Chef In Making
Recipes With a Twist
Easy Turkey Meatballs
May 24th
Turkey Meatballs
It is always great to have some meatballs on hand when you are in hurry and need to put together a quick and delicious meal. You can make sandwiches, wraps, pizzas, serve with pasta and even throw in soups. I usually make lean turkey meatballs instead of fatty beef ones and make more than I need so I can freeze some for quick meals (as a full time working mom I am usually short of time!). This is very basic recipe and is great for little ones since the meatballs do not have any kind of strong flavor. Even better, More >
Hot and Sweet Mango Salsa
May 12th
Hot and Sweet Mango Salsa with chips
With Mangoes in season, fresh mango salsa has become a ‘hot’ condiment. Mexican restaurants, fast food places, grocery stores, recipes in magazines – everywhere you would see one variation or the other. This is my first attempt to make this hot and sweet salsa and I think I will try few more recipes this season. I added some grapes to add some texture and made it hotter than usual.You need:
1 medium mango, diced 1 medium tomato, diced 1/2 red onion, diced 7-8 pickled sliced Jalapeño peppers, chopped 10 red grapes, halved 1 tsp More >
Mediterranean Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup
May 9th
Mediterranean Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup
Couple of weeks ago I tried red lentils soup at a local Mediterranean restaurant. It was light and flavorful and perfect for lunch. Although it did resemble a bit like Indian red lentils dish and we call it ‘lal masoor dal’ and it is commonly served as a main dish with rice or Indian flatbreads for dinner. I tried to make a similar soup but decided to add fresh pumpkin as well. It added nice sweetness to otherwise meaty flavored red lentils. My two year old son liked it as well so I am tagging it More >
Apple Crumble
May 5th
By Heidemarie Swanepoel
Apple Crumble
Apples are in season and there is nothing better than eating a fresh, ripe apple. But this apple crumble comes very close. Sometimes I double up on the crumble part, and firmly press half the dough into a baking dish, and then continue as in the recipe, and serve it as a pie, but for a quick and healthy pudding, that can be eaten straight out of the oven, nothing beats this apple crumble.Ingredients:
8 – 10 large, fresh apples ½ cup sugar – adapt to the tartness or sweetness of the apples A handful of raisins (optional) ½ More >
Baby spinach salad with carrot and cucumber ribbons
May 2nd
Baby Spinach Salad with carrot and cucumber spinach ribbons
With days warming up a bit, I prefer having salads for lunch or as a side (sometimes bigger than a side portion) for dinner. I am big fan of low calorie salsa based Mexican style salads-which one of these days I will put together for my blog as well. However, these days I am experimenting with baby spinach and carrots and I am loving it. Here is a low calorie salad with a light home made dressing made with buttermilk. I use carrot and cucumber shavings that add lot of crunch to the More >
Eggless Custard
Apr 29th
By Heidemarie Swanepoel
Eggless Custard
This was a staple dish many years ago, as a meal, or as a soup, and sometimes sweetened as a pudding. We enjoy it as a custard served with fruit or another pudding, or as a meal on a cold winters night.Ingredients: 4 cups milk 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste) 2-3 tablespoons corn flour 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
In a heavy bottomed pan, bring 3 cups of milk to the boil. Add the butter. In a small dish, mix the remaining cup of milk with the sugar and the corn flour thoroughly. Once the milk More >
Chipotle Chicken Kebabs
Apr 26th
Chipotle Chicken Kababs
Here is one flaming hot recipe. I have been trying to imitate Chipotle Mexican Grill’s chicken for quite some time. Although this may not be the exact same thing, but it comes quite close – only slightly hotter. Since I like hot food and usually am never too embarrassed of putting Tobasco/Tapatío or any other hot sauce on almost everything, I quite liked the results. Moreover, Chipotle peppers also add a smoky flavor.1 lb boneless Chicken pieces – medium sized (I used thigh meat) 1/2 can Chipotle peppers in Adobo Sauce (about 3.5 oz – I did use More >
Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Reduced Fat)
Apr 22nd
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I am a big fan of Panera Bread’s Broccoli Cheddar soup. Although I usually prefer lowfat/or at least reduced fat soups, I usually can’t resist this soup on a cold (even rainy) afternoon. I have tried a few recipes from different sources and all were way too rich. So I made few changes, increased quantity of carrots and blended the soup for a creamy and rich texture. Last weekend I made a big batch for my family – served soup and toasted bread for adults and as pasta sauce for little one. I boiled macaroni (overcooked) and mixed with More >
Cherry Jelly on Chocolate Mousse
Apr 19th
By Heidemarie Swanepoel
Cherry Jelly on Chocolate Mousse
I wanted a decadent pudding that smells of kilojoules, but is not fattening. Is that possible? Yes!!!!! My inspiration for this desert comes from the decadent German Black Forest Cherry Cake. The jelly is light, the mousse is light and semi-rich, and the ice-cream is soothing. Go ahead, and try this out.Ingredients: 1 box chocolate instant pudding 1 tin of black cherries – canned Up to ½ cup sugar substitute (to taste) 2-3 tablespoons unsweetened gelatine ½ cup hot water
Start by sprinkling the gelatine onto the hot water to dissolve. Stir well. Drain the More >
Lemon Rice with Carrot Raita
Apr 16th
Lemon Rice
This is yet another favorite dish that I make when I have leftover rice on hand and (as usual) I am in a hurry to put together a delicious yet healthy meal. This version of Lemon Rice is based on traditional South Indian flavors although I am not sure if I always follow the tradition religiously and do try different variations now and then.Carrot Raita
I usually serve this rice with ‘Carrot Raita’ – Yogurt based condiment that is used as a side or sometimes a dip as well. There are numerous types of ‘raitas’ that you can make More >
