Uncategorized

Cauliflower Rice Balls/Arancini – Indian inspired

February 28, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Make the most of leftover rice and transform into a delicious dish. This easy, healthy Italian inspired recipe for Cauliflower rice balls/Arancini (Rice Balls) mixed with cheese, potatoes, cauliflower is a meal in one.

I wanted a perfect ending. I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, leaning into change, taking the moment and making the best of it without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity.
– Gilda Radner

I didn’t grown knowing Italian cuisine. When I first moved to San Francisco, my food and content was tailored to how my “former life” was, living with parents and family who loved and created the most amazing Indian dishes. Slowly, the Italian, American shows graced my regular television. Adding cheese to the unexpected, creating something new and changing direction can be daunting, but it’s also the best. While keeping my roots intact….

Loaded Vegetable Skillet Enchilada

February 18, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Amazing vegetarian enchiladas stuffed with black beans, squash, corn and topped with red sauce and cheese. My favorite vegetable enchilada recipe and it’s my shortcut method that is a winner of a meal.

I’ve been on a roasted vegetable kick lately. I’ve made a omelettes, it goes in my burgers and now these enchiladas. For this recipe, I used yellow squash, corn and garlic. I also mixed in black beans for protein and jalapeño, cilantro, and spices for flavor. I am forever looking for short cut methods and veggie options for weeknight dinners that can satisfy my carnivore loving little bear. This fits the bill. Also a double whammy, because it comes together in no time….

Churro French Toast Sandwich

February 12, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

In my opinion these are the next best thing to Churros . These Churro french Toast Sandwiches are easy for anyone to make and is impressive. They’re crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside and they have a flavor no one can resist!

Who doesn’t love churros? Everyone loves them. From scratch, even better.

The next best thing are these French Toast Churros sandwiches that I stuffed with Hazelnut spread and Peanut butter-jelly.

A few days ago, my little one asked me what I wanted for valentines and I said, “nothing much my dear.” But, chocolate would be good. Then he goes on to ask, “do you have a recipe on your blog that is simple one, so I can make it for you…”? Which was too sweet of him. He wanted to make churros for me(partly because he was craving it:)….

Basic Eggless Waffles

February 8, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

These Basic Eggless Waffles are easy to make, with simple ingredients you likely have on hand! They’re perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They taste like the real thing!

We make waffles almost every week. Every kind of waffles you can think of. At any given moment, you will find frozen waffles in my freezer. So, it wasn’t a surprise to anyone when we named our rescue pup Waffles:).

You can find fancy party Waffles to fun colorful Belgian Waffles, to savory Waffles on the blog.

I can’t believe I haven’t shared this Eggless Waffles recipe with you before!! One of the most requested on instagram. These waffles are a staple around our house. I make them so often that I can almost do it with my eyes closed….

OPA SQUASH DUMPLINGS IN SPICY CURRY-Kofta Curry

February 6, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Vegetable Kofta Curry is a very popular dish in India. This is my easy take on a classic which comes together in one pot. This opa squash and chickpea dumplings is simmered in a smooth sauce to make a delicious and delectable curry. Weeknight meal made easier.

Weeknight meals can be interesting, but not the most appealing looking at times. But, it was real. More often than not, the meals we get to share with family and friends do not take on the convivial, alluring nature we see promoted across blogs and boutique media. It’s easy to set a beautifully-styled farm table and encourage meaningful, open-hearted dialogue and then CONVENIENTLY disregard that meaningful, open-hearted dialogue is, by nature of our human-ness, a mess most of the time. The mess doesn’t sell.

It happens in a rush. Everyone’s got lots to do and you feel the need for extra couple of hours in a day….then comes the spicy yummy meal craving. One pot meals at his time does come in handy.

Here’s one I absolutely love….

Green Peas and Papad Curry – Appalam Pattani Kurma

October 14, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

An easy and simple Indian style green peas curry with papad. This spicy Dry Green Peas Curry is made with sprouted dry green peas (a staple in Indian kitchens), onion, tomatoes, spices and papad. A vegan, soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free recipe.

This is a month of celebration. Celebration of a woman. Goodess Durga in all her forms.

Entire India will celebrate Navaratri and Durga Pooja. Celebrating the victory of good over evil.

Everyone celebrates festivals for different reasons.

And when people do draw a boundary between spirituality and religiosity, they are often making a political or moral statement rather than describing what they believe.

To me, festivals have a deeper meaning….

3 days in London- Food and Places to visit

October 12, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

London is one of the world’s largest and most exciting cities, offering visitors thousands of things to do, including museums, royal palaces, beautiful parks, historical sites, and world-class theater. With all these options, planning a trip to London can be a bit overwhelming, especially for first time visitors. Here’s a 3 days in London itinerary that will help you see the city’s highlights if you have at least 3 days in London.

Bustling, busy and ever humming with the constant buzz of city life, London is a city which is ever changing and always worth a visit. Here’s your ultimate guide and complete itinerary for spending three days in London. I love London for its newness and oldness squashed together, the tall glass buildings surrounded by old cathedrals and tiny Victorian houses next to towering council blocks. I love Christmas in London when the markets and pubs are full, the lights go up, the church bells sing and a centimetre of sleet can bring the transport system to a standstill. I love the summer time when everyone flocks to the parks and you can sit on the Southbank with a beer, gazing across the Thames. Right now especially, I love autumn in London, the frosty dark mornings and fireworks in the park….

Dhaba Style Egg Omelette Tomato Curry

September 29, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

These mildly spiced eggs cooked in butter were rolled, cut, and simmered in a tangy garlicky tomato curry. They are fluffy and soak in the juices quite efficiently. This dhaba style egg curry is a perfect quick “lazy” meal for cold evenings. The curry goes absolutely great with rotis, chapathis, and parathas.

We’ve had an adventurous few weeks. Yes, we did travel quite a bit, but it is the adventure we had with my camera I’m referring to.

A few days before leaving on a trip to London and Oslo, my camera stopped working. The card reader was messed up. I was sick at that time. When I finally had some energy, I decided to take it to my local camera repair guy (which had a one-star rating) only because I did not want to drive an hour up to the city to get it fixed. We were somewhat relieved because the local guy told me he can try and give it before we leave on our trip, which was in five days….

Tiramisu Bailey’s Ice Cream Sandwich

July 31, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

A spin on the classic tiramisu, this ice-cream sandwich is a delight. Coffee shortbread cookies with Bailey’s mascarpone ice cream are perfect for anyone who loves tiramisu. This tiramisu ice cream sandwich is a must make.

Wrapping July up with this delicious combo. July was also #nationalicecream month, and here in San Francisco, summer means bundling up in jackets and woollies the moment the sun goes down or the fog rolls in. Nevertheless, we are always ready to be lined up at an artisanal ice cream place. If a sunny Sunday should occur, supreme patience is required for your favorite scoop at your favorite spot….

Spicy Corn Cashew Chickpea Sabzi/Stir Fry

July 24, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

This is an easy summer dish that goes great with rotis, quesadilas, rolls, sandwiches, and more. This corn cashew chickpea sabzi/stir fry is best made with fresh corn and one of the easiest sides on a warm day.

While this could’ve been a very bittersweet summer, it turned out to be buoyant. We (or maybe it was just me 😉 ) wanted our boy who just graduated to take a gap year, and he came to a happy medium and decided to take a semester off, YAY to that!! So, I have another few months until he flies off to the other end of the country to follow his dreams….