American

Name: The Best Instant Pot Detox Lentil Vegetables Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 cup Red Lentils / Lal Masoor; 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 large Onion (peeld and chopped into 1 inch pieces); 4 large Garlic cloves (chopper fine); 1 small piece Ginger (chopped fine); 2 large Carrots (peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces); 4-5 stalks Celery (cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces); 1 large Zucchini (cut into 1 inch pieces); 1 cup Broccoli florets (cut into small pieces); 1 cup Cauliflower florets (cut into small pieces); 5 large Tomatoes (roughly chopped); 2 tsp Turmeric; 1&1/2 tsp Salt; 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Red chili powder or Smoked Paprika (or to taste); 7 cups Water

The Best Instant Pot Detox Lentil Vegetables Soup

May 7, 2018 by simplyvegetarian777 12 Comments

Instant Pot Detox Lentil Vegetables Soup is a SUPER DELICIOUS, LIGHT, and NOURISHING HEALTHY SOUP. This soup is made with Lentils and Seasonal Vegetables. It is EASY, EFFICIENT & made with Everyday Ingredients.

Instant Pot Detox Lentil Vegetables Soup

The Best Instant Pot Detox Lentil Vegetables Soup

Lately, my life had been hectic. Don’t ask me how? End of the school year + Kids’ activities + Traveling husband + Work commitments are just a few to mention. To be honest, life is incomplete and boring with all that madness and I actually thrive on BEING HAPPILY BUSY. What I do not like is my FOOD BINGING during that stress.

Eating out, eating more than required or just eating mindlessly is what I do when I am going crazy, which has become a frequent phase. And you know the side effects of that, don’t you?

Why Eating Mindlessly should be controlled?

Mindless Eating pushes you to eat more carbs that cause more harm than any good.
It leaves you craving for more food and defies the signal of FEELING FULL.
Frequent mindless eating can damage your general health and increase your chances of diseases like weight gain and obesity, and diabetes.

Therefore it is very important to EAT MINDFULLY.

It is so easy to get carried away with all that day-long munching and not to notice unless your clothes stop fitting you and muffin tops become your best friend that you hate daily.

Besides the Health Point of View, Summer is on us people. And all those good-looking clothes are staring at us. Honestly, transitioning from full body length clothes to dresses, skirts, shorts, and capris in summer is a big one for me. I want to wear all of that but without feeling conscious. You can ask me to RELAX but I have some lines drawn for me and I do not impose on anybody else. Though I know that secretly most of the women struggle through that.

Therefore, once in a while I like to DETOX myself with NOURISHING, HEALTHY and WHOLESOME yet DELICIOUS FOOD. I can’t diet rather I won’t diet. Diet is a FAD.

This is what I try to do my best to keep my system and body healthier and maintaining a BALANCED LIFESTYLE.

Incorporate an hour of walk or work out, at least 4-5 days a week.
Drink a lot of Water.
Tone down my FOOD CHOICES every now and then. This means if I indulge in rich food for 2 days in a row, I will make a better choice for the rest of the days of the week. For example – eating a healthy and wholesome salad or eating glutenfree for few meals or skipping the bread. My favorite way to DETOX is wholesome and delicious SOUPS.
Most importantly, I laugh and cry to my heart’s content and try to PLEASE MYSELF rather than others. BEING A BIT SELFISH is always good.

Instant Pot Detox Lentil Vegetables Soup

Lately, life has become super comfy with INSTANT POTS in my LIFE. I recommend every busy parent and individual out there to invest in one as soon as they get a good deal!

HERE IS WHY YOU SHOULD BUY AN INSTANT POT –

Have I told you that I am an Instant Pot Convert from a Hater to Lover? Yes, you got me right. Now I own 2 Instant Pots –6 quarts 10-in-1 Insta Pot and 3 quarts Duo Mini. The mini one is used more, as it is perfect for daily cooking for a family of 4-6 people. The 6 quart comes out mainly for party preps or when I am making whole beans, chili or Rice Pulav. Here is why you should also cook in Instant Pot –

No Baby Sitting or Attending to the Kitchen Gadget is required. You saute, you put the lid and close and set the timer and done.
The cooking in Instant Pot is ONE POT COOKING.
It is a MESS FREE Cooking.
The food preparation and cooking is VERY EFFICIENT and is perfect for busy moms and professionals in today’s day and age.
It is so SAFE TO USE, that even your teenager can use it like my daughter does.

Instant Pot 6 quart 10-in-1 is on sale right now for $109.99 as compared to regular $149.95. Grab it today.

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Instant Pot Detox Lentil Vegetables Soup

Why is this soup a DETOX SOUP?

For me, a detox diet is a diet that is easy in cooking made with seasonal ingredients. A diet or a dish that is wholesome balancing all the nutrients well in a tasty manner is a detox too. When I say detox here, I am not referring to weight loss but detoxing myself from all the toxins accumulated with processed food. A detox diet for me is soul food that is simple, healing and powerful. Let us have a look at the list of ingredients here.

Red Lentils – These are high in fiber and protein and ideal for managing your sugar level. Lentils are a good source of iron and folate. These are perfect for weight management as well. Red Lentils are light on digestion and filling. You can buy Red Lentils from here.

Olive Oil – This oil is HEART HEALTHY. It is known to reduce stress and boost the mood. Olive oil aids in healing arthritis. You can buy Olive Oil from here.

Turmeric – It is known for its anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Turmeric had always been an integral part of Indian cooking and now is gaining fame internationally for treating IBS, Alzheimers, Obesity, Arthritis, and preventing some types of cancers. For me, turmeric is the lifeline. I use turmeric not only in cooking but for beauty treatments as well. You can buy Turmeric from here.

Ginger – Ginger is another of my favorite ingredient to use in cooking. When combined with Turmeric, it does wonders for your system. It boosts your immune system, heals the digestive system, relieves nausea, lowers cholesterol and is anti-inflammatory. Ginger is your best friend to combat cold and flu.

Garlic – Garlic is another favorite ingredient to cook with not only for its bold taste but because of its health benefits. It promotes BRAIN HEALTH and better ENERGY LEVELS. Garlic is also anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, promotes HEART HEALTH, lowers Cholesterol and much more.

Seasonal Vegetables – are high in fiber and vitamins and improves digestion. Eating seasonal vegetables in good amount can aid your weight loss or maintenance journey.

Why should you make Instant Pot Detox Lentil Soup?

It is the best vegan lentil soup made Healthy Instant Pot Recipe.
Instant pot detox lentil vegetable soup is an Insatnt Pot easy efficient and delicious recipe.
It is GLUTEN-FREE Soup.
This soup is perfect GOLDEN SOUP because of its color and is perfect for LIGHT LUNCHES. It is an amazing Instant Pot Stew that is a COMPLETE MEAL and is WEIGHT FRIENDLY SOUP.

THE POPULAR INSTANT POT RECIPES FROM THE BLOG ARE

Tuscan Vegetable Soup in Instant Pot

Punjabi Kadhi in Instant Pot

Dal Bukhara in Instant Pot

Pav Bhaji in Instant Pot

Check this small video on making this Soup!

This is how to make this DETOX soup

5 from 5 votes

The Best Instant Pot Detox Lentil Vegetables Soup

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Instant Pot Detox Lentil Vegetables Soup is a SUPER DELICIOUS, LIGHT, and NOURISHING SOUP. This soup is made with Lentils and Seasonal Vegetables. It is EASY, EFFICIENT & made with Everyday Ingredients.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8

Author: simplyvegetarian777

Ingredients

1 cup Red Lentils / Lal Masoor
1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 large Onion peeld and chopped into 1 inch pieces
4 large Garlic cloves chopper fine
1 small piece Ginger chopped fine
2 large Carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
4-5 stalks Celery cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large Zucchini cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup Broccoli florets cut into small pieces
1 cup Cauliflower florets cut into small pieces
5 large Tomatoes roughly chopped
2 tsp Turmeric
1&1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp Red chili powder or Smoked Paprika or to taste
7 cups Water

Instructions

Prepping for Soup

Wash Red Lentils in cold water till water runs clear. Soak them in clean water till ready to use. Meanwhile, wash all the vegetables. Peel, Clean n chop the vegetables as mentioned above in ingredients. Keep everything ready. When Red lentils are ready to use, drain the water.

COOKING ON SAUTE MODE

Place the inner pot inside the INSTANT POT. Plug the IP in and press SAUTE MODE. Once the screen displays HOT, add oil in it. Now add onion, ginger and garlic to the pot. Saute for 2 minutes till onions become slightly soft.
Now add celery, carrots, zucchini and cauliflower florets tot he pot. Cook further for 2 more minutes. Now add broccoli, tomatoes, Red lentils, turmeric, salt and red chili powder. Give it a good stir and add 7 cups water. Stir again. Switch off the SAUTE MODE.

COOKING ON MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK

Place the lid of IP and place the valve to NO VENTING. Press the MANUAL BUTTON and set it to 10 MINUTES & MORE + HIGH PRESSURE.
Once the timer goes off, follow the NPR method that is Natural Pressure Release. Open and Serve it Warm.

Traditional Pressure Cooker Method

Follow the same instructions of sauteeing and adding ingredients. Pressure cook for 1 whistle. Then lower the heat and cook for 10 more minutes with whistle/weight on. Switch off after 10 minutes and open after the pressure is released.

Stove Top Pot/Pan Cooking

Follow the same instructions on stove top also in a deep sauce pan. Add water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and Cook for about 30-35 minutes till it looks thick and creamy.

I am sure many of you will try this soup and wil give me a positive feedback. Because not only it comes together in less time but it is also filling, wholesome, nourishing and delicious.

Some Popular Soups from my BLOG are

Viet Vegetarian Pho

Thai Tom Kha Soup

Tom Yum Thai Soup

Lentils & Eggplant Stew

Doesn’t this soup look so pretty, almost GOLD LIKE. I think I would like to nick name it as Instant Pot Golden Soup with the goodness of Turmeric, Ginger and Garlic.

Can’t make it now? PIN IT FOR LATER!

Instant Pot Detox Lentil Vegetables Soup

As I always say, in my Kitchen you will EAT HAPPY and STAY HAPPY!

Sonal

Panera Copy Cat Mac n Cheese Easy Recipe

April 17, 2018 by simplyvegetarian777 7 Comments

This Panera Copy Cat Recipe for Mac n Cheese is so DELICIOUS and EASY that you will never make it any other way. The secret ingredient makes it super yum. Learn how to make the best MAC & CHEESE in the town with least effort and big flavors. Do not forget to watch the Video for a quick overview.

Mac n Cheese – Panera Bread Copy Cat Recipe

Weather Gods have either lost it or gone completely hormonal in Pittsburgh. After 4 glorious days of Sun and bright warm days of 76F, we are back to cold, grey and dreadful winter days of 40F and a possibility of snow anytime. Ugh!

Hot & Cold together in the same week is the norm here. Can you believe that the quarter of the year is over and we are still struggling with brutal cold days? Ok, I am done complaining about now.

Well on a cold day like such, a big pot of Mac n Cheese does not hurt at all. Don’t you agree? That is what was our lunch on a cold Sunday Afternoon accompanied with Boiled Corn. A perfect Southern style Simple and Comforting meal.

Mac n Cheese – Panera Bread Copy Cat Recipe

My girls always order mac n cheese whenever we go to Panera Bread, which BTW is our family favorite Cafe to go to. We just love their soups, salads, sandwiches and Mac n Cheese along with their Bakery items.

It makes a perfect after school snack for my girls and I always make extra of this yumminess. I am actually very surprised that I have not yet posted this recipe yet. Well, better late than never. Here I am with the Simple, Easy and Delish Recipe which is loved by people of all the ages equally.

What is Mac and Cheese?

Macaroni and Cheese as it is officially known, is a dish of English Origin. Who knew, right? One would think that it is either American or Italian. NO! It is very ENGLISH.

This dish consists of cooked macaroni that is later coated with a Cheesy Bechamel Sauce. It is commonly baked in the oven but can be served after stovetop cooking.

Made with durum wheat, macaroni is commonly cut in short lengths; curved macaroni may be referred to as elbow macaroni. We have used Pasta Shells here in the recipe.Many times pasta like shells, penne, cavatappi, and fusilli are also used in place of macaroni.

Mac n Cheese – Panera Bread Copy Cat Recipe

Some Important Information to make Macaroni and Cheese perfectly

This Recipe has 3 important components – Boiled Pasta, Bechamel Sauce and Cheese.
The boiled pasta should be Al-Dante. It means do not boil it mushy. Keep a bite to it.
Bechamel Sauce is the famous WHITE SAUCE which makes an important part of this recipe. Making this sauce is pretty easy.
Do not go less on butter in this recipe to keep the rue going.
You have to keep whisking or mixing the sauce continuously with a wire whisk while cooking to avoid the lumps. You can control the consistency of this sauce by adding less or more milk than recommended.
The original recipe requires Mild Cheddar Cheese. You can actually use any cheese that has good melting quality. I have made this recipe with Gruyere and Gouda cheese also and they have worked very well in the recipe.
This basic recipe can be adapted and personalized. You can add vegetables of your choice to it. This can be baked with some bread crumbs on top.
Reheating the leftovers is pretty simple. Heat some milk and add the refrigerated mac n cheese to it. Adjust salt and pepper. Add more milk if desired and cook until warm.

The Kitchen Equipment and Ingredients required for this Recipe can be bought from Amazon.

This will not add any extra cost to you but will keep this blog running.

Heavy Bottom Stainless Steel Pan

Pasta Boiler

Microwave Pasta Cooker

Pasta Colander to fit in your Sauce Pan

Wire Whisk

Some Popular Pasta Recipes from my Blog are

Penne Pomodoro

Arabiatta Pasta Sauce & Pasta

Spaghetti-Aglio-e-Olio

Pasta Primavera

Spaghetti in Mushroom Sauce

Watch this small video showing the process of making Mac n’ Cheese. Find the Recipe Below the Video.

This is how you will make Panera Bread Copy Cat Mac n’ Cheese.

Mac n Cheese - Panera Bread Copy Cat Recipe

Cook Time

20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Author: simplyvegetarian777

Ingredients

1 pound/ 16 ounce Pasta Shells or Elbow Macaroni
1/4 Cup Butter
1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
3 Cups Milk Use full fat for creamier texture
2 Cups Cheddar Cheese crumbled or shredded
1/2 tsp or to taste Black pepper powder freshly crushed preferred
To Taste Salt I used about 1 tsp salt
1&1/2 tsp Mustard Sauce this is the secret ingredient

Instructions

Gather all the ingredients before starting the cooking.

Pasta

Boil pasta as per the package instructions. Do not overboil it. Make it al-dante. Drain and set aside. It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish to boil the pasta including the time to boil water. When the pasta is boiling, you can work on Cheesy Bechamel Sauce.

Cheesy Bechamel Sauce

Take the heavy bottom steel cooking pan. Melt butter in it over medium heat.
Once the butter is melted, add all purpose flour to the pan and mix it well using a wire whisk. Cook it on medium heat for 3 minutes while mixing it continuously. Refer to the video above.
Now add milk to the pan, 1 cup at a time and keep stirring. Stir quickly so that no lumps are formed. Refer to the video above. Keep the heat on the stove at medium the whole time. Cook the sauce till it thickens slightly.
Add salt, black pepper powder and mustard sauce to the pan and give a good mix to it. Now add cheese to the sauce, little bit at a time. Keep mixing with the wire whisk to mix well.
Keep the heat at medium-low until cheese is melted well. Switch off the heat.
Now add boiled and drained pasta to the cheesy bechamel sauce. Mix pasta and sauce well.
Your Panera Bread Style Mac n Cheese is ready. Serve it warm. You can add dried parsley or basil or any other seasoning of your choice for more flavor. But you can not beat the classic Mac n cheese.

Yes, the mustard sauce is the secret ingredient in the recipe. The manager of the local Panera Bread mentioned it to me, himself. So it is coming out of the Horse’s Mouth..errr..I mean the Panera’s mouth.

If you try this recipe of ours, then do give a shout back. We would love to hear how it worked for you.

Can’t make it now? PIN IT FOR LATER!

Mac n’ Cheese – Panera Bread Copy Cat Recipe

In my Kitchen, you will always EAT HAPPY & STAY HAPPY!!

Sonal

Chopped Asian Salad with Light Peanut Dressing

April 4, 2018 by simplyvegetarian777 22 Comments

Chopped Asian Salad with Light Peanut Dressing is an easy salad recipe that is delicious, healthy and filling. It is better than the Cafe Salads. The Peanut Dressing is homemade and is lighter than the store bought Salad Dressing. This salad makes a perfect lunch or a light meal to share with family and friends. The best part is that the salad is vegan as well as gluten-free.

Chopped Asian Salad with Light Peanut Dressing

Hallelujah! It is Spring finally. Yayy!! Wait, I should be rejoicing since SPRING means warmer weather, bright sunshine, colorful flowers, calm balming scents of nature and pure crisp air around.

Sob! Sob! it ain’t happening in Pittsburgh. But heck to it. I am not going to buckle down under the weather. I will pretend that Spring is happening and bring myself to a better routine of eating better and living healthier. My Stepping is already looking good.

Spring brings not only bright flowers but colorful vegetables as well. It is a perfect time to enjoy some bright crunchy and crisp vegetables in pure form. So what can be better than the SALADS? As we gear up for summer You will see a series of bright, delicious, nutritious and easy salads from me in the month of April.

Chopped Asian Salad with Light Peanut Dressing

Why should you make this SALAD?

This Salad is a NO COOK RECIPE.
It is so easy to put together and is perfect for a Light Lunch or makes a great side dish.
This is a low carb and good protein recipe with the use of Peanut Butter in the dressing. The Peanut Dressing is Light and has no added extra oil besides the natural Peanut Butter.
Chopped Asian Salad with Light Peanut Dressing is bursting with crunch and flavors.
It is better than your Salad and Soup Cafes like that of Panera, Corner Bakery and more.
This Salad will be a show stopper at your spring/summer get-togethers and picnics.

Some Other Delicious Salads from my Blog are

Cold Noodles Asian Salad

Mexican Spicy Beans and Pasta Salad

Kosumbri – Indian Mung Salad

Vegetarian Cantina Bowl Salad

Olive Garden Style House Salad

This is how you make this Salad.

Chopped Asian Salad with Light Peanut Dressing

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: 2

Author: simplyvegetarian777

Ingredients

CHOPPED ASIAN SALAD

2 Cups Lettuce Leaves chopped roughly into 1 inch squares
2 Cups Red Cabbage chopped roughly into 1 inch squares
1 Cup Green Cabbage Shredded
1/2 Cup Broccoli cut into small florets
1 Large Carrots Shredded
1/4 Cup Cilantro Leaves
3 tbsp Peanuts dry roasted

LIGHT PEANUT DRESSING

3 Tablespoon Peanut Butter
1 Large piece Ginger
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce Use Tamari sauce for gluten free version
3 Tablespoon White Distilled Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Hot Sauce
3 Tablespoon Water
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice or Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Honey

Instructions

Prepping Salad

Take a Large Mixing bowl. Add chopped lettuce + red cabbage, shredded green cabbage + grated carrot, Broccoli and Cilantro leaves. Use Salad Tongs and give it a good toss. Set Aside.

Light Peanut Dressing

Take a high watt blender like Nutri bullet or Magic bullet. Add all the ingredients as mentioned under the Peanut Dressing. Blend will they all turn into a smooth sauce or dressing.

Assembling the Chopped Asian Salad with Light Peanut Dressing

Add the dressing to the Prepped Salad. Add roasted Peanuts. Toss the whole thing. You can eat it immediately after mixing it or let it sit for 10 minutes for the dressing to marinate the salad well.

I am sure you are going to try this soon as you are getting your bodies ready to slip into those lovely dresses when the summer arrives. It is not only fancy but so so so delicious. I make it for myself at least 2 times a week.

Chopped Asian Salad with Light Peanut Dressing

You can order the following from Amazon to make this salad.

It won’t cost you anything extra but will fund this blog.

Peanut Butter

Soy sauce or Tamari Sauce

Distilled White Vinegar

Unsalted Roasted Peanuts

Hot Sauce

Honey

Can’t make it now? PIN IT FOR LATER!

Chopped Asian Salad with Light Peanut Dressing

In my kitchen, you will always EAT HAPPY & STAY HAPPY!

Sonal

Irish Apple Cake

March 16, 2018 by simplyvegetarian777 4 Comments

Irish Apple Cake is a type of Apple Bread from Ireland, with Crusty Top and Moist inside. This cake tastes amazing with Custard Sauce or Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice-Cream. It is a perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, celebration from Ireland.

Irish Apple Cake

Recently, I had the fortune to try this delicious Apple Cake at the Cafe in FallingWater Falls, Pennsylvania. We had taken the kids to see this architectural marvel and it was a small hike on a cold day. After we finished the hike, I was craving for a hot cup of Coffee.

As I entered their cafe near the souvenir shop, there was this big cake sitting in the glass case. It looked beautiful with slight gold and crusty top and read Irish Apple Cake. I ordered a slice with coffee for 2 and hot chocolate for the girls. The cake was served with Custard Sauce on the top.

Apple Cake tasted delicious. It was not like a cake per say but more Bread-ish with very less sugar and crusted top. Every bite tasted delicious. The custard sauce with crusty sugar top made it up for low sweet bread. I knew I had to bake it at home. While searching on the net, I came across The Kitchen Mccabe and found an amazing recipe for the cake. For original recipe, Click here.

What is Irish Apple Cake?

As the name suggests, this Apple Cake hails from IRELAND. It is a popular cake made in the homes of Ireland and is a perfect way to finish a meal. This Apple Cake is actually an Apple Bread with Crusty Top and Moist inside. Nutmeg and Cloves are added for flavors and the best part is that it is not overly sweet like other cakes. It tastes amazing when served warm with some Custard Sauce or even Vanilla Ice-Cream.

Irish Apple Cake

What is St. Patrick’s Day?

Saint Patrick’s Day is also known as Feast of Saint Patrick. It is a cultural and religious celebration held on March 17th, observing the death of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Celebrations normally involves public parades and people wearing green attires or shamrocks. To learn more about Saint Patrick day, click here. (source – wikipedia)

Therefore, I think baking an Irish Apple Cake is the perfect way to celebrate the Irish culture on Saint Patrick’s day.

The original recipe is baked with the use of Eggs. I have adapted the recipe to bake this cake without the eggs. You can follow the original recipe, as the link shared above, to bake with eggs. Or use my recipe to bake it Egg-Free or Egg-Less.

Some other Popular Egg-Free Bakes from my blog are –

Super Moist Eggless Chocolate Cake

Blender Chocolate Eggless Cake

Eggless Vanilla Cake

Marble Cake Eggless and much more.

This is how you make Irish Apple Cake. I made Custard Sauce from scratch as well. You may choose to make it or skip it. It can be served with or without the sauce.

Irish Apple Cake

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

55 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 9

Author: simplyvegetarian777

Ingredients

Irish Apple Cake Ingredients

3 cups All Purpose Flour
2 tea-spoon Baking powder
1 pinch Salt
1/2 tea-spoon Cloves powder
1/2 tea-spoon Nutmeg powder
3/4 cup Butter, cold cut into small pieces
3/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Yogurt, thick
4 Large Apples I used 3 Gala and 1 Granny smith
2 table-spoon Sugar to sprinkle on top

Custard Sauce Ingredients

2 cups Milk
1&1/2 table-spoon Corn flour/starch
3 table-spoon Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Essence

Instructions

Irish Apple Cake Instructions

Preheat the oven at 375*F. Place the baking rack in the middle of the oven. Spread little butter in a 8-9 inches Baking Pan (square or circular) and line with a parchment paper. Set aside.
Take a large mixing bowl and add flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg powder and cloves powder to it. Mix well.
Add butter pieces to the flour mix. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers and mix butter with flour till it resembles bread crumb.
Now add 3/4 cup sugar to the flour mix and mix it well.
Peel the apples. Cut them into uniform pieces. Cut them slightly bigger for taht chunky look or apples will get mushed when baked. So keep the slightly big in pieces.
Add these apple pieces to the flour mix and toss well. Make sure that every apple piece is well coated with the flour mix.
Take another bowl and mix milk and yogurt in it. Mix it well.
Now add this liquid to the flour mix bowl. start mixing with a spatula. Mix well till liquid is well incorporated into flour mix, making it dough like. IMPORTANT - this cake has almost dough like thick batter. Do not expect cake like runny batter. It has to be thick like dough.
Spread this dough like batter in the baking pan. Pat it down with the back of spatula for even surface. Spread 2 table-spoon of sugar on top of the cake.
Bake it at 375*F for about 45-50 minutes. The top of the cake will turn beautifully golden. Do the Wooden pick test in the center of the cake to make sure it is fully baked. The baking time might vary in different ovens. Stat checking at 35 minutes.
Once baked, take it out and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve it warm with either custard sauce or whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Custard Sauce

Dissolve corn flour/starch in 3 tbsp milk and set aside. Take a heavy bottom pan and bring milk to a boil with sugar in it. Lower the heat. Add dissolved corn starch mix to it and whisk it fast with a wire whisk till it dissolves. Cook the mix for 7-8 minutes on medium heat till it thickens slightly. Switch off the heat. Add vanilla essence and mix. Pour over the slice of irish apple cake and enjoy it.
NOTE - you may use custard powder to make custard sauce too.

I am sure you will be baking this wonderful and delicate cake/bread soon. It sure has become a hit with my family and I plan to bake it more often. If you try it, then do send me your feedback.

Irish Apple Cake

You may order the following from amazon to bake this cake.

Irish Apple Cake

In my kitchen, you will always EAT HAPPY & STAY HAPPY!

Sonal

Tuscan Vegetable Soup Instant Pot Recipe

March 14, 2018 by simplyvegetarian777 30 Comments

Tuscan Vegetable Soup Instant Pot Recipe is an easy + delicious + nutritious recipe. It is loaded with seasonal vegetables and cannellini beans and mildly flavored with seasonings. The soup is light in calories but very filling. Add some shell pasta in it or put some bread on the side and make it a complete meal.

Tuscan Vegetable Soup Instant Pot Recipe

Last week was glorious with 5 out of 7 days of bright warm sun. I went for a walk almost every day basking in the gold of the sun. Birds were out and I could notice trees ready to bloom and suddenly it has been snowing since last 2 days. Ugh! Mother Nature is really unpredictable. I hope this is the last snow of the season. Weather like this calls for a warm bowl of comforting soup and this soup is just perfect to keep the warmth and comfort intact.

My kids love a warm bowl of soup as an after-school meal when they come back hungry. Therefore I am making Soups often, no matter which season it is. A bowl of good soup rids them of day long tiredness and refreshes them for home work, after school activities. The best part is that they remain full till dinner, without indulging in junk food.

If you ask me why I made it in Instant Pot, then here are my answers –

It is a ONE POT cooking and that is definitely a score for me.
The best part is that I do not have to baby sit my food when I cook in Instant Pot. Just Saute, cook, shut the lid, set the timer and forget. Food is ready whenever you open.
Another great reason is it is a mess free and convenient cooking. Making food in Instant Pot is so easy that even your teenage kids can cook in it without the fear of getting burnt or burning the food.
My time is my own with Instant Pot Cooking. I can multi-task easily.

I think above are good enough reasons to Cook in Instant Pot.

Tuscan Vegetable Soup Instant Pot Recipe

What is Tuscan Soup?

Tuscan soup is commonly known as Zuppa Toscana, which simply means “Soup in the style of Tuscany“. The Tuscan soup is cooked mainly with seasonal vegetables including greens, potatoes, canellini beans and powdered chili along with Italian Bacon in it. It is served on Toasted Italian Bread and splashed with little olive oil on the top.

American version includes sausages, bacon, heavy cream plus all the vegetables and beans.

My version is completely VEGAN and GLUTENFREE. It has no meat and no dairy. OLIVE GARDEN is famous for its Zuppa Toscana and now you can make a vegetarian version of famous soup at home.

Some other soups that I rotate on regular basis are

Home Style Minestrone Soup

Tom Yum with Tofu

Vegetarian Pho

Restaurant Style Tomato Soup

Creamy Pumpkin Bisque

Few other Instant Pot Recipes from my blog are – Instant Pot Punjabi Kadhi, Instant Pot Pav Bhaji, Instant Pot Saag Aloo, Instant Pot Matar Pulao.

This is how you make Tuscan Vegetable Soup in Instant Pot

Tuscan Vegetable Soup Instant Pot Recipe

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: 4

Author: simplyvegetarian777

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic chopped fine
1 Medium Onion, red or white cut into chunky pieces
2 Large Tomatoes cut into chunky pieces
4 Sticks Celery cut into chunky pieces
1 Medium Zucchini cut into chunky pieces
1 Large Carrot cut into chunky pieces
1 Cup Spinach
1 Can Cannelini Beans drained
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Tsp Rosemary, dry
To Taste Salt and Black Pepper
5 Cups Water
1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper or Fancy Paprika this is optional but elevates the taste to another level.

Instructions

Actual time to make this soup is 10 minutes. I have written 20 minutes cooking time, keeping in mind that instant pot takes extra 7-8 minutes to warm up before it starts the actual cooking.
Place the inner pot and Plugin the Instant pot.

SAUTE MODE

Set the instant pot to Saute mode on MORE. When it displays HOT, add olive oil to it. After 30 seconds, add onions and garlic to the hot oil. Saute for 2 minutes till onions become soft. Now add celery and carrots to the pot. Cook for 1 minute and then add cannellini beans + all the remaining vegetables + tomato paste + seasonings + herbs to the pot. Give it a good stir. Add 5 cups of water. Stir again. Place the lid and Switch off the saute mode.

SOUP / BROTH MODE

Place the floating vent to CLOSE. Set the SOUP / BROTH MODE to NORMAL for 6 minutes.
After the cooking is done and you hear the beep. There are 2 things you can do- 1). Release the pressure immediately and serve the soup while warm. IT is fully cooked and does not need Natural Pressure Release for further cooking. OR 2). if you are making it in the morning and coming back in the evening for a hearty soup, then, do not worry about releasing the pressure. Little over cooking will make vegetables slightly soft that's it but will still taste awesome.

SERVING

Once you open the instant pot, serve it hot in a soup bowl with some toasted bread on the side. Or you may add some boiled pasta to it. Keep it VEGAN or add some Parmesan cheese to make it vegetarian.

I am sure you will be making the Vegetarian / Vegan version of Zuppa Toscana and have a hearty meal at home. Add some pasta in it or a slice bread of on the side and make it a complete meal.

Tuscan Vegetable Soup Instant Pot Recipe

You can order the following from AMAZON for no extra charge. This will compensate for my blog to keep running.

Instant Pot is surely a great gadget to acquire. If you are planning to get one, here get this⇓

<br />

Can’t make it now? PIN IT FOR LATER!

Tuscan Vegetable Soup Instant Pot Recipe

In my kitchen, you will always EAT HAPPY & STAY HAPPY!

Sonal

Chocolate Pudding No Cook No Bake 4 Ingredients Recipe

February 19, 2018 by simplyvegetarian777 33 Comments

Chocolate Pudding No Cook No Bake 4 Ingredients Recipe is Easy, Efficient and Oh-So Delicious. It is totally Effortless Recipe that is perfect for your Breakfast as well as Dessert. It is Nutritious and Filling and so Tasty that even your kids will love it.

Chocolate Pudding No Cook No Bake 4 Ingredients Recipe

Anybody struggling with Weight Issues and Weather related Depression? That adds to the stress, doesn’t it? I am right there struggling with both lately. The weather is always Grey and Dark with snow and rains taking turns. Hey, but I can’t keep feeling like that and complain. I need to be proactive in taking care of my Mental and Physical Health both.

In order to achieve Good Balance, here are the steps that I have taken-

Added more steps per day to my schedule. Trying to hit 50K steps a week to begin with and have created a support group of like-minded people where we all log in our steps on Sunday Night. I did invest in a FIT-BIT and believe me that it is the best thing I have ever bought. Actually, my husband gifted it to me since he knew I wanted it. Thanks Amit. Instead of buying another expensive dress or eating out at an expensive restaurant, invest a little in your health and buy a Health Tracking Gadget that can help you keep up with walk and exercising.
Eating carefully is my next step. I cannot go on fad diets. That is just not me. I still eat everything and indulge here and there but I have started making better choices in the ingredients that I use. Like this CHOCOLATE PUDDING, where I have incorporated CHIA SEEDS. Also, I stop eating before I feel bloated and stuffed. I have started listening to my stomach.

More Movement and Better Eating is the Key for me towards Achieving a GOOD BALANCED HEALTHY LIFE STYLE. I would love to hear from you how you keep up to bring YIN and YANG in your life.

This Chocolate Pudding will get you Hooked and Happy!

Few Facts About Chocolate Pudding No Cook No Bake 4 Ingredients Recipe

This pudding is a NO COOK and NO BAKE Recipe. No Heating or Boiling is required.
Pudding is perfect as a Nourishing BREAKFAST or a Guilt-free DESSERT.
It can be made VEGAN by using a Plant Based Milk replacing regular Milk.
This Pudding is Naturally Gluten-free.
Chocolate Pudding is made with Chia Seeds as the binding agent. Chia seeds release Jelly-Like substance when soaked in Liquid. It is very Healthy.

Chocolate Pudding No Cook No Bake 4 Ingredients Recipe

Some Benefits of Chia Seeds in Chocolate Pudding No Cook No Bake 4 Ingredients Recipe

Since it is no cook and no bake recipe, it is very handy and can be easily incorporated in your menu plan.
Since we are using Chia Seeds in the pudding, let us have a good loo at the benefits of it. These are a good source of protein and supports bone health. When Chia seeds are included in breakfast, they give you good amount of energy. They are packed with anti-oxidants. Keeps you full for longer. Chia seeds promote HEART HEALTH and are low in Calories. These are a good source of Healthy Carbs and can help combat TYPE 2 DIABETES.
Include Chia seeds in your Menu Planning and set a goal for a Healthier Life-Style.

This is how you make the RECIPE.

Some more Puddings from my Blog are – Fruity Custard Pudding, Mango Custard Caramel Pudding, Vanilla & Chocolate Pudding, Mocha Express Pudding, Easy Trifle Recipe, and many more.

No Cooke No Bake Chocolate Pudding 4 Ingredients Recipe is the perfect recipe for your breakfast or eat it for your DESSERT. Easy & Efficient Recipe which is loved by even kids. Almost like Overnight Oats but GLUTENFREE. Learn how to make the recipe from the post. #overnightoats #nobakedessert #nocookrecipe #easybreakfast #breakfast #easydessert #glutenfreedessert #glutenfreerecipes #fewingredientsrecipes #chiaseeds

Chocolate Pudding No Cook No Bake 4 Ingredients Recipe

Prep Time

4 hrs

Total Time

4 hrs

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Author: simplyvegetarian777

Ingredients

2 cups Milk To make it VEGAN, use Almond milk or Coconut milk
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder or Cacao Powder
1/2 cup Chia Seeds
1/2 cup Sugar or to taste. For healthier options, you may use Agave syrup, maple syrup, coconut syrup or sweetener of your choice

Instructions

Take a Large Bowl and add all the ingredients together. Use a wire whisk and whisk it till cocoa powder is blended well with milk and sugar or syrup is dissolved.
Cover the bowl and set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours for setting. If you want it as a breakfast, do it the night before you go to bed and set in the refrigerator for the next morning.
Chia seeds will create jelly like texture with milk. When you are ready to eat you can do 2 things - 1. Either eat it as is or 2. Blend in a high speed blender so that chia seeds are blended well with milk. It is a personal choice and you may choose whichever way.

Serving Suggestion

Pour Chocolate Pudding in 4 breakfast bowls or dessert bowls. Add the toppings of your choice.
The 3 Topping Choices that my family prefers is - Muesli or Granola , Mini Marshmallows & Choco Chips, Small Cut Fresh fruits like apple, banana, pears, peaches, etc. You can customize each bowl to your own choice and enjoy.

NOTES

To make it VEGAN - Use Almond milk or soy milk or coconut milk or any plant based milk of your choice and follow the instructions.
Chia seeds are crunchy in texture. You can serve the pudding as is or blend the chia seeds in milk in a high speed blender for a smoother texture.
You may use vanilla essence or 1 tsp of Instant coffee powder to enhance the flavors.

I am sure that you are going to give this recipe a try since it is oh-o easy and can be made without any pains. A perfect nourishing breakfast or can be a guilt free dessert. It is gluten free as well. The best part is that you can make it Vegan as well. Yayy for that!

Chocolate Pudding No Cook No Bake 4 Ingredients Recipe

The ingredients that you can order from amazon to make this Recipe.

It will not cost you anything extra, but will keep the blog running.

Coco Powder

Chia Seeds

Sugar

or Agave Syrup or Maple Syrup or Sweetener

Blender

Dessert Bowls

<br />

Can’t make it Now? PIN IT FOR LATER!

Chocolate Pudding No Cook No Bake 4 Ingredients Recipe

You will always EAT HAPPY & STAY HAPPY in my Kitchen.

Sonal

Penne in Red Wine Garlic Thyme Mushroom Sauce

November 6, 2017 by simplyvegetarian777 Leave a Comment

Penne in Red Wine Garlic Thyme Mushroom Sauce

For the month of November, I will be running a lot of side dishes to go on your Thanksgiving Dinner Table. Red Wine Garlic Thyme Mushroom Sauce is the ultimate recipe that would be raved about and much loved by all the MUSHROOM LOVING GUESTS. Toss it with some PENNE and you have an amazing hearty meal for your vegetarian guests.

Believe me, it is not early to plan for your Thanksgiving Menu, especially if you have the guests who have different food preferences. You want to make sure that if you are hosting, there is something for everybody on the table, so they do not go hungry. It is about being joyful together, after all. Food brings happy faces and happy memories from the time spent well.

I promise that this mushroom sauce is so gorgeous to look at and then to savor that your mushroom loving guests will be pouring it on everything on their plate. It can’t get better with all that garnish of dried cranberries, pine nuts and parmesan cheese to make it more festive and fit for Thanksgiving feast.

I have seen only 2 kinds of people when it comes to mushrooms – People who Love Mushroom and then the people who absolutely not like the mushroom. I fall in the category who loves everything about the mushrooms – the earthy texture, the rustic taste, its availability to absorb the flavors and the ease of cooking it with another love of y life – red wine.

Thomas Carlyle famously mentioned ⇓

Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom!

And then there is another famous saying⇓

I enjoy cooking with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food…..

And then there is me who combined the 2 and said

Let me brew the beautiful art of nature “the mushroom” in wine and cook along the lines…..

Penne in Red Wine Garlic Thyme Mushroom Sauce

Mushroom Cleaning is a task. Find a helpful article about how to clean the mushrooms ⇒HERE!

This is such an easy and quick recipe that you can plan it for any weekday or you can make it just for 2 of you as a romantic date night meal. The best part is you can puree it and make a soup or gravy for your garlicky creamy mashed potatoes .

Some other Mushroom Recipes from my blog are – Mushroom Skewers, Burnt Garlic Mushrooms , Mushroom Matar Makhani , and many more.

Here is how to make Penne in Red Wine Garlic Thyme Mushroom Sauce !

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Penne in Red Wine Garlic Thyme Mushroom Sauce

Author: Sonal Gupta @ simplyvegetarian777

Recipe type: Side

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 4

An amazing side for your Thanksgiving Table, made with mushrooms and red wine.

Ingredients

Button Mushrooms - 12 oz / 350 grms
Garlic - 4 Large cloves,chopped fine
Onion, red - 1 small, chopped into thin slices
Red Wine - 1 cup. I used my leftover Souvignon

Oil & Spices

Butter - 2 tbsp
Salt & Black Pepper to taste
Thyme - ½ tsp dried, or 2 tsp fresh
Red chili flakes - 1 fat pinch, optional

Garnish

Dry sweet Cranberries - 1 tbsp
Pine nuts - 1 tbsp
Parmesan cheese, shredded - as desired
Some Baby Greens like spinach and arugula to add more texture to the dish, if desired.

Penne Pasta or Pasta of your choice - boiled al dante for 4 people

Instructions

Heat Butter in a heavy bottom pan on medium heat. Do not burn or brown the butter.
Add garlic and red onions. Saute on medium flame for about 1 minute, till onions become soft.
Now add mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute for good 4-5 minutes on medium flame, till mushrooms are done.
Add a cup of red wine and let it simmer on slow till most of the wine is absorbed, for about 4-5 minutes.
Your gorgeous looking and delicious Mushroom Sauce is ready. If you like it spicy, then sprinkle a fat pinch of red chili flakes and stir.

Mushroom Sauce Pairing

Plate the Boiled Penne in a pasta dish. Layer some greens on it. Top with Mushroom Sauce.
Garnish with sweet dried cranberries, pine nuts and parmesan cheese.

Other uses

This is an amazing sauce to pour over any of your protein.. or mashed potatoes.
Or just blend it and make a thick sauce or soup.

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I hope that you do try this recipe and share it with your mushroom loving friends.

Penne in Red Wine Garlic Thyme Mushroom Sauce

Have I told you that lately I am enjoying cooking in ceramic coated pans? These pans are so convenient to cook and maintain and are easily available in any store or can be ordered online. The stirring and sauteing has never been so easy. Food literally dances in the pan.

The ingredients required to make this Penne in Mushroom Sauce can be ordered with Amazon, as mentioned below.

Can’t make it now? PIN Penne in Red Wine Garlic Thyme Mushroom Sauce FOR LATER!!

Penne in Red Wine Garlic Thyme Mushroom Sauce

If you do try this recipe over next few weeks, then please send me the feedback. I would love to hear back from you.

In my kitchen, you will always EAT HAPPY & STAY HAPPY!

Sonal

Eggless & Moist Triple Chocolate Cake – Super Easy One Bowl Recipe

November 1, 2017 by simplyvegetarian777 6 Comments

Eggless Triple Chocolate Cake {One Bowl Recipe}

As if the chocolate cake wasn’t enough, and here I am with not double but TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE, for you. DO you want to know, what is extra special about this cake, besides being the TRIPLE ……, it is eggless and the recipe is done in JUST ONE BOWL.

Now no more multiple bowls, no more separate processing of the ingredients and no more extra work what so ever. Just gather your ingredients, empty them in one large bowl, whip them together, pour in a baking tin and JUST BAKE!

It is my dad’s birthday on November 2nd and what better day than today to post this recipe and share the joy. I have more of my dad’d traits and mom’s art in me. As a child, I always idolized him. He is a wise man and I always look upto him when I need guidance as he doesn’t get influenced or biased easily. So, here is to you dad – A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Eggless Triple Chocolate Cake {One Bowl Recipe}

I love such recipes, don’t you? These kind of recipes are so easy that even your kids can bake it on their own, without leaving a sink full of whole lot of bowls and utensils. If you are thinking of including your kids into baking, start with these recipes that are easy to follow, handful of easily available ingredients and do not require “acquired” skill set.

This recipe is such a NO BRAINER RECIPE! And you will agree with me once you read it. Some other Eggless Cakes from my blog are – Eggless Marble Cake, Eggless Vanillla Cake and more.

IMPORTANT TIP – I always use 1/4 cup of Thick Yogurt or Greek Yogurt to substitute 1 Egg in any Cake Recipe and this has never disappointed me. So, if you want to use the eggs instead then just reverse the proportions.

If you are wondering how is this cake Triple Chocolate, then it has – Coco Powder for baking, Semi sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips in it. When baked, it tastes almost like a GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE.

Here is how you make Triple Chocolate Cake, that is eggless, super moist and a one bowl recipe.

To convert the cup measurements into grams, refer ——> HERE. Please be aware that the weight of sugar measures differently from butter so 1 cup sugar can not be equal to 1 cup of butter in grams.

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Eggless & Moist Triple Chocolate Cake - Super Easy One Bowl Recipe

Author: Sonal Gupta @ simplyvegetarian777

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 1 Large Loaf

A delicious super moist and easy Triple Chocolate Cake made in just one bowl easily.

Ingredients

Have used American Measuring Cups.

Dry Ingredients

Sugar - 1&1/2 cups. Use regular sugar not powdered.
All purpose Flour - 2 cups
Cocoa powder - ¾ cup
Salt - ½ tsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Baking powder - 2 tsp

Chocolate Chips

Semi sweet chocolate chips - ¾ cup
White chocolate chips - ¾ cup

Wet Ingredients

Milk - 1 cup, room temperature
Greek Yogurt or thick yogurt - ½ cup, at room temperature
Cooking Oil - ½ cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 350*F or 180*C. Line the baking cake loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Take a large bowl. Add all the dry ingredients and sugar to the bow and mix well.
Now add all the wet ingredients to the bowl. Take the electric beater and blend it till smooth, for about 2 minutes.
Add semi sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips to the cake batter and mix gently with a fork or spatula. Save some chocolate chips aside to top the cake.
Pour the batter in prepared cake pan. Bake it for 50-60 minutes, till the tooth pick comes out clean. Few cracks on the top are normal. Start checking your cake at 45 minutes. Every oven is different, hence the timing will differ.
Take it out of the oven and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on the top. Put it back inside the oven, for about 1 minute till these chocolate chips melt a little bit.
Take the cake our of the oven finally and let sit for 5-7 minutes in the pan. Then take it out carefully by holding onto the parchment paper and set it on a cooling rack and let cool down for 10 minutes before you slice it. This is a delicate cake so slice slowly in long one stroke cuts.
Serve it warm with some sugar glaze or chocolate sauce and fresh fruits.

Storage

Make sure it is completely cooled before you store it.
It will store well at room temperature for 2-3 days in air tight container. Or you can refrigerate it for 1 week in an air tight container.

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This cake is perfect to share with your neighbors and take as a hostess gift for the host of your weekend party. Or just bake it for the family over the weekend for TEA TIME or COFFEE TIME Treat. A cup of warm beverage and a slice of this super moist, almost falling apart, cake and you are set for the evevning.

Eggless Triple Chocolate Cake {One Bowl Recipe}

If you are looking to buy a good bakeware, then I would totally recommend Calphalon Bakeware. It is durable and so easy to maintain. Get it for yourself or as a gift since Festival Season is around the corner.

Another regular kitchen small appliance that I always have while baking is my ELECTRIC BEATER. A simple cheap one goes the long way too. Mine is atleast 20 plus years old that I bought for $2.00 from a thrift store. YES CALL ME CHEAP but hey it is my hard earned money and I take good care of it. I do not buy fancy or advise buying fancy unless I see a good use for it.

You may order following ingredients and utensils from amazon as mentioned below. It won’t cost you extra but help me earn a small commission to run the blog.

Festive Cake Pans

Measuring cups

Kitchen Weighing scale

Parchment paper

Large Bowl

Eggless Triple Chocolate Cake {One Bowl Recipe}

I am sure that you are going to bake this Super Easy and Super Moist Eggless Triple Chocolate Cake. If you do, then do not forget to share the feedback.

In my kitchen, you will always EAT HAPPY & STAY HAPPY!

Sonal

Rice Crispie Monsters – Glutenfree Halloween Treats

October 27, 2017 by simplyvegetarian777 6 Comments

Rice Crispie Monsters – Glutenfree Halloween Treats

Do you see these ⇑Rice Crispie Monsters ? Give me an honest feedback now. What do you think about these guys? Are they creepy enough or kinda cute? I wanted these to look creepy but I guess these are somewhere in between creepy and cute, that is cute enough not to scare the little ones and creepy enough to keep the Halloween spirit alive.

I thought of making this Halloween little better by including some home made glutenfree Halloween treats. The bonus is that my basic recipe of RICE CRISPIES is Vegan as well, made with Vegan Marshamallows and Rice crispies cereal that are glutenfree.

These Rice crispies are so so so easy to make that you will actually never buy the rice crispies from the market again. To top that these are vegan and glutenfree. There are no allergens and I have used natural food dyes /colors.

Dandies is a Vegan Marshmallow brand that is easily available at Whole Foods.

I used Color Garden’s Natural Food Colors that are 100% Plant Based. Isn’t that wonderful? It is an investment but totally worth it. The best part is that these colors have no bitter or after taste.

I used Nestle’s White chocolate chips as a base to make orange sauce and this color blended so well without over powering either in color or taste. I am so convinced with these brands. [It is not a sponsored post by either brand, but solely my review and opinion].

Rice Crispie Monsters – Glutenfree Halloween Treats

These Rice Crispie Monsters are super cool. My little M’s Neighborhood friends at the bus stop simply loved it. I actually asked them for the honest opinion and it was 2 thumbs up from everybody. The kids said that these are the best kind of Rice Crispies they have ever tasted.

This recipe can make 2 kinds of Monsters – Round Ball shaped and Squares. I am going to pen down both the methods below. Pick and choose any or make both.

The whole process has 5 steps –

Melting the Marshmallows on low heat.
Adding Rice Crispies to the Melted marshmallows and then shaping or setting the monsters.
Making Orange Chocolate Sauce and Dipping or spreading it on the monsters.
Placing the Candy eyes and color as required.
Packaging if used as a return gift for the kids’ party.

Few other Halloween Recipes to check are – Halloween Chocolate Bark and Halloween Orange Sherbet Punch by Ruchi’s kitchen. Or you can make my Eggless Chocolate Brownies and decorate them like monsters as per instructions given below for Square Head Monsters.

Here is how to make these Rice Crispie Monsters.

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Rice Crispie Monsters - Glutenfree Halloween Treats

Author: Sonal Gupta @ simplyvegetarian777

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 25 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 25-30

Easy and Quick Halloween Treat made with Rice Crispies and Vegan Marshmallows.

Ingredients

Butter - 3 tbsp
Vegan Marshmallows - 10 ounce / 283 grms bag (Dandies all natural Vanilla Marshmallows)
Rice Crispies Cereal - 4 cups
Candy eyes - 1 packet (easily available in the baking aisle of any store)
Small popsicle sticks or small bamboo skewers with sharp tips removed or plastic candy sticks - 25-30

Orange Sauce

White Chocolate Chips - 1 cup
Milk - 1 tsp
Orange Color (organic & natural) - 6 to 8 drops, depending upon how deep color you want

Instructions

Line a small rectangular baking sheet or any plate with parchment paper. Set Aside.

Melting the Butter & Marshmallows

Take a deep or large non stick or ceramic base pan. Add butter to the pan and melt it on the low heat, making sure that it doesn't brown or burn.
Add Marshmallows to the melted butter and stir till marshmallows melt in the pan. Conduct the whole process on medium low heat. We don't want to burn these marshmallows.
Switch off the heat and Take the pan off the cooking range/gas stove.

Adding Rice Crispies and Shaping the Monsters

Now add 4 cups of Rice Crispie Cereal to the marshmallow cream. Mix it well with a wooden spatula.
Now if you want to make Round Head Monsters, then grease your hand and divide the whole thing into 25-30 portions. Roll these tight into balls. Insert a candy stick on one side. Place them head side down to cool on a baking sheet or a plate lined with parchment paper.
Now if you plan to make the Square Head Monsters which is the easier way to get these done in no time, then take the whole marshmallow rice crispie thing and spread it out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your hands or a heavy spatula to spread it out into a 1&1/2 inches thick layer. How I did was - I covered the rice crispies mess with another parchment paper and rolled it out with a rolling pin. Let it set till it cools down.

Making Orange Sauce and Dipping / Spreading it on the Monsters.

Take a microwave safe bowl and heat 1 cup white chocolate chips + 1 tsp milk for 30 seconds. Take it out and stir it well with a fork till the sauce is smooth. If you are making Round Head Monsters then use a small deep bowl so that dipping is easy. If you plan to make Square Heads, then any kind of bowl is good.

Making Round Head Monsters

Pick one monster at a time from its stick and dip it till half way, head side down, in the orange chocolate sauce. Take 5-6 heavy cups and put these round head monsters in these cups, head side up. These will drip so make sure that your working counter is layered with old newspapers etc, so the clean up is easy later on. Place a set of Eye Candies on these monsters. Let them set till chocolate Orange sauce hardens up. Take 2 drops of orange food color in a small bowl. Use a party pick, dip its tip in the color and draw mouth & other characteristics, as desired.

Making Square Head Monsters

Take this Orange Chocolate Sauce and spread it evenly, over the flat rice crispie bark. Divide the whole thing into imaginary 2 inches squares and place a set of candy eyes on hot chocolate spread in each imaginary square. Let it cool down.
Once the chocolate is cooled, take a sharp knife and cut the Rice Crispies into 2 inches squares.
Place them on the candy sticks.
Take 2 drops of orange food color in a small bowl. Use a party pick and dip its tip in the color. Draw mouth and other characteristics as desired.
The Square Head Monsters are ready.

Packaging & Storing

Make sure that these monsters are well set and cooled before you package and store.
Get a bag of 40 small plastic goody bags from Dollar Store or the store of your choice. Package each Monster in 1 single bag. Tie it at the neck of the monster with a string.
These will store well for 2-3 days but not more than that.
Enjoy making these Rice Crispie Monsters this Halloween.

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This is a great recipe when you are hosting a kids’ Halloween party at home or at invited at one. It is done under 30 minutes with very few ingredients that are easily available. I hope you try it.

Rice Crispie Monsters – Glutenfree Halloween Treats

Some products you might consider ordering from amazon to make these delights are –

Ceramic Pan

Color Garden Food Color – 100% Plant Based

White chocolate chips

Dandies Marshmallows

Rice Crispie Cereal

Candy Sticks

Halloween Decorating Kit for Kids

Pumpkin Carving set

Pumpkin decorating set

Can’t make these now? PIN THESE RICE CRISPIE MONSTERS FOR LATER!!

Rice Crispie Monsters – Glutenfree Halloween Treats

I hope you make these super simple, spooky and deliciously amazing Rice Crispie Monsters this Halloween. And if you do, please send me the feedback.

In my Kitchen, you will always EAT HAPPY & STAY HAPPY!

Sonal

Turmeric Ginger Vegan Pumpkin Soup

October 25, 2017 by simplyvegetarian777 4 Comments

Turmeric Ginger Vegan Pumpkin Soup

Do you remember my Pumpkin Bisque that I had posted last year, around the same time? It was so well received that I got so many requests to come up with a Vegan and equally Hearty Version of the creamy one. This Turmeric Ginger Vegan Pumpkin Soup is that version of the creamy one. It is not only Vegan, but also gluten free and enriched with the goodness of Ginger and Turmeric.

Truth to be told, the only pumpkin recipe that I knew while growing up was this Sweet & Sour Pumpkin Curry. My mother in law makes the best kind and I learnt that from her. There was no other pumpkin recipe ever known to me.

When I moved to America, 17 years ago, I discovered this whole rush of pumpkin cool food. Fall or Autumn is “the” season of Pumpkin and I swear to GOD, every restaurant you go, there is something PUMPKIN-Y in every menu. 😀 … Good or Bad, that I don’t know but I sure do love my Pumpkin Bisque.

Turmeric Ginger Vegan Pumpkin Soup

Actually, this recipe couldn’t have come at the better time. We just wrapped up the festival of Diwali and there had been an array of rich food around the festival time including sweets and savories. After almost 1 week of Binge Eating, body starts craving for Clean Eating. WHat better than the soups at that time, right? Check out my ongoing Soup Series on Instagram for some more soup fun.

[If you don’t want to read more of my chit chat that includes some cool facts about how this soup is rich in anti oxidants and is anti inflammatory, then skip to the RECIPE directly.]

Some other Pumpkin Recipes to share the Pumpkin season are – Pumpkin Bisque , No Bake Coconut Pumpkin Pie from Ruchi’s Kitchen and Pumpkin Fudge by Let’s Eat Healthy Tonight .

This is how you make it!

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Turmeric Ginger Vegan Pumpkin Soup

Author: Sonal Gupta @ simplyvegetarian777

Recipe type: Soups

Cuisine: American Fusion

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 6-8

Turmeric Ginger Vegan Pumpkin Soup is the perfect soup for the season of Fall. It is not only easy and delicious, it is nutritious as well.

Ingredients

Pumpkin - 3 cups, peeled and chopped fine. I used small Pie Pumpkin. Use any kind or use pureed canned pumpkin.
Onion, red - small, chopped fine
Ginger - 1 medium piece about 1 tbsp, chopped fine
Coconut Milk, Light - 1 can of 400 ml / 13.5 fl oz. You may use full fat coconut milk too.
Water - 2 to 3 cups

Oil & Spices

Olive Oil - ½ tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - ½ tsp
Paprika or Red chili powder - ¼ tsp or to taste
Salt - ¾ tsp or to taste
Brown Sugar or Regular Sugar or sweetener of your choice - ½ tbsp or to taste

Garnish

Coriander / Cilantro leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped
Some Almond flakes for crunch or use pepita or roasted pumpkin seeds

Instructions

Heat oil in a sauce pan. Add onion and ginger to the pan. Saute for 45 seconds till onion softens.
Add Pumpkin pieces, coconut milk, turmeric powder, cumin powder, paprika / red chili powder, salt and sugar. Give it a good stir.
Add 2 cups of water. Stir again. Bring the contents to a boil.
Lower the heat, cover with lid and cook for about 12-15 minutes till pumpkin softens.
Take it off the heat. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
Now transfer the pumpkin stew to the blender and add 1 cup of cold water to it. Blend till pumpkin purees smooth.
Transfer it back to the sauce pan. Bring it to a boil. Let cook for 2 minutes.
Serve it hot, garnished with some coriander / cilantro leaves + some almond flakes.
It is mmm mmmm good.

Storage

Bring it to the room temperature and then store in air tight container in refrigerator.

Notes

If you are using canned pumpkin puree, then add the puree with coconut milk and water to the softened onions and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and cook further for 5 minutes, before pureeing in the blender. Rest steps remain the same.
You may make this soup in pressure cooker or crock pot as well.

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This is one of the easiest soups that is easy and delicious with great health benefits. You can have it as a perfect light lunch and pair it with pita or naan or even toasted sourdough slice. Make a huge batch and store in refrigerator. Warm and Eat or Slurrp when hungry.

Turmeric Ginger Vegan Pumpkin Soup

Ask me, how is this soup good in nutrition? Well the use of Ginger and Turmeric elevates the “richness” of this soup, especially for the Fall. Autumn brings lots of seasonal allergies with it and ginger and turmeric are from the spice family that have tonnes of medicinal properties to combat the allergies and boost your immunity.

Ginger heals the gut, fights pain and discomfort, Lowers the risk of diabetes, Boosts immunity and when consumed regularly, it helps in the prevention of stroke and heart diseases. Turmeric is naturally anti-inflammatory, increases the anti-oxidant properties of the body, improves brain health, supports heart health and much more.

So you see, how this Vegan Pumpkin soup Recipe is a keeper! Bookmark it or Share it with friends and family !

The best thing about this recipe is that you can totally adapt it as per your personal taste. Lower the ginger and turmeric if you want to, skip the red chili powder or add rosemary and thyme. Make it to match your needs and be a happy SOUP-ER!

This is all you need for the recipe that you can order from amazon. It will not cost you anything extra but will earn me a small commission to keep the blog running.

Sauce pan

Stirring Spoon

Blender

Good Knife to cut the Pumpkin

Can’t make it now? PIN Turmeric Ginger Vegan Pumpkin Soup FOR LATER!!

Turmeric Ginger Vegan Pumpkin Soup

I hope you make this vegan soup for sure this PUMPKIN SEASON.

In my kitchen, you will always EAT HAPPY & STAY HAPPY!

Sonal

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Penne in Red Wine Garlic Thyme Mushroom Sauce

Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom!

I enjoy cooking with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food…..

Let me brew the beautiful art of nature “the mushroom” in wine and cook along the lines…..

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Turmeric Ginger Vegan Pumpkin Soup

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