Have you ever tried baking a pear cake without poaching? If not, I would highly insist you do. Honestly, I was intrigued to bake without poaching and confused with the cooking time, ingredients required, if wine or anything else had to be added, to get the flavors right. But to my surprise the pears cooked perfectly! A plain vanilla cake with pears and its aroma is just amazing, I would say it’s perfect to pair with a cup of tea for the cozy evenings of this Fall.

Like any other loaf pan cake recipe, this one also requires more than an hour to cook and the cake does not become dry in spite of its browned crust and edges. The juices from the pears infuse with the batter resulting in an insanely moist and soft cake. And the pears themselves become so tender and melt in your mouth.

You can use Bosc, Forelle or Anjou Pears which are ripe, (but slightly firm when you touch) to make this cake. Make sure to level the bottom of the pears so that they stand straight in the pan while baking.

Also, I definitely recommend lining your pan with parchment paper, which I regret not doing. Unlike other regular loaf pan cakes which have a flat top on which you can place a wire rack and invert, this once has the pear heads with the stems sticking out, making it really hard to invert and remove. In addition too, the pears make the cake heavy and susceptible to breakage, so unless you get into some serious acrobats (which I unfortunately had to), pulling out the cake in one piece from the pan without parchment paper linings will be a challenge.

Enjoy this delicious cake along with some warm tea, Happy Cooking…!

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A post shared by Akhila Shekhar (@pepperdelightblog) on Nov 4, 2020 at 6:37pm PST

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Pear Loaf Cake

Celebrate Fall with this Vanilla Pear Loaf Cake to fill your Holiday Dessert Menu! Simple, Easy & Non-Poached… This delightful Pear-Vanilla Combo is a must try if you’re a Pear Lover. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword fall dessert, pear, pear cake, pear loaf cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3 pears (Bosc pears with stem)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup buttermilk (at room temperature)

Instructions

• Peel the pears carefully to remove its skin keeping the stem intact. Level their bottoms so that the pears stand straight with equal height.
• Preheat oven to 350-degree F. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper extending it 2 inches above the rim of the pan on all sides. Brush with melted butter and keep aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition, and continue beating. Add vanilla extract.
• Gradually add flour mix alternating with buttermilk, beating just until combined after each addition. The resulting batter will be very thick.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Insert the pears vertically / standing up, pushing them all the way down to the bottom of the pan until they rest on their levelled bottoms.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 1hr plus 10-15 minutes until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes. Lift the parchment paper to take the cake out of the pan onto a flat surface. Slice the cake through the pears and serve, Enjoy!

The post Pear Loaf Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I know I have been preaching Tandoori recipes a lot lately! In fact my recent Tandoori Salmon recipe post turned out be such a hit among my family and friends circle, that I have become pretty obsessed with it. So, as I was finalizing my menu for this year’s thanksgiving holidays, I thought of doing an Indian version with all the masala flavours and aromas to rekindle my vacation memories back home. I did not do a turkey this year, as chicken being a perfect replacement for small family gatherings, suited mine as well.

So how do you like your chicken cooked; with a crispy skin or both charred and crispy? Well I always prefer the latter, and for sure when it’s with a tandoori marinade. Tandoori dishes have to be charred on the surface, as that tells that it has been cooked thoroughly in the clay oven. And no matter how burned the skins looks, the inside is soo moist n juicy. And when paired with mint chutney, it’s a match made in heaven!!

The secret to a moist chicken is the overnight marination in buttermilk. Buttermilk tenderizes the chicken and makes the meat soft and moist. So, plan your Thanksgiving cooking accordingly, with the prep a day in advance.

There is no better combination than Mint Cilantro Chutney for any tandoori dishes. It’s fresh n minty flavours perfectly blends with the smoky juicy textures, you can also serve with Saffron Rice, Naan/ Roti, and a yogurt salad for a full-fledged feast…

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking n Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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Tandoori Whole Chicken Roast

Juicy and Succulent Whole Roasted Chicken… Spiced in a Tandoori Masala & Served with a Mint Chutney…! Happy Thanksgiving…!!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword tandoori chicken, whole chicken roast

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 32 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 tbsp oil

For the Tandoori Marinade

• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (crushed)
• ⅓ cup yogurt
• Juice of a half lemon
• Salt (as required)

For the Stuffing

• 1 lemon (make small slits on lemon)
• ½ inch sized ginger
• 2 garlic cloves

For the Mint Cilantro Chutney

• 1 handful of cilantro leaves
• 1 handful of mint leaves
• Juice of half lime
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 1 small onion/1 tbsp chopped onion
• 1 garlic
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

For the Tandoori Chicken

• Take the whole chicken and remove its giblets and pin feathers, clean inside out and pat dry with paper towels.
• Prepare the marinade by mixing all the ingredients of the Tandoori Marinade listed above, in a small bowl.
• Reserve a fourth of the marinade for basting later, and rub the rest generously over the chicken, inside its cavities, and gently under the loose skin.
• Refrigerate the chicken and the reserved marinade overnight, preferably 24 hrs.
• Before cooking the next day, take both out from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for at least half an hour.
• Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
• Stuff the chicken cavity with lemon, ginger and garlic. Tie the legs together with a kitchen twine, and tuck the wings behind by lifting the tips up and over the back.
• Place the chicken breast-side up on the a roasting pan/iron skillet greased with cooking spray.
• Bake for an hour and 12 minutes in total, basting it at 15 minutes intervals with the reserved marinade and dripping sauce from the chicken. Drizzle oil over the chicken after half an hour.
• Towards the end of the cook, check the skin for its browning/charring and measure the internal temperature of the chicken to reach 165 degree F.
• Remove from the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
• Dispose the stuffed ginger and garlic from cavity; squeeze the lemon (stuffed inside the cavity) over the chicken before serving.
• Serve with Rice, Naan/Roti, Mint Cilantro Chutney, & Salad.

For the Mint Cilantro Chutney

• Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add salt as needed.

Notes

1. You can also prepare this recipe with a store bought tandoori masala from your local Indian/Asian grocery store/World Market, or prepare it at home yourself as per the instructions above.

2. Vary the amount of red chili powder and black pepper powder used in the tandoori marinade to suit your spice levels.

3. The garam masala I have used in my recipe has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi garam masala). You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable.

The post Tandoori Whole Chicken Roast appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Winter has started to kick in with the weather getting chillier day by day, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Black Friday deals are already out, everyone is busy planning their holidays, and how are your preparations coming along? Did you give a thought about all the delicious dishes you plan to put up for this year’s Thanksgiving feast? I have started mine! So stay tuned for my upcoming posts will all my favorite Thanksgiving dishes. And to keep the ball rolling, here is a wonderful cocktail recipe… with family and friends coming over, you certainly need a drink to start off your party. I know limoncello is not a winter drink, but this Lemony Flavored Blueberry Cocktail is definitely a crowd pleaser!

This is my first attempt with a limoncello. I did some research to know more about this drink, and came across many interesting articles about the history and preparation of limoncello. This popular Italian lemon liqueur is made from the infusion of lemon peel in alcohol. It is kept covered for weeks, then strained and mixed with simple syrup, creating this yellow neon colored drink which is then served chilled. Being rich in lemon, the combination of limoncello with fruity flavors and other beverages gave rise to many wonderful cocktails, which are tangy, fruity and delicious.

Limoncello with blueberry juice gives you the right balance of sweetness n tartness. Give it a touch of fizzy soda and there you go! Its fun, festive, and refreshing, making it perfect for your parties and impressing your guests alike…

Enjoy…!

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Blueberry Limoncello Cocktail

Jazz up your Thanksgiving Party with this Vibrant and Festive Limoncello Blueberry Cocktail…!  

Course Drinks

Cuisine Italian

Keyword blueberry, cocktail, limoncello

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 oz limoncello
• 1 oz blueberry juice
• 5 oz lemonade
• ½ oz soda water
• Ice cubes

Instructions

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and pour limoncello, blueberry juice, and lemonade. Place it’s cap on and shake well.
• Pour to a serving glass and top with soda. Enjoy!

The post Blueberry Limoncello Cocktail appeared first on Pepper Delight.

*** Recipe updated on 9/5/2021 with new pictures ***

It’s Pretty outside! Beautiful Fall colors everywhere… Red, Orange, and Yellow; Leaves on the roads, gardens, and some still hanging onto their trees… on their last lap of their journey. It has also started to get cold with the temperature dipping in the evenings. This is my favorite time of the year; relieved that I am through with the peak summers and still weeks away from the harsh winters. The winds and the sudden chills are a bit of a surprise as I’m still in the summer hangover, so something warm and cozy is what I need now. And I can’t ask for anything better than a bowl of hot soup to prep me for this weather. Nothing fancy, just a bowl of classic tomato soup, enough to fill your cravings and warm up you spirits! It’s Rich, Creamy and Tangy, and the freshness of the basil gives it a wonderful balance of flavor!!

Talking about the soups I grew up having, tomato soup was one of the most common versions available everywhere, and then the famous “spicy hot and sour soup” served along with Chinese dishes at restaurants. None of them were creamy, infact I do not remember eating any creamy ones until I moved to the US.  Once I started travelling and exploring, I got to know the many different creamy soups ranging from veg to non-veg versions. The taste initially was quite different for my palate, but over the time I started loving it.

This soup is a no brainer recipe and the key to its preparation is the tomatoes. The riper the tomatoes, the better the soup. Make sure you roast them to perfection, until they are soft and slightly charred, this adds up to the flavour. Ensure not to burn them. You can also use canned – fire roasted tomatoes if you cannot find fresh ripe ones. Puree the tomatoes, saute with garlic, add stock, and simmer. Top with herbs n cream, and your soup is ready!

Enjoy this bowl of delicious hot soup with croutons or grilled cheese sandwiches. Serve them as appetizers for your party or as lunch or dinner.

Interested in other soup recipes? Check these out:

1. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup 
2. Chicken Cilantro Detox Soup
3. Creamy Mushroom Soup
4. Chicken Ramen Noodle Soup

Happy Cooking!!!

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Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

Cozy, Hearty n Satisfying… a Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup…! Perfect to Welcome Fall & the chilly days ahead…

Course Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword roasted tomato, soup, tomato soup

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 6-7 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 onion (roughly chopped)
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 cups (32oz. ) low sodium vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp milk cream
• Olive oil (as required)
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt and Pepper (as required)
• Fresh basil (garnish)
• Croutons (toppings)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
• Cut the tomatoes into half and spread tomatoes and onion onto a baking pan. Drizzle olive oil generously and season with salt and pepper.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30- 35 minutes until the tomato slices turn soft and charred on the surface. Remove from the oven and allow it cool for 10 minutes.
• Once cooled, puree it in a high speed blender or an immersion blender. Keep aside.
• Into a large pot, pour a little olive oil and heat on a medium flame. Add minced garlic and saute until it turns fragrant.
• Add the pureed tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low, add oregano and simmer for 15-20 minutes uncovered.
• Turn off the flame, add fresh cream and top with fresh basil leaves.
• Your soup is ready, serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil, garnish with more basil and croutons. You can also serve grilled cheese as a side.

The post Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So that’s how I celebrated my weekend; with friends, family, a birthday, potluck, loads of fun, and this delicious cake! It was our friend’s birthday, a good friend of mine, my hubby’s colleague, and he also happens to be one of my critiques and taster of Pepper Delight recipes. Happy Birthday to you Apoorv!!

I baked this one pan Chocolate Cake for his birthday, which happens to also be one of the most requested recipes from my friends and followers. The cake is coated with a Chocolate Frosting and I topped it with slivered almonds for some crunchiness. And to finish it off, a drizzle of the delicious Dulce De Leche…!!

Dulce de leche is a popular Latin dessert which originated in Argentina and is made by caramelizing milk and sugar through a slow cooking process. It is amber colored, thick and a rich sauce similar in taste and consistency to that of caramel. If you like caramel, then you are definitely gonna love Dulce de leche, it’s a sauce to die for!

You can top it on cakes, cookies, toasts, or even in ice creams. Its preparation is a time consuming process but is surely worth it, you can make it at home or buy readymade from stores.

There are several ways to cook dulce de leche at home. The most common one is the stove top method, but oven cooking is also preferred. After doing some research I did understand that there are risks associated with stove top, especially if you are cooking unopened cans. As this is my first attempt I didn’t want to take any chances and so I chose the safest option which is the oven method. And I am happy that it turned out well.

The cake altogether is the right balance of flavours; the chocolaty from the cake, sweetness of the frosting, smoky caramelized dulce… it’s a Chocolate Lover’s Delight!

Enjoy, Happy Baking!!!

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Chocolate Cake with Dulce De Leche

Rich n Moist one pan Chocolate Cake… coated in Chocolate Frosting, Slivered Almonds, with a drizzle of Dulce De Leche…!!! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword cake, chocolate cake, dulce de leche

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 11

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup oil
• ½ cup milk (at room temperature)
• ½ cup boiling water

For the Chocolate Frosting

• ⅓ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 2½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup milk (or more)

For the Dulce de leche

• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Toppings

• Slivered almonds

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a 9 inch round baking pan with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar, beat until combined.
• Beat in the egg, followed by adding vanilla extract and oil.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with milk and beat until they combine well.
• Pour the boiling water; beat on low speed for few seconds until it is mixed well.
• Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-37 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely.

For the chocolate frosting

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy.
• Add cocoa powder, powdered sugar and vanilla extract; beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.

For the Dulce de leche (oven method)

• Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
• Pour condensed milk into a baking pan. Cover it tightly with foil.
• Pick a roasting pan big enough to water bath the baking pan, and place the baking pan in it. Pour hot water into the roasting pan till it reaches halfway up the baking pan.
• Carefully place the roasting pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for a total of 1½ hrs. Check every 30 minutes to ensure there is enough water in the roasting pan and add more water if necessary. Bake until the milk thickens and gets a deep caramel color.
• Once cooked and removed from the oven, whisk continuously to smoothen and remove any lumps from the sauce. It will start to thicken as it cools down.
• To store, pour it into a closed container and keep refrigerated.

Spread the Chocolate frosting over the cake. Sprinkle some slivered almonds and drizzle Dulce de leche. Enjoy!

Notes

• Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.

• Make sure to use butter, eggs and milk which should be brought at room temperature.

• Do not open oven in the middle of baking time. This allows bringing cool air inside oven which eventually affects baking process.

• While cooking the condensed milk, you may vary the cook time depending on how caramelized you want your sauce to be. Usually it takes 1½ hours to get a light brown color. I baked it for an extra 30 minutes to get a darker color.

• To reuse refrigerated/stored Dulce de leche, microwave it to loosen the sauce.

The post Chocolate Cake with Dulce De Leche appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Tandoori dishes are an Indian Delicacy. They are spicy, smoky, packed with a mix of versatile spices & cooked to perfection, making them always a Winner Dish!! The word “tandoori” is not the name of any dish; it’s in fact a method of cooking. Tandoori refers to traditional Indian style baking/cooking in a tandoor oven, which is a cylindrical shaped clay oven, fired with charcoal or wood and can reach temperatures up to 600 degree F.

The marinade for a tandoori masala is a mix of different spices including garam masala, along with yogurt and lemon juice. The main meat/protein ingredient should be marinated in it for a few hours to absorb the flavors and tenderize. It is then cooked vertically using skewers in a tandoor or horizontally on a grill. The fat and juices from the meat drip onto the hot coal creating a smoky environment perfect for a tandoori recipe. The cooked dish would have a charred coating, but the meat inside would be tender with a distinct aroma from the smoked spices. Tandoori recipes are considered as one of the healthiest foods as it is fat free. Originally, tandoori dishes were a delicacy found only in the royal kitchens with varieties like in naan, chicken, lamb, fish, paneer and vegetables. Down the years it started trickling to restaurants and onto the streets, in fact tandoori dishes gained its widespread popularity through street food stalls, night markets, bazaars, and dhabas. It has also gained immense popularity throughout the world and is a well sought-after dish in Indian restaurants globally.

Having a traditional clay oven at home is not easy, but you can still cook a wonderful tandoori dish in a conventional oven using the right spices and grilling/broiling methods. For this recipe, the Salmon is marinated in a homemade masala and is kept for a few hours (overnight preferably), cooked on both sides and finally broiled until it is charred and smoked on the surface. This dish tastes best with a bowl of basmati rice mixed with fried raisins and cashews, and cucumber yogurt raita. The sweetness and crunchiness from the raisins and cashews, along with the cooler cucumber raita, complement the smokiness and heat from the tandoori salmon, creating the perfect balance of flavors.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

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Tandoori Salmon with Rice and Cucumber Raita

Salmon in a Yogurt flavored Tandoori Masala… Served on a bed of Fragrant Basmati Rice and Cucumber Raita…! Healthy n Delicious Protein meal. 

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword salmon, tandoori salmon

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 16 minutes minutes

Total Time 31 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the Tandoori Salmon

• 6 salmon fillets
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp chili powder (add 1 tsp more if u like spicy)
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (crushed)
• ½ of lemon juice (squeezed)
• 3 tsp yogurt
• 1 tsp oil
• Salt (as required)

For the Rice

• 2 cup basmati rice
• 3 cups water
• Salt (as required)
• 1 tbsp ghee / butter
• ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ cup raisins
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves (garnish)

For the Cucumber Raita

• 1 cucumber (peeled n chopped)
• 1½ cup yogurt
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

For the Tandoori Salmon

• Marinate the salmon with ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin, garam masala, fenugreek leaves, lemon juice, yogurt and salt for 4-5 hours (or at least 2 hrs).
• Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and spray cooking oil.
• Line the marinated salmon on the tray and bake for 10 minutes in the oven. Then turn up the heat to a broil and cook for 5-6 minutes until it starts to char on the surface.

For the Rice

• Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes and drain the water completely. Cook the rice in water and salt till the water is completely absorbed. Keep aside.
• In a small pan, add ghee and fry cashews and raisins until they are golden. Add to the rice and fluff with a fork, garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

For the Cucumber Raita

• Mix everything together and adjust seasoning.

Notes

1. Make sure to keep an eye on the salmon while broiling to prevent it from burning.

2. You can also prepare this recipe with a store bought tandoori masala from your local Indian/Asian grocery store/World Market, or prepare it at home yourself as per the instructions above.

3. The garam masala I have used has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi garam masala). You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable.

The post Tandoori Salmon with Rice and Cucumber Raita appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Quinoa was never on my favourite list until recently when a friend of mine prepared this recipe, and that changed my outlook to explore this wonder food. Trust me; it was a complete satisfying meal! And what threw me off was the simplicity of the dish; raw vegetables with no fancy sauces, just a simple lemon juice based dressing and it was Yumm!!

Before I indulge into the recipe, for those of you who do not know about this superfood Quinoa… it is considered as one of the healthiest food in this planet. The nutritional benefits of quinoa are endless; it’s gluten-free, high in protein (a great option for vegetarians), anti-oxidants, iron and magnesium. Quinoa cooks pretty fast than any other grains and is very easy to incorporate into your daily diet. You can add it to your salads, stir fries, and is also a healthy substitute to rice.

I have used all my favorite veggies in this salad bowl recipe. And YES, there is raw beetroot in this dish. Do you like raw beetroot? I prefer it mostly for my smoothies; check out my Beetroot Power Smoothie (its my fav!).  Beetroot is high in fiber, low in fat and high with anti-oxidants, whether it’s cooked or not.  Having raw beetroot in salad is intimidating at times, as many do not like its earthy smell. But pickling beetroot in lemon juice and salt helps to reduce its muddy taste and smell. In this salad you can use beetroot in many different ways, be it finely chopped/grated, cooked, roasted or even pickled.

Be creative, you can customize this recipe with your choice of fruits or vegetables. Adding nuts to your salad bowl provides hearty fats to your body; Almonds, Pistachios, Cashews are low calorie nuts which you can substitute for walnuts. Just keep in mind to use raw ones.

So enjoy this delicious colorful bowl of goodness!!!!

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Quinoa Salad Bowl

A Veggie Quinoa Bowl, loaded with Vegetables in a Zesty Cilantro Lemon Dressing… Simple, Healthy and Satisfying…!! 

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword quinoa, quinoa salad, salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 small beetroot
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 lemon
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves (chopped)
• Walnuts (topping)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Peel the skin of the vegetables, thoroughly wash and rinse to clean. Chop them into small bite sized pieces.
• Squeeze the lemons and add salt to it to prepare a pickle juice, soak the beetroot and carrots separately (to prevent mixing of color) in it for 4-5 hours.
• Cook quinoa according to package directions. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for 15 mins. Fluff it with a fork.
• Prepare the dressing by mixing lemon juice, cilantro leaves, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
• Mix cooked quinoa with vegetables, pour the dressing, and toss to mix together. Let it stand for 30 mins.
• Top with walnuts and serve in a bowl.

Notes

1. Make sure you buy fresh beetroots and wash them thoroughly under cold water.
2. You can use beetroot in many different ways for this recipe; finely chopped, grated, cooked, roasted, or even pickled.
3. Substitute walnuts with low calorie nuts such as almonds, cashews or pistachios.

The post Quinoa Salad Bowl appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Summer is coming to an end and you can already find traces of Fall here n there with the greenery slowly turning orange and yellow. This summer was so eventful and packed with festivals & celebrations, but time flew so quickly that I felt I didn’t get enough of it. So before Fall starts, I would like to savor every bit left of this season and enjoy the last few weeks of the heat. What better than a lovely dessert with a delicious summer fruit… a Cherry Crumble!

Cobblers, Crips/Crumbles are a wonderful means to make desserts with summer fruits as it takes minimal effort, especially when serving a big crowd. Last year I made a Whole Wheat Berry Cobbler and a Peach Cobbler, both turned out great. But after trying out this recipe, I guess now Cherry Crumble is my new favorite! The juicy brown sugar sweetened cherries and the crunchy crust with oats and almonds, makes it seriously delicious.

I love to try different cobbler & crumble recipes, but with the baking marathon I was into for the past few months, I had to postpone it. Thanks to Shyam for reminding me to post this recipe, and I finally managed to before summer ended.

So what’s a crumble actually? Crumbles or Crisp are cooked fruits with a topping made with flour, butter and sugar, which is basically crumbled and crunchy. The best part of a crumble is, you can customize it in a million ways:

1. Use any summer fruits like Cherry, Berries, Plum, Peach, Apple or Rhubarb.
2. Replace the flour with whole wheat flour, tapioca flour or almond meal.
3. Vary the toppings with your choice of oats, cereal or desiccated coconut.
4. Vary your nut toppings with almonds, pecans or walnuts.

Enjoy this Dessert Treat …!!

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Cherry Almond Crumble

Cherry Crumble made with Fresh Cherries, Oats and Almonds…!! Crunchy on the Top n Juicy on the Inside... A Delicious Fruit Dessert...! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cherry crumble, cobbler, crisp

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the filling

• 2 cups of fresh cherries (pitted)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp corn starch

For the topping

• ½ cup old fashioned oats
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temp, cut into small cubes)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar (to sprinkle)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
• Grease a baking pan with butter, keep aside.
• To prepare the filling, add lemon juice, vanilla, brown sugar and corn starch into a bowl. Toss pitted cherries in it, set aside.
• In another bowl mix oats, flour, brown sugar and salt. Add the cubed butter pieces and mix together using your hands until the topping mixture turns into a coarse crumble form.
• Pour the prepared filling into the baking pan. Spoon the topping over filling evenly. Top with sliced almonds and sprinkle granulated sugar.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until the topping turns crusty and golden brown, and the filling starts to bubble.
• Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
• Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream (optional).

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