Chocolate Sorbet- Vegan and Dairy-Free

Rich chocolate sorbet- without dairy. Pass the spoon.

Two trends are sneaking in to recipe searches this week. The first? Super bowl recipes. You know, guy-style chicken chili and Crock-Pot crowd pleasers. Party food for the Big Game. Guacamole and hummus. Nachos. The second trend is a search closer to my own heart and its tender sensibilities.  You may have already guessed it. Because you, Wonderful Reader, are smart, savvy and, well. Let's just gush a minute with appreciation. You are downright fabulous (with impeccable taste and discernment, I might add).

The second big trend is a search for romantic recipes and Valentine's Day inspiration. You're not surprised, are you? (See, I knew you were brilliant).

I'd much rather conjure up chocolate recipes than beans and burgers. Sexy food is more interesting than AstroTurf and lines of scrimmage and backfields in motion. And what the Hail Mary is a down, anyway? First down, fourth down. All these downs and off sides. It makes my head spin.

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Quinoa Mushroom Pilaf

Quinoa pilaf with mushrooms, scallions and bell peppers.

In between bouts of rain and nostalgia (I prickle using the word nostalgia, to be honest; it smacks of sentimentality, not a trait I cultivate or suffer gladly, but I'll get to that later) I've been craving quinoa like there's no tomorrow, as if I'm living in my own post-apocalyptic genre movie, foraging for nuts and berries on a desert highway in my fashionably shredded mud spattered get-up complete with goggles and chain link bracelets, wishing I had the taut burnished thighs of Tina Turner instead of my own wobbly, pale set of limbs.

Yeah. I'm talking voracious.

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Love & Kisses: My (Sexy!) Gluten-Free Food List

Chocolate is forever a Valentine's Day favorite.

Valentine's Day is looming. A dicey day for those of us who need to live gluten-free. In spite of our pragmatism and gritty resolve to stay healthy, we crave our romance, too. We celebrate love (in all its multitudinous incarnations, right?). We champion Love (sexy) over Fear (not sexy). Now more than ever.

So don't worry, Darling. I've got your back.

Cooking is not only about nutrition, health and nourishment, it's a sensual experience- if done with gentle attention, generous attitude and love. Is there a cook among us who doesn't understand the seductive power of a meal stirred with lust- er, affection? It’s no accident that our Bubbes and grandmothers instructed us with the well-buttered axiom, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Olfactory studies reveal that men prefer culinary over floral fragrances. I kid you not.

The two sexiest scents according to men submitting to a blind sniff-off?

Pumpkin pie and vanilla.

I'm not kidding. Pie is sexy. So with the delicate art of seduction in mind, I thought I'd share a short list of goddess approved Love Foods to inspire us all. Because it's all about love, Babycakes. And if, by fate or chance, you happen to be sans a honey this particular V-day season, consider treating yourself to a gorgeous meal. True love begins at home, I always say.

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Our Favorite Gluten-Free Chili

Our favorite gluten-free chili- hearty winter comfort.

 
FADE IN:

INT. 5TH FLOOR APARTMENT - DAY


A chilly winter light slices into a SANTA MONICA apartment and illuminates every cobweb. (Obviously, a certain individual has been neglecting house work again). Said individual sighs audibly. Glances sideways into the mirror hanging above the kitchen sink cluttered with coffee spoons, grilled cornbread crumbs and half-filled tea mugs. She could never pass for Martha Stewart. Not in a million years. 

DISHEVELED GLUTEN-FREE GODDESS

Good gravy. Look at all the dust balls. 

STEVE (HUSBAND)

So what. What's a dust bunny or two? 

(glancing up from his laptop)

I’ll vacuum later. Or next Tuesday.

DISHEVELED GLUTEN-FREE GODDESS

My hero.


(dragging out the Crock Pot from under the sink)

This calls for chili.

FADE TO BLACK

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Rain in Santa Monica - Wordless Wednesday

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Mulligatawny Soup with Jasmine Rice

Warm up with a bowl of this delicious mulligatawny soup.

Soup weather has arrived in Southern California. The sky is flannel gray and thick with rain. The streets below are slick and shiny wet. Monday morning traffic sounds are hushed and distant. It is even a bit chilly- for L.A. standards. I am wrapped in a sweater. And I am craving mulligatawny- one of my favorite spicy soups. As luck or fate or Plan B foresight would have it, I had enough ingredients on hand to make my favorite soup for lunch today. A simpler, easier version of my well worn favorite recipe for Vegetarian Mulligatawny. I skipped the cabbage and cauliflower and canned tomatoes this time. And upped the carrots for a fresh tasting, healthy soup.

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Red Quinoa with Butternut Squash, Cranberries and Pecans

A dazilious red quinoa salad with fruit and vegetable jewels.

Today's recipe is a beautiful red quinoa recipe I tossed together featuring roasted butternut squash, cranberries and pecans. Serve this as a colorful side dish or stuff a vegetable. It would be fab and hip served in scooped out roasted vegetables such as big bell peppers or tomatoes. Red quinoa has a milder taste than the standard quinoa. So if you think you don't like quinoa, try the Inca red. I suspect you'll convert to quinoa love.

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Sev Khaman/ Sev Khamani

Sev Khaman
First we make Khaman Dhoklas...A famous snack sold in every street of Gujarat, it is no longer restricted to the region. It is readily available in every part of the country. People love these yummy dhoklas as a breakfast, snack or as a farsaan in the lunch or dinner menu.

Ingredients for Khaman Dhoklas:
2 cup besan (Bengal gram flour)
11\2 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp sugar
4 finely chopped green chillies
1 tbsp ginger paste (optional)
½ tbsp turmeric powder for nice color
½ tbsp fruit salt
Salt to taste
1/4 tbsp oil for greasing

Ingredients for tempering:
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sugar
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tbsp mustard seeds ( Rai / Sarson)
1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
½ tbsp asafetida (Hing)
5 to 6 curry leaves (Kadi patta)

For the garnish
2 tbsp freshly grated coconut

Method of making Khaman Dhokla:
Step 1: Combine the Bengal gram flour with buttermilk and mix well adding warm water if required to make a good consistency of batter. Keep aside for 5-6 hours.

Step 2: Add the finely chopped green chillies, salt, sugar, and turmeric powder.

Step 3: Mix all these ingredients with batter.

Step 4: Just before steaming, add the fruit salt and add 1 tbsp of water over it if required.
Step 5: When the bubbles form, mix gently. Prepare the steamer for dhokla.
Step 6: Pour the batter immediately into a greased thali and shake the thali clockwise to spread the batter in an even layer.

Step 7: Steam in a steamer for 12 to 15 minutes or till the dhoklas are cooked.

Step 8: Cut into square pieces and keep aside.

Step 9: Take small vassal and mix the sugar with half cup of water.

Step 10: Heat the oil in small pan and add the mustard seeds, when seeds crackle, add chopped green chillies and asafoetida.

Step 11: When chillies fry then add curry leaves.

Step 12: Add the sugar water in it and sauté on a medium flame for few seconds.

Step 13: Remove from the flame, pour this tempering over the dhoklas.

Step 14: Serve immediately garnished with grated coconut.

Sev Khaman/ Sev Khamani

This recipe was invented from the Khaman Dhoklas!!!
They are crumbled, tempered with garlic-ginger and mixed with pomegranate seeds and coconut. Serve garnished with sev and relish its unique flavour. Those who do not like garlic can omit it.
Ingredients:
20 pieces of khaman dhoklas
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tbsp finely chopped ginger- garlic (lehsun, optional)
A pinch of asafetida (hing)
½ cup pomegranate seeds (anardana)
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
2 tbsp grated coconut
¼ cup Bengal gram sev for recipe click here

Method:
Step 1: Crumble the khaman dhoklas in a bowl and keep aside.
Step 2: Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the garlic paste and asafetida and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.

Step 3: Pour this tempering over the crumbled dhoklas and mix well.

Step 4: Garnish with the pomegranate seeds, coconut, and sev.
Step 5: Serve immediately.

4 Basic Things For A True And Ever Lasting Relationship

These four ingredients can be used in every sort of relationship. If you want them to be long lasting..They are as follows...

1) TrustYou have to trust the person with whom u want to have relationship

2) RespectYou should respect each other.

3) CompromiseThe two of you must compromise in different matters.

4) PatienceThe important one..both of you should remain patient and take decisions after a deep thinking on every matter.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe with Quinoa Flakes

Dunk worthy gluten-free peanut butter cookies with quinoa flakes.

We are one week into the New Year and I have changed my blog design twice. That shows you how restless a spirit I am. I am always tweaking, trying some new twist or changing up something. Whether it is an ingredient in a peanut butter cookie recipe or a photograph in a blog header, I am forever focused on improving. On creating. Inventing something beautiful. That and, well. I get bored easily. It's a curse. And once I took a gander at these warm from the oven cookies, posed so temptingly next to that virginal glass of ice cold rice milk, I had no choice but to shake things up around here.

You know how I feel about cookies (I've confessed my love before in my Ode to Cookies love fest on Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies). A good cookie is no small thing.

Especially if you must live gluten-free. Double that if you must live dairy-free. And triple that if you live egg-free. Holy Mother of Muffins, it ain't easy. 

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Sweet Potato Biscuits

Tender pull-apart biscuits that are gluten-free and vegan.

Detox schmeetox. Am I the only one eschewing the perennial pressure trend to buckle down and face the new year (new decade!) with a tidy, self actualized list of "healthy" resolutions sprinkled with key buzz words like fat-free and detox and no sugar and low calorie? Really? Am I the only gluten-free goddess out there craving the homespun comfort of warm tender biscuits instead of a drink-it-fast-because-it-tastes-like-shag-carpet-shampoo-but-it's-good-for-you spinach-kale smoothie?

It's January, people. It's still winter. Some folks are shoveling snow. Enough already with the bunny food. Dump the word cleanse from your vocabulary. Have a biscuit.

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Mix vegetable Curry

Ingredients:
1 large chopped onion
1 big size tomato cut in cub
2 medium size potato peel and cut in to cube
3 small size brinjal (baingan/ Ringna) cut into cub

1 cup chopped green fresh papdi (broad beans/valor)
1 small peel and cut carrot (gajar)
4 tbsp oil
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp garlic paste with red chilli powder
½ tbsp turmeric powder
A pinch of asafetida (hing)
Salt to taste
Water- as required

Method:
Step 1: Heat the oil into cooker and add mustards seeds.
Step 2: When the seeds crackle, add the cumin seeds, asafetida and garlic red chilli powder paste.
Step 3: Add the onion pieces and sauté on a medium flame for few seconds.

Step 4: Then add pieces of potatoes, carrot, and tomato and mix well.

Step 5: Last add the brinjal pieces and chopped broad beans (papdi).

Step 6: Turn the flame law and add the turmeric powder and salt to taste and mix well.

Step 7: Cook for while and then add ¼ cup (approximate) of water.

Step 8: Pressure cook for three whistles. Two whistles on full flame and one in law flame so curry cooks well.
Step 9: Wait for 4-5 minutes and then open the cooker.

Step 10: Place into serving bowl
Step 11: Serve hot with curd, aachaar and roti.:)

What's Love?
When you are together with that special someone, you pretend to ignore that person. But when that special someone is not around, you might look around to find them.

At that moment, you are in Love.

Although there is someone else who always makes you laugh, your eyes and attention might go only to that special someone.Then, you are in love.

Although that special someone was supposed to have called you long back, to let you know of their safe arrival,your phone is quiet.

You are desperately waiting for the call!At that moment, you are in love.

If you are much more excited for one e-mail from that special someone than other many e-mails,you are in love.

When you find yourself as one who cannot erase all the emails or SMS messages in your phone because of one message from that special someone,you are in love.

When you get a couple of free movie tickets, you would not hesitate to think of that special someone.Then, you are in love.

You keep telling yourself, "that special someone is just a friend", but you realize that you can not avoid that person's special attraction. At that moment,you are in love.No mater how softly you whisper a prayer, God surely listens, understands and knows the hopes and fears you keep in your heart. For when you trust in His love, miracles happen!