Crushed-1/2 tbsp
Green Chillies-2 chopped
lemon juice-1 tbsp
Coriander leaves-1/2 cup (chopped)
Cornflour-2 tbsp
Fish Sauce-1 tsp
Salt-to taste
Oil-2 tbsp

Mango Salad:
Firm Ripe Mango-1 large
Orange Pepper-1 cubed into small pieces

Dressing:
Soy Sauce-2 tbsp
Fish Sauce-1/2 tsp
Brown Sugar-1 tbsp
Lemon juice-2 tbsp

Process:

Mix all the kebab ingredients except oil in a bowl and make small round shaped patties.Heat the oil in a skillet and place the patties.Cook on both sides until they're golden brown and fully cooked.
In the meantime whisk the dressing and pour over the mangoes and peppers.Your salad is ready.
Arrange the kebabs and the salad on a platter and serve!

Mango Lassi, one of my favorite drinks in the hot summer months!So refreshing and vibrant "sunshine in a glass".This is a very simple drink that you must have enjoyed at your favorite Indian restaurant!Its a great accompaniment to the spicy hot Indian food and helps it cool down!

Its one of those drinks that's so popular with adults and kids alike and super easy to make!We all look forward to these summe months when Mangoes are available in abundance to sit outside and enjoy with a glass of this.

Curried Tofu with Vegetables

I've been under the weather for the past few days and although the aches and chills have subsided,the two most important senses for a Food Blogger i.e taste and smell seems to have eluded me, completely!!To test how bad it is I tried eating green chillies, not one but two and I could eat it almost like a salad without even a hint of heat!!Can you imagine?I'm going nuts!!I'm generally quite strong to withstand the seasonal colds even if my whole family is sick.But this time, I was sucked in,due to this weird cycle of unpredictable weather pattern affecting the East Coast.Hot one day, cool the next, sunny one day, rainy the next!Well, my dish today will definitely make you feel great even if the weather doesn't!

I've made this using the things I had on hand.Its an easy and quick recipe, perfect for busy weeknights!I had some Tofu and coconut milk that I had to use.Threw in some veggies for color and flavor, some curry powder for spice, some Sriracha (you could use any other hot chilli sauce) for heat and you have one delicious Tofu dish that's healthy and flavorful!!Even my 4 yr old loved it and wanted seconds!

Curried Tofu with Vegetables-Adapted from Savvy Vegetarian
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Ingredients


Extra Firm Tofu-1 pck (14oz )
Garlic Cloves-4 crushed
Ginger-1/2 inch crushed
Red Chilli flakes-1 tsp
Red/Yellow peppers- 1/2 each chopped
Broccoli florets- 1/2 cup 
Coconut Milk- 2 cups
Soy Sauce-4 tbsp
Curry powder-1 tbsp
Sriracha-1 tsp
Salt-to taste
Oil-3 tbsp


Process:
Drain the water off the Tofu by pressing by hand and cube the pieces.In a bowl pour 2 tbsp of Soy  Sauce and mix with the Tofu pieces.In a skillet heat about 2 tbsp of oil and fry the tofu cubes until slightly golden.Take it out and keep aside.
In the same skillet add a tbsp of oil and add the garlic and ginger along with the chilli flakes.Add 2 tbsp Soy Sauce and gently mix for about a minute.Make sure to not burn the garlic.Add the curry powder and Sriracha.
Add the vegetables and saute for about a minute.Add the coconut milk and the browned tofu pieces.Bring to a boil and cook on medium for about 2-3 minutes.Serve hot with rice!

Baked Vegetable Spring Rolls-Indian Inspired~

Celebrate this Mother's Day with an appetizer/snack that's easy, quick and delicious!
When we were living in England, our favorite appetizer at any party we hosted were these amazing Spring Rolls sold in this tiny Indian sweet shop.Their Indian style spring rolls were made of just Paneer and tasted divine!It was very different from any other Spring rolls I'd ever had and I instantly fell in love with it!When I picked up some Spring Roll Wrappers from a Korean Store recently, I thought of recreating the same recipe, but with different vegetables for more flavor and some crunch.

These are very mild with just 5 ingredients in the filling and go well with a hot sauce like Sriracha on the side.You could use your imagination and add anything else you want to it like green chillies or some paprika, but I've kept it really simple.The process is fairly easy and does not take too long.These are also good for you since I've baked them instead of deep frying!The result is a crisp, crunchy and delicious appetizer that you can serve your guest at your next party!

Easy Vegetable Spring Rolls-Indian Inspired
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Ingredients:

Spring Roll Wrappers-10-12 sheets
Cabbage-11/2 cups sliced thinly
Frozen Corn-1 cup
Yellow Peppers-1 cup sliced
Ginger-1/2 inch crushed
Cumin Seeds-2 tsp
Salt-to taste
Oil-1 tbsp
Cooking Spray

Process:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a skillet, heat oil and the cumin seeds.Once they crackle add the ginger and saute for about a minute.Add all the ready vegetables.Stir fry on high for about 2 minutes.Turn the heat off and keep aside to cool.

Place the spring roll sheets in a plate and cover it with a moist towel to prevent it from becoming dry.
Work with one sheet at a time, take about 2tbsp of the filling mixture and place in about 2 inches from the edge facing you.

Fold the bottom of the wrapper over the filling.Fold-in both of the sides of the wrapper and continue rolling till you reach the top end.
Brush some oil over the rolls and place them seam side down on a greased baking tray.Bake for about 12-15 minutes and turn them over.Bake for another 8-10 minutes until slightly brown.Serve hot with your favorite sauce!

I'm also taking this opprotunity to announce the #CookForMom contest this #Sunday Supper started by our friend Isabel @Family Foodie for a chance to win a Kitchen Aid Hand Blender!The contest opens on 12th May 2012 and will run until 19th May 2012!The winners will be announced on 20th May 2012!

This contest is open to both bloggers and non-bloggers with a Pinterest Account.All you have to do is to create a recipe using the Hand Blender for Mom on Mother's Day and create a Board on Pinterest with 5 pins (the other recipes can be your older recipes or could come from any source validly credited).The pins with most likes wins!!

Please click on Pinterest Contest for the exact details and rules to enter!!

Spicy Mexican Pasta Bake.. #Pastalove

Aah its almost summer although the weather is playing its own little tricks on us, with April-like showers this past week.It has gotten better though and I hope that it stays this way from now on!Talking about summer, our aptly titled Pastalove bloghop is underway and with today being Cinco de Mayo what better way to celebrate than by making some Spicy Mexican Pasta Bake!!

Baked Pasta for me is pure comfort food and this Mexican version is a great variation for your tastebuds.Its got so much flavor with the sausages, vegetables and the spices that every bite gives you a kick!!Its a meal that's going to become your family's favorite in any season.Its also a perfect party/potluck food that's super easy to prepare since you can make it ahead of time or even freeze.

You can easily make a vegetarian version of this, by omitting the sausage and using black beans instead.I wanted to use the Spicy Jalapeño Chicken Sausage sold at Trader Joe's, but they ran out of it and I settled for the Smoked Andouille Chicken Sausage instead which is a pretty good substitute in terms of spiciness.If you want it less spicy you can opt for a milder sausage.I've used Whole Wheat Fusilli that makes this a healthy, wholesome dish for the whole family.

The sausage lends its spicy flavors out into the oil, the peppers and corn get drenched in the spices, the tomatoes balance the heat with its sweetness and the mexican blend of cheeses give this the perfect coating to go under the grill and get nice and bubbly!

Spicy Mexican Pasta Bake
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Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Fusilli (or any other pasta)-4 cups
Smoked Andouille Chicken Sausage(or any of your choice)-1 pck (6 links cubed)
Onion-1 large chopped
Jalapeños (green chillies) -2 chopped
Garlic-6 cloves crushed
Green Bell Pepper-1 large chopped
Frozen Corn-1 cup
Ground Cumin-1 tsp
Paprika-1 tsp
Oregano-2 tsp
16oz can of Crushed Tomatoes-1
Mexican Blend Cheese shredded-2 cups
Water- 1cup
Olive Oil-2 tbsp
Salt -to taste

Process:

In a deep skillet heat the olive oil and add the sausages.Fry until golden and add the onions. Saute for a minute and add the garlic.

Add the green bell peppers, frozen corn and the tomatoes.Add the Jalapeños,ground cumin, paprika, oregano and salt.Add a cup of water. Cover and cook on medium until the sauce comes nicely together.
In the meantime cook the Fusilli for about 7-8 minutes.Mix 2 tbsp of the pasta liquid into the sauce.Take out a large baking dish and pour a little bit of the sauce in the dish.Spread all over.

The fusilli goes next, spread evenly and pour the remaining sauce all over the pasta.

Top it up with the mexican blend cheeses and broil until the cheese is all bubbly.Your Spicy Mexican Pasta  Bake is ready!Garnish with cilantro and serve hot!

I'm co-hosting #Pastalove bloghop with these fabulous friends!Please visit their pages too while you're here :)Link up your pasta recipes from the month of May!

Astig Vegan www.astigvegan.com
Badger Girl Learns to Cook http://www.learntocookbadgergirl.com
BigFatBaker http://bigfatbaker.com
Bon à croquer http://www.bonacroquer.com/
Cake Duchess http://www.cakeduchess.com
Elephant Eats www.elephanteats.com
Hobby And More http://hobbyandmore.blogspot.com/
Mis Pensamientos http://juniakk.blogspot.com
No One Likes Crumbley Cookies http://tcrumbley.blogspot.com/
Oh Cake http://cake-o-cake.blogspot.com/
Rico sin Azúcar http://ricosinazucar.com
Simply Reem www.simplyreem.com
Soni's Food for Thought http://sonisfoodforthought.blogspot.com/
Teaspoon of Spice www.teaspoonofspice.com
The Spicy RD www.eastewart.com/blog
The Wimpy Vegetarian http://thewimpyvegetarian.com
Vegetarian Mamma www.vegetarianmamma.com
You Made That? http://www.you-made-that.com/
Vegan Yack Attack http://veganyackattack.com

Arctic Char in Mustard Sauce

The weather this morning played a dampener yet again and has been for the past few days except for Sunday which was beautiful without the occasional winds.On days like these I really feel like making a nice,comforting meal to cheer me up.Well, lets just say that being a big-time foodie,I always turn to food for cheering me-up :) and talking about comforting,nothing beats this delicious Arctic Char in mustard sauce!You will be amazed at how the simple flavors bring together this sauce so beautifully!For those of you who are not familiar with Arctic Char read this;
Arctic char is a member of the Salmonid family. It resembles a Salmon in appearance but is genetically more closely linked to Trout. While some populations of Arctic Char migrate to the ocean and return to freshwater to spawn, others spend their entire life in freshwater. -(Source Seafood Choices Alliance)

You can also make this sauce with Salmon or Trout since its so similar in taste to these varieties of fish!

If you feel like making a Fish curry that is totally different from the usual but easy enough to prepare then this is for you!This dish comes from the Eastern states of Bihar and West Bengal in India where fresh fish is available in abundance.The mustard sauce is one of the most popular preparations in these regions and I've grown-up having this Fish Curry all the time.My mom is a great cook and its one of her signature dishes!Traditionally Whole Mustard seeds are ground to make a paste along with green chillies,but I've modified Mom's version by going for Coleman's English Mustard Paste for ease and convenience.

Mustard and Fish are a marriage made in heaven since they complement each other beautifully.
The use of Nigella Seeds is very important in this sauce,since it imparts that almost smoky flavor to the sauce.The garlic balances the bitterness of the mustard and the coriander adds a little earthy spiciness to the curry.The Amchur Powder (dry mango powder)is also a necessary ingredient to finish off this dish and should not be missed.If you don't have Amchur,you could substitute Lemon Juice instead.Its one of the most delicious sauces you'll ever try.Truly a taste of the exotic!

Arctic Char in Mustard Sauce
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Ingredients:

Arctic Char Fillets-5-6
Nigella seeds (kalonji)-1 tsp
Coleman's English Mustard Paste-3 tbsp
Garlic Crushed-2 tbsp
Tomatoes-2 medium chopped
Ground Coriander-1 tsp
Turmeric-1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder-1/2 tsp
Water-1 cup
Amchur (Dry Mango Powder)Easily available at your Indian Grocer-2 tsp (you could also substitute 2 tbsp of lemon juice)
Coriander leaves-2 tbsp chopped
Salt- to taste
Oil-3 tbsp

Process:
In a deep skillet heat oil and add the Nigella Seeds.Add the crushed garlic and saute on low heat until golden but not burnt.Add the mustard paste.Saute for about a minute and add the tomatoes.Mix well and cook for about a minute and add the ground Coriander, Turmeric,Red Chilli and salt.Stir frequently on medium heat for about 4-5 mins until all the paste comes together and the tomatoes are cooked.Add the fish fillets and mix very gently.Add the water and bring to a boil.Cover and cook on medium until the fish is fully cooked,about 5-6 mins.Add the chopped coriander leaves and turn off the heat.Sprinkle the Amchur powder or lemon juice and mix.Your fish is ready!Serve hot with rice.