Moist Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Do you like banana?? Yes i do...These are one of my favourite fruit and i do have this any time of the day. For me bananas are always in the shopping list, i mean its a default item. Sometimes i do forget the banana which are at the bottom of the fruit basket and have fresh ones first and the old overripe banana goes into smoothies and bread. Today its bread making time, this banana bread is moist and healthy and making it more healthier by using whole wheat flour and brown sugar. This bread is having a hint of cinnamon and topped with nutella...hmmm what else we want to make it tasty.  Banana bread can be served at breakfast along with fresh juice or at tea time along with tea or as a dessert with a scoop of ice cream with chocolate sauce on it....yummy.
I thought of sharing few facts of banana which i found interesting while i was googling it (here)...so here are few

• The word Banana comes from Arabic word "banan"  which means finger. The stem of bananas consist of hands which have 10-20 bananas and when hand is split the bananas become cluster which generally consist of 3-8 bananas
• Banana plant is not a tree it's a world's largest herb. The trunk of the plant is made of overlapped leaves but not wood.
• Bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to promote relaxation and improve mood. So Bananas can make you feel happy.
• Bananas provides a quick-but-sustained energy boost in a natural, nutritious and easily digestible form with no fat, cholesterol or sodium. These are good source of Vitamin B6,potassium,magnesium and dietary fiber in it.

Level: Easy
Prep Time: 15min

Bake time: 50-60 mins
Make: 1 loaf
1 cup = 250ml

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour (chapatti atta): 2 cups
Large overripe Banana: 2
Large Eggs: 2
Oil: 1/3 cup
water: 1/3 cup
Brown Sugar: 1/2 cup ( i used 1/3 cup)
Cinnamon powder: 1 teaspoon
Baking Powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Baking Soda: 1/2 teaspoon
Vanilla Extract : 1 teaspoons
Salt a pinch

Optional Toppings:
Nutella: 3 tablespoons
Chopped Nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 375º F (180º C). Grease the loaf pan with butter and line pan with parchment paper and butter it again the parchment. 
In a bowl mash the bananas, then mix oil,eggs,sugar,water and vanilla together until well combined. 
Sift in whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon powder in banana mix and carefully mix it until well combined.
Pour the banana batter into the loaf pan and add your favourite toppings. I added Nutella on top and swirled around with butter knife.
Now bake the bread for about 40 mins and cover with foil and bake for more 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick pricked it should come out clean.
Let the bread cools down completely then slice and serve.

Yummy...Wanna try....let set go....

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Chegodilu (Chekodi)

Chegodilu (Chekodi) are one of the yummiest snack from Andhra Pradesh and specially made at home during festive season. You can even get these from Sweet Shops in the South India. These are so yum that you can't stop eating it until its all gone.
Making Chegodilu at home takes looong time, so if you have lot of spare time and want to kill the time and have patience to do then making these is one good option..(that's the reason why its festive food). I made these in less quantity and that too with my little helper. She was excited to help me...and finally she when she ate (for the 1st time) she said its awesome mom and said that the ones she made was crunchier than what i made(hahaha).
Here comes my little helper

As a kid we loved them, we used to wear it like all over the fingers and munch it...just like she did, loved those childhood memories.
Chekodi have many versions and this version is gluten free and dairy free,so it  can be enjoyed by everyone.Lets check how its done and ingredients of these yummy snack...

Level: Moderate

Total time: 90 mins
Serves: 4
1 cup = 250ml

Ingredients

Water: 1 cup
Butter/Oil: 1 tablespoon (+ for kneading)
Salt: 1/2 teaspoon (to taste)
Yellow Moong Dal: 1/4 cup
Rice Flour: 1 cup
Cumin Seeds: 1 teaspoon
white Sesame seeds( white Til): 2 teaspoons
Red Chilli Powder: 1 teaspoon


Directions

Wash and soak Moong Dal for 20mins.Drain the water and keep it a side.
In wide pan water and bring it to boil.
Add Butter,salt, Moong Dal and cook for 30 secs and then rice flour. Mix well and turn the flame off.Let the mixture cools a bit (dough should be warm and we should be able to handle the dough with hand).
Add Cumin seeds, Sesame seeds and red chilli powder and knead well to form a soft dough.
Take gooseberry size ball make a long even string, pinch the edges and form a ring.
Heat oil and fry the rings(chekodi) on medium low flame until light golden brown on both sides. (Oil air bubbles around the chekodi will get reduced when they are done with cooking is an easy indication).

Tip:
Apply little oil while kneading the dough. Knead it until soft otherwise you will have trouble while making the chekodi rings.
Apply oil to hand while making the strings and rings, this will prevent the dough from sticking to hands.
Always fry in medium low flame, otherwise the chekodi will burn from outside and undercooked from inside.

Yummy...Wanna try....let set go....

This is going to be part of #foodiemonday #bloghop #diwalispecial

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Yogurt Sandwich

Yogurt sandwiches are one of my favorite breakfast....because it gives cheesy flavor without any cheese in it.These sandwiches are crispy on onside and soft inside and these are best when they are hot...most important is these are easy to make and no need of sandwich maker. Today's yogurt sandwiches are basic version with few ingredients...you can add as many veggies as you like. You can also use whole wheat bread instead. Lets go through the ingredients....
*Check tip at the bottom

Level: Easy
Prep Time: 5 mins

Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 2
1 cup = 250ml

Ingredients

Bread Slices:6-8
Thick Yogurt: 1 cup
Tomato: 1 medium
Onion: 3/4th of medium size
Fresh Coriander chopped: 1 tablespoon
Red Chilli powder: 1/8th teaspoon (to taste)
Salt to taste
Oil for tossing

Directions

Chop Onion and tomato finely.
In a bowl add all the ingredients except bread and oil and mix well.

Take slice of bread and spread the yogurt mixture on it.
Now heat the pan add little oil and place the bread (with yogurt mixture)  on it and then place plain bread on it and press gently. Flip the sandwich and remove it once it turns golden brown on both sides.

Repeat this for other remaining bread pieces. 

Tip:
Its most important that the yogurt used should be thick...with less or no water content. If the yogurt is watery/runny then your sandwiches will be mushy.

Yummy...Wanna try....let set go....

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Chocolate Cake with fresh cream frosting | Butter less cake

A simple chocolate cake with no butter but using oil instead, tastes great and can be a base for any celebration cakes.It's easy to make and tastes awesome.

Serves: 15 
Level: Moderate

Prep time: 25 mins + decoration time
Cooking time: 35 min + cooling time

Ingredients

For Cake.....

All-purpose flour  - 2 1/8 cups (265g)

White sugar  - 1 1/2 cups  (300g)

Unsweetened cocoa powder   - 3/4 cup  (65g)

Baking powder - 1 1/2  teaspoons (7g)

Baking soda  - 3/4 teaspoon (3g)

Salt - 3/4  teaspoon (5g)

Egg   - 3 Large

Milk  - 1 cup (235ml)

Sunflower Oil  - 1/2 cup (120ml)

Vanilla extract  - 1 tablespoon (15ml)

Fresh Cream Frosting.....

Vanilla extract   - 1 teaspoon (5ml)

Heavy whipping cream   - 4 cups (710 ml) 

Confectioners' sugar   -1/3 cup (40 g) (to taste)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C .Grease and flour two 9 inch, round, cake pans; cover bottoms with waxed paper.
• Sift together the dry ingredients ;flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside. Mix wet ingredients Milk and Oil in a bowl.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla and sugar until pale and fluffy.
•  Add Dry and Wet ingredients alternatively to the Egg mixture and beat until well incorporated.
• Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in Center comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen edges, and remove cakes to cool completely.
• Combine whipping cream,vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar in a chilled medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.
• With long serrated knife, split each cake layer horizontally in half. Tear one split layer into crumbs; set aside. Reserve 1 1/2 cups Frosting for decorating cake.
• To assemble,place one cake layer on cake plate. Spread 3/4th cup frosting; Top with second cake layer; repeat layer of 3/4th frosting. Top with third cake layer. Frost side of cake. Pat reserved crumbs onto frosting on side of cake. Spoon reserved frosting into pastry bag fitted with star decorator tip. Pipe the design on to the cake.

 

You might be interested in other Cake treats, here are few to list.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Custard Powder Lava Cake

Orange Cake

Mango Mousse Cake

Healthy Ragi Chocolate Cake

Random yummies

Paneer Butter Masala

Kaddu Ki Puri

yogurt chocolate chip muffins

Ambada Gosht / Gongura Mamasam

Caramel Custard

Basbousa - semolina cake

Russian Salad

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Honey Coconut Granola

Breakfast is said to be most important meal of the day but not all days we have full  breakfast. So today's post is one of the quick thing which once baked, after cooling it we can keep it in air tight container and use it in the breakfast. Granola which is packed with proteins,fiber  and carbo's is good healthy breakfast and can be combined with either milk or yogurt to taste with fresh fruits. Granola is made of oats and dry fruits which are healthy and gluten free. Its not that we can't buy granola from shops, its fun and easy that we can make it at home and save our pockets as well as these are freshly made and tastes great.
Making of Honey Coconut Granola is easy peasy job  with little care while baking it.Cook butter,sugar and honey until the sugar dissolves and mix it with rest of the ingredients and then bake it...tada you are done with granola which is fresh. You can munch it all through the day or you can have it in breakfast with milk or yogurt along with fresh fruits...oo its so yummy. 
Before going through the ingredients, i want to introduce you with one of my blogger friend Jolly who just posted her 200 post. Check out her interesting recipes of Punjabi Cuisine, Indian  and international food at jollyhomemaderecipes. 

Level: Easy
Prep Time: 10 mins

bake time: 25-35 mins
Serves: 6
1 cup = 250ml

Ingredients

Oats: 2 cups
Dry Fruits(Almonds,cashews,Walnuts): 1 cup chopped
Shredded Coconut: 1 cup
Honey/nector: 3 tablespoon
Butter: 75 grams (room temperature)
Brown Sugar: 1/3 cup
Cinnamon powder : 1/4 teaspoon

Directions

In a pan add butter,sugar and Honey, cook until the sugar dissolves Completely.

In a mixing bowl add oats,chopped dry fruits, coconut,salt,cinnamon powder and mix well.

Add the sugar butter syrup to the oats mixture and mix well. Syrup should be well coated to the oats.
Line the baking tray with parchment paper and spread the granola mixture. Bake it for 25-35 mins at 160°C
for every 10 mins,mix the granola for even baking all through

Yummy...Wanna try....let set go....

This is going to be part of #foodiemonday #bloghop #alphabetfood.

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