Our family loves Greek yogurt with berries and granola. It’s our go-to breakfast and many times we even have it as an afternoon snack too. With fall upon us and crunchy fruits like apples and persimmons in abundance let me share another variation of Greek yogurt parfait. This version perks up Greek yogurt with fresh herbs from the garden. Sweet herbs like mint and basil add a fresh unexpected surprise to the Greek yogurt when combined with crunchy fall fruits like apples, Asian pears, and persimmons. Then add a few raisins and fresh grated ginger, all topped with a dirzzle of honey. This will make a delicious fall-inspired crunchy Greek yogurt parfait. Continue reading Herbed Greek Yogurt with Crunchy Fruit & Granola
Category Archives: From the Kitchen
Persimmon Salad
This is a perfect make-ahead salad that is easy and delicious. Mix all the ingredients with a vinaigrette and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The only question in this persimmon salad is “to arugula or not to arugula.” Meaning, the salad can be had with or without the greens, it will taste great either way. Here is the recipe. Continue reading Persimmon Salad
Rum Raisin Cake
I love Haagen Daz’s Rum Raisin ice cream – the original! Hitesh and I have been hooked on this ice cream ever since we first met almost thirty years ago at University of Texas in Austin. Our inexpensive indulgence on our starving student’s budget was a pint of rum raisin ice cream that we would share and finish off in one go. Today, we feel guilty having more than a scoop of ice cream, we are much older and our metabolism has slowed down 😞 yet we can’t resist this ice cream. Craving rum raisin ice cream but not wanting to stop by the grocery store and get some, I thought I would try making a rum raisin flavored cake. Why not? It has all the rum and raisin flavor of the original ice cream but in a cake form. The cake turned out awesome! If you like rum raisin ice-cream you will love this rum raisin cake. Give it a try! Continue reading Rum Raisin Cake
Oreccheitti Pasta with Dried Herbs & Vegetables
Pasta with fragrant dried herbs and a variety of vegetables is perfect comfort food on a cool fall-afternoon. Fresh herbs from my garden are what I reach for when making pasta but on this Sunday afternoon it was my daughter Sri who was making lunch and rather than take the few extra steps into the garden for fresh herbs she just reached into my pantry for my homegrown dried herbs. I have to say I was surprised how different dried herbs taste from fresh herbs. I would even say that dried herbs have a stronger flavor profile giving pasta a real kick of herb fragrance. In this oreccheitti pasta Sri used veggies that I had at hand which happened to be asparagus, mushrooms, and tomatoes. With a pinch of chili flakes and lots of garlic, this pasta tastes amazing with fragrant dried herbs and fresh vegetables 😋. Continue reading Oreccheitti Pasta with Dried Herbs & Vegetables
Apple Zucchini Salad
Apples are in abundance everywhere I look this fall season. I’ve already made an apple crisp, and apple ginger cake, and I’ve been eating an apple a day to keep the doctor away, yet I have lots of apples in my fruit basket. That’s why when I stopped by my friend Rose’s place for lunch to celebrate our mutual friend Devi’s birthday, I came up with a recipe that used lots of apples – an apple zucchini salad. Continue reading Apple Zucchini Salad
Saag Paneer. Spinach and Paneer with Indian Spices
Saag Paneer is a popular Indian dish chock full of finely diced spinach cooked with paneer cheese, garlic, ginger, onions and Indian spices. Saag paneer is extremely easy to make and tastes amazing. Saag paneer is usually served with chapatis, but one can easily have it as a stuffing inside a burrito or serve it as a side dish. There are many versions of saag paneer, this recipe is the simplest way to make it which is typically made in the home kitchen and the villages of India. Continue reading Saag Paneer. Spinach and Paneer with Indian Spices
Bok Choy Fried Rice
Bok choy fried rice is a dish I had at a cute little Asian restaurant in San Francisco called Chubby Noodle. We got the recommendation for this eatery from one of my daughter’s friends who lives in SF and suggested we try their weekend bottomless brunch. With two locations in the city, the one we were told to head to was the Chubby Noodle in the Marina District on Lombard Street Chubby Noodle Marina. Folks, this is an awesome place for awesome food. The decor is eclectic, space intimate, and the wait staff super friendly. Sprinkle in family and friends and it’s absolutely perfect. Awesome food, awesome service, awesome decor – what more does one require for a great eating out experience? If you are looking for a fun place to grab a long 90-minute brunch with friends and family give this Asian restaurant a try – Chubby Noodle. Continue reading Bok Choy Fried Rice
Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts Salad
Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 -3 cups sliced Brussels sprouts about 1/2-1lb
- 2-3 cups cauliflower florets – half of a head of cauliflower
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1/2 cup pitted olives
- 2-3 bunches of romaine lettuce cut into chunks
- Dried cranberries or dried cherries (optional)
- A few pitted dates cut into long strips (optional)
- Parmesan shavings (optional)
- Salt and pepper
- honey vinaigrette.
Lime Juice Bundt Cake
I usually don’t bother looking through a a department store magazine such as Costco’s, what could they possibly communicate except promote the products they are selling is what I used to think. Then my friend Basanthi shared a piece of chocolate cake she had made with avocado of all things! I asked her where she found this unique recipe and she said from the Costco Magazine. Continue reading Lime Juice Bundt Cake
Creamy Goat Cheese Fettuccini with Spinach and Leeks
Here is a quick and easy weeknight pasta with baby spinach, leeks and fresh garden tomatoes, all tossed in a delicious creamy goat cheese sauce. This is the ultimate comfort food that is packed with good for you veggies and warm feel-good pasta. I love spinach and have started to really like leeks a lot too. I grew up with Mom making spinach often, and it’s to the point now that I miss it if I haven’t had any it in a few days. Any opportunity to use spinach I am all for it – in rice, quinoa, daal, curry, salads, and of course pasta! I especially love spinach in pasta, it wilts into the warm pasta so delicately and always tastes great. Try this gourmet tasting easy to make pasta with spinach and leeks and creamy cheese sauce for a stay-at-home Thursday night dinner or a Friday night dinner or on any night really. Continue reading Creamy Goat Cheese Fettuccini with Spinach and Leeks
