Today I have for you here a healthy variation of chicken tenders as it is made by air-frying cooking method instead of the traditional deep-frying. Also, the recipe does not use any eggs nor flour and instead uses panko bread crumbs for the crispy crust and buttermilk which acts as the binding agent making the inside juicy.

Why buttermilk?

The secret ingredient to the juiciest chicken is, Buttermilk! The lactic acid in it helps to tenderize the meat thereby making it juicy and flavorful. I highly recommend soaking your chicken in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes (preferably overnight) before cooking. And it works for all types of cooking chicken, be it oven-baked, pan-fried, deep-fried or even air-fried.

How to serve?

These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are a perfect appetizer and can be served with your choice of dipping sauce; I personally love Honey Mustard (recipe below), but Ranch is an equal favorite too. Another great option is to serve them as a protein in your sandwiches, taco filling or as is along with a healthy side salad. The chicken tenders are also ideal for your kid’s lunch boxes.

Interested in other appetizer recipes? Check these out:

• Baked Chicken meatballs
• Honey Soy Glazed Chicken

Happy Cooking…!

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Air fryer Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce

Juicy on the inside, and Crispy on the outside without any deep frying. Chicken Tenders can’t get any better than this, right?  The Juiciest Air Fried Chicken tenders!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword air fryer, chicken tenders, healthy

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Chicken tenders

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 8 chicken tenders
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp + 1tsp salt
• 1 tsp chili powder / paprika
• 1 tsp oregano (optional)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Cooking spray

For the honey mustard sauce

• ¼ cup honey
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp apple cider vinegar
• Pinch of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

For the Chicken Tenders

• Soak chicken tenders in buttermilk with 1tsp salt for 30 minutes (overnight soaking is preferred).
• In a plate combine together panko breadcrumbs, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and 1 tsp salt. Mix well as this will be the dry rub coating for your tenders.
• Preheat air fryer to 400 degree F. Remove the soaked chicken from the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drip back into the soaking bowl. Dredge the chicken in the prepared dry rub while applying pressure so that it sticks well to the chicken. Transfer the coated chicken to the air fryer, spray some cooking oil and cook for 5 minutes. Flip onto the other side, spray cooking oil and cook for an additional 4 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 165 F.
• Serve hot along with the Honey Mustard Dressing on the side.

For Honey Mustard Dressing

• Whisk all the ingredients until smooth and serve.

The post Air Fryer Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Calling out to all the garlic bread lovers! This recipe is a keeper and I’m sure you’re gonna fall for the jalapeno version. It has everything you would look for; the crunch, the heat, and the cheesy goodness in every bite. It’s simple to make and even more delicious to eat, both kids and adults will equally love it.

Jalapeno Garlic Bread is definitely a party pleaser, it can be served as an appetizer or as a side with creamy soups, for example my Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup. It is best when served hot, right out of the oven. Although the dish may look spicy with the jalapenos, the heat is subdued perfectly by the flavors of cheese and mayonnaise, making it a kids favorite too.

This recipe has been partially adapted from Food Network.

Interested in other party pleaser appetizer recipes? Check these out:

• Hummus
• Honey Soy Glazed Chicken Drumsticks
• Beef Cutlet
• Buffalo Chicken Bites

Happy Cooking…!

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Jalapeno Garlic Bread

Cheesy with a slight hint of heat, this Jalapeno Garlic Bread hits all your taste buds! An easy appetizer and a total winner recipe!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword appetizer, garlic bread, jalapeno garlic bread

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 12 slices

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 Italian loaf or French Baguette
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1½ cup mozzarella cheese (grated)
• ¼ cup pepper jack cheese (grated)
• 2-3 jalapenos (sliced into thin rounds)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• Green onions (garnish)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
• In a bowl, mix together garlic, softened butter, mayonnaise, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, pepper jack cheese, salt and pepper.
• Cut the loaf into half inch slices.
• Spread the prepared mix generously on one side of the bread slices. Top with jalapeno slices and the remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese.
• Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has fully melted. Serve hot.

The post Jalapeno Garlic Bread appeared first on Pepper Delight.

A casual photo in Instagram turned out to be one of my most requested recipes, to the extend that I got tired of DMs and decided to post it right away on my blog. Kinnathappam was one of my favorite after-school snacks Amma used to make during my childhood days. A dish which requires simple pantry ingredients and equally enjoyed by kids and adults. Yet another easy recipe to keep your family’s hungry tummies at rest especially while staying indoors during this COVID-19 outbreak season.

Kinnathappam refers to the popular snack of Kerala and is also known as “steamed cake”. The traditional recipe is made with rice flour, sugar and coconut, and is required to be fermented. Swap rice flour / sugar with whole wheat / jaggery, skip the fermentation, and there you go! Another classic from the hearts of Kerala … simple and delightful!

What do we need?

• Whole Wheat flour – as the base
• Jaggery (grated/syrup) – for the sweetness
• Grated coconut – for the flavor
• Cardamom powdered – for the aroma
• Water – for the mixing
• Nuts and raisins – addon toppings

Pro-tip: Allow the dish to cool completely before cutting so that it doesn’t lose its shape. It should have a firm halwa consistency.

Storage: You can store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Interested in more authentic Kerala style recipes? Check it out here.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Steamed Wheat Cake / Gothambu Kinnathappam

A Traditional Steam Cake with a Twist; made with whole wheat flour, jaggery, coconut and steamed to perfection! Gothambu Kinnathappam, an easy-n-tasty snack to savor with a hot cup of tea …!!

Course Snack

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword kerala snack, kinnathappam

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 1 pan

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ¾ cup grated jaggery / ശർക്കര or equivalent jaggery syrup
• ½ cup grated coconut
• Pinch of cardamom powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup water
• Ghee/butter (for brushing the pan)
• Cashews & Raisins (for garnish)

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix together wheat flour, coconut, jaggery, cardamom powder, and salt along with a little water, to make a semi thick batter. If you are using jaggery syrup, add water accordingly.
• Pour the batter into a ghee/butter greased pan and steam cook for about 35-40 minutes on a medium flame.
• Once cooked, remove from the steamer and allow it to cool completely.
• Slice it and serve with chai/coffee as an evening snack Enjoy!

The post Steamed Wheat Cake / Gothambu Kinnathappam appeared first on Pepper Delight.

If you are a fan of chocolate, then you will definitely love this recipe of the day – Chocolate Granola. Oats, along with cocoa powder, almonds, and tiny bits of chocolate chips, takes this dish to a whole new level of yumminess…where regular granola recipes come nowhere close by! It’s both chocolaty and crunchy with all the goodness from nuts and fruits.

This recipe works perfectly for your meal prep days, especially when you’re looking to whip up a quick and simple breakfast. If you prefer it with a glass of hot milk, then it would taste quite similar to chocolate milk, and that’s something kids would also love. Maple syrup and brown sugar provides enough sweetness to this recipe, which is not overpowered by the chocolate chips. Add some fresh fruits, and you have a perfect healthy breakfast ready in no-time!

You can also serve this Chocolate Granola as a post-lunch or post-workout snack, just what you need to stay away from that unhealthy bag of chips and at the same time packing you with fiber and nutrients.

Pro – Tip: After baking the granola and tossing it with chocolate chips, clusters start to form as the melted chips begin cooling down and binding the granola. Once cooled, try not to break the clusters as that’s what makes this recipe soo yum! The clusters are airy, pack the right amount of chocolate, and are so flavorful that you can literally snack on it.

Since this is a basic recipe for chocolate granola, you can customize it to your likeness by adding nuts and dry fruits of your choice, switching maple syrup with honey, replacing chocolate chips with chunks… the options are endless!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Interested in more healthy oat’s recipes? Check these out:

• Easy Homemade Granola
• Berry Yogurt Parfait
• Healthy Nut Bars with Chocolate Drizzle
• Berry Oatmeal Crumb Bars

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Chocolate Granola

This easy 30-minute Chocolate Granola is made with simple pantry ingredients and is a perfect healthy treat for all chocolate lovers …!!

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, chocolate granola, granola

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• ¾ cup sliced almonds
• ½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup coconut oil (melted)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350-degree F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients; oats, almonds, cocoa powder and salt.
• In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar, whisk well to mix properly.
• Now transfer the whisked wet ingredients into the large bowl containing the mixed dry ingredients. Mix all of it together.
• Transfer the mix to the prepared baking pan and level it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring it halfway through the bake.
• Remove the pan from the oven and immediately transfer the chocolate chips onto the tray. Stir to mix, the chocolate chips will start to slightly melt within the warm granola.
• Once it cools, the granola will harden and form clusters. Pro tip: Do not break the clusters as the granola tastes best when clustered!
• Allow the granola to sit for 1-2 hrs. to cool down completely. Transfer to a closed air tight container and store up to 3-4 weeks at room temperature.

The post Chocolate Granola appeared first on Pepper Delight.

You might be wondering why would you need a snack bar recipe when every grocery store has a cereals aisle stacked full of endless varieties of snack bars? Well, I too am a huge fan of nut bars and have tried many store-bought ones; some are sooo good whereas the rest are just ok ok and at times I wished if they had substituted certain ingredients, or reduced the saltiness, sweetness, etc. That’s what actually got me going to try making them at home and perfect it to my choice of flavours. I mean seriously, if you love something so much then why buy it and not try making it yourself?

What’s great in learning to make your own snack bars is that, the options are endless. Tweak one ingredient and you have something new and unique. Prefer to make it healthy? Simple! Skip the high calorie sweetener/syrup and there you go.

This recipe is super simple and gluten & refined sugar free. I have used maple syrup along with brown sugar which acts as a binding agent to hold the nuts together and retain its shape. You can substitute maple syrup with honey, but I highly recommend the former as it is a good holding element and takes the flavours to a whole new level.

The nut bars are surprisingly easy to cook and turned out to be so delicious that my whole family loved it and finished it in no time. They are crunchy n chewy with the right balance of sweetness, Oh and so chocolaty!

It’s perfect as a healthy snack for kids, a post/pre-work out snack, or as a snack to munch between your meals. Feel free to experiment with your favorite ingredients and create your own customized snack bar.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Don’t forget to check out my Berry Oatmeal Crumb Bars recipe which is a whole wheat oatmeal crumb bar using fresh strawberries.

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Healthy Nut Bars with Chocolate Drizzle

Crunchy Homemade Nut Bars… Vegan, Gluten Free, and Packed with All the Goodness! A Perfect Health Snack to satisfy your cravings…!

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword energy bar, nut bar, snack bar

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashews (unsalted)
• ½ cup walnuts (chopped)
• ½ cup pepitas
• ¼ cup pecans (chopped)
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup old fashioned / rolled oats
• ⅓ cup maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper extending through its sides, this will helps later in lifting up easily.
• In a large bowl, combine together cashews, walnuts, pepitas, pecans, dried cranberries, and oats. You can also add any leftover crumbs or powders from the prior chopping of nuts.
• In a small saucepan, heat the maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt and brown sugar. Whisk with a spatula until it is completely dissolved. When the syrup starts to boil and bubble up, remove the pan from the heat and pour it to the prepared nut mix. Using the spatula combine them together to mix properly, it will be slightly sticky.
• Transfer this mix to the prepared baking pan. Press down gently on it using the back a spoon or any flat bowl so that it forms an even layer. Make sure there are no gaps in the flattened mix.
• Bake by placing in the middle of your oven rack for 20 minutes. Allow it to cool for 30 minutes.
• Once the nut mix is cooled, remove it from the pan by lifting the parchment paper. Carefully cut into even bar sizes of your choice using a sharp knife.
• Melt chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave at 30 seconds intervals until it is completely melted, you may also follow the double broiler method. Whisk the melted chocolate well until it is smooth, then drizzle it over the nuts. Transfer the bars to a refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden.
• Your snack bars are ready to serve. You may also store them in an air tight container for up to two weeks.

The post Healthy Nut Bars with Chocolate Drizzle appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Halloween is around the corner; Trick-or-Treating, Ghost Stories, Costume Parties, Pumpkin Recipes, and many more… a fun time for families and kids..! And when it comes to food, your options for the sweet tooth are endless… Kids love Halloween, the time of the year where they run around collecting sweets, stocking them, and bragging about their collection. They would go bonkers for lollipops, and if it’s a spooky treat? Ho Ho, You’ve just made their day…!

This is my first Halloween since I’ve started my blog and every year I have been quite intrigued with the spooky edible food decorations, in all shapes & colors throughout the stores. I love to watch all the Halloween creativity, isle after isle, and be mesmerized. So this year I made up my mind to definitely put on the Pepper Delight Witch’s hat and cook up some spooky treats. Woooooooohh……

Cake pops is something I have been eyeing on for a while. In fact my recent baking experience with cheesecake  showed me how wonderfully graham crackers go with cream cheese. I had some leftovers and so it was the perfect timing to use them with something new. I was so tempted to grab all the edible spooky decorations from the store, but decided to stick myself to those cute candy eye balls and spookify them on my lollipops with little blood red gel.

This treat is an attention grabber n sooo easy to make. And the bonus:

• no cooking
• no baking required
• 4 ingredients
• Both kids and adult friendly

The only tricky part for any newcomer is the tempering of the chocolate. You may not get the glazed coating right the first time, and if you didn’t, don’t Worry..! Even I couldn’t, and actually that adds even better to the spookiness..He He..!

Happy Halloween my dear friends, Enjoy…!

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Prep time: 30 -45 mins
Serves: 12 lollipops

INGREDIENTS

• 14 graham crackers
• 8 oz. cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
• 4 tbsp powdered sugar
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels (chips)
• Lollipop sticks
• Candy eye balls
• Edible decor (red color decorating gel)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Grind graham crackers in a food processor until finely powdered.
3. Transfer it to a bowl and add the cream cheese. Using a mixer or with your clean hands, blend it well until properly mixed into a dough.
4. Divide the dough into ice-cream scoop size portions and roll them into equal sized small round balls.
5. Place them on the baking sheet, and refrigerate for 10 mins to harder a bit.
6. Take the tray out and insert the lollipop sticks half way through each ball, and place back in the refrigerator for another 15 mins to set.
7. Melt the chocolate chips in a deep microwave safe bowl by microwaving at 30 second intervals and whisking alternatively until completely melted, loose and runny.
8. Dip each ball in the liquid chocolate to give it an even coat. Tap the stick of the pops on the edge of the bowl to allow any excess liquid to drip off. Allow it to stand by fixing it on a lollipop stand or a Styrofoam block.
9. Attach the candy eye balls to the pops and pipe some red color gel on top of it, Or use your favourite Halloween icing decorations to create your spooky lollipops.
10. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set completely.

Note:

1. Ensure that the dough is thick enough to stay intact and not fall apart.
2. Roll the dough into small balls so that it would be easy to coat with chocolate, and also will not fall apart from the sticks due to its weight.

The post Chocolate Monster Lollipops appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Granola is the best way to turn your anytime craving into a healthy and an interesting meal, that too in no time. Another big advantage is; you can customize it easily with your favorite flavours…

I have tasted many store bought granola bars and have read about how easy it is to prepare at home, but it was during one of my recent road trips that my friend gave me her home cooked granola which tasted yummy, crunchy, and healthy; I loved it…!! That’s how I started working on this recipe, it’s very easy to prepare, an excellent source of nutrients, and the combination with oats make it a perfect crunchy snack.

I have used honey as a sweetening agent here, along with dry fruits, and pistachios / almonds as the crunchy elements, but you can substitute with any nuts of your choice. This granola can also be combined with milk for a perfect breakfast, or added as a topping to your favorite smoothies.

You can also add these granola to make yummilicious yogurt parfait which is an excellent breakfast option. Check out my Berry Yogurt Parfait recipe for more details.

Check out my ‘Note’ column below for additional customization options. Let me know how your granola turns out to be.

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Easy Homemade Granola

Crunchy Homemade Granola… loaded with nuts and dry fruits, perfect as a breakfast or for your snack time meal…!!

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, granola, oats

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup almonds (chopped)
• ½ cup pistachios
• 1 cup dried raisins

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.
• In a large bowl, combine oats with cinnamon powder and a pinch of salt.
• Mix honey with coconut oil and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Stir into the oats and mix well, make sure it is evenly combined.
• Spread the layer evenly into the prepared baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and stir, followed by adding chopped almonds and pistachios. Bake for another 10 more minutes.
• Stir in the raisins and allow it to cool completely undisturbed.
• Store in an air tight container.

Notes

• Do not use quick cooking oats.
• Old fashioned rolled oats work perfectly.
• Substitute coconut oil with olive oil if you prefer.
• On a healthier note, you can add seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
• Any dry fruits can be added like dried cranberries, or apricots.
• Honey can be replaced with maple syrup.

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