Breakfast

Udupi Avvalaki/Aval Upma/Spiced Masala Poha

January 18, 2022 By Asha Shivakumar

Udupi Aval Upma is a tea time snack also eaten during breakfast. It’s spicy, nutty and crunchy. It’s got the flavors of coconut, sesame seeds and spices along with jaggery to sweeten it up.

Last week a group of friends and I were discussing about how important it is to love ourselves, to be content and how to be self aware. It’s not something that comes easily. It requires consistent practice and over time without your knowledge, you are there, you really do love yourself. Just like this dish, it might look easy, but it has a good balance of many ingredients to all come together. It is about balance, about understanding the different aspects to coming to the final destination that you want.

The act of self love is often times misconstrued as being selfish. Coming to think of it, is it really being selfish?

If you got past that last sentence, then you have mustered every ounce of courage to finally teach yourself the essence of self-love.

In a world where we’ve been raised to put others first, self-love can often feel selfish. Setting aside time for self-love causes feelings of guilt, and we struggle to maintain a dedicated self-love practice. It’s frustrating. We know we need self-love, yet we have difficulty giving ourselves permission to experience it. Ironic, isn’t it?…

Tiramisu French Toast

January 29, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

This Tiramisu French toast is a twist to the classic treat. It’s so delicious and unbelievably easy. This Tiramisu French toast recipe is made with coffee, cocoa and liqueur soaked brioche, buttery and topped with creamy mascarpone , and cocoa powder dusted on top.

I’m a morning person. I drink my coffee, I love my sunrise runs, but, I don’t care for breakfast. And you are a morning person? you ask;-). Yup. I’m that annoying person who is stupidly cheerful first thing. I love the early morning light and the birds chirping and dewy grass and a cuppa coffee.

I wasn’t a no-breakfast person growing up. Mom had the most delicious south Indian breakfast ready for me by 8.00 a.m and I didn’t have to move a finger. It was downright comfort home cooking. Weekends were different though. Dad took out his apron and the only vintage beater we had. The one with two whips, a handle to turn the whip.. remember?…. Good quality bread was key. A classic french toast, one of my dad’s specialties. It was simple: eggs, milk, sugar and cardamom. “Whip till it froths, dip the bread for no more than ten seconds on each side”, he said. Ghee laden, crispy and the best french toast. I enjoyed it! Those mornings felt very hoity-toity, with forks and all, nothing like my usual….

Eggless South African Donuts – Eggless Donuts with Cardamom & Coconut

December 19, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

Donuts are my kyrptonite and these Eggless South African Donuts have my heart. These are slightly different from the American donuts. They are sweet, spongy and pillowy, spiced and traditionally dipped in sugar syrup. SO GOOD!

Food feeds the soul. To the extent that we all eat food, and we all have souls, food is the single great unifier across cultures. On a larger scale, food is an important part of culture. Traditional cuisine is passed down from one generation to the next. It also operates as an expression of cultural identity. Immigrants bring the food of their countries with them wherever they go and cooking traditional food is a way of preserving their culture when they move to new places.

Being in America has opened up a pandoras box of global cuisine. What stays the same though is the extent to which each country or community’s unique cuisine can reflect its unique history, lifestyle, values, and beliefs. As the world becomes more globalized, it is easier to access cuisines from different cultures….

Basic Banana Bread with Olive Oil and Maple Syrup

June 8, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Best Basic Banana Bread Recipe that uses five ingredients, is so easy to make and super soft and moist! The very best way to use up overripe bananas this bread is tender and packed full of flavor!

Banana Bread needs no introduction. It’s cake like, easy and feels decadent and makes for a great treat.

One of my favorite recipe for Banana Bread uses ricotta and is decadent. Although I like the fancy, I make this simple basic banana bread version most of the time.

To make the very basic best banana bread that comes out super moist, it is important to start out with those ugly, overripe bananas! They need to be a dark yellow with lots of browning. The riper the bananas, the more moist your bread will be and the more banana flavor it will have!…

Carribean style Shakshuka with beans and sweet fried plantains

April 25, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Shakshuka is an easy and a healthy breakfast (or any time of day) recipe which comes from Israel and other parts of the Middle East and North Africa. This Caribbean style shakshuka has fried plantains and a popular spice known in that region. Shakshuka is a simple combination of tomatoes, onions, garlic, spices and gently poached eggs. It’s nourishing, filling and one recipe I guarantee you’ll make time and again.

I had shakshuka for the first time when we were travelling and it wasn’t where it originated from. Shakshuka is a North African dish that is now made throughout the Middle East and all around the world; it is especially popular in Israel, where it is often eaten for breakfast….

Healthy Quinoa Granola

March 3, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

This really is the best healthy granola recipe! It’s quick and easy to make, naturally sweetened with (just a little) maple syrup, and so flavorful and delicious. Healthy Quinoa Granola is our new favorite.

Granola is always a huge hit in my house. My boys love stirring it into their froyos, my husband loves snacking on it at work and I love sprinkling it on top of my Greek yogurt.

I have been on a little bit of a health kick of late. I’ve completely kicked out sugar from my routine, trying more healthy stuff that is whole and natural. To be honest, I’ve always been a healthy eater. I believe in eating everything in moderation. But, if you could swap some good stuff in your regular meals and snacks, why not?! In fact I enjoy some of the whole grains more than the less nutritious counterpart….

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….

Kanchipuram Idlis with Millets / Millets Kotte Kadbu

December 8, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

Soft & Spongy loaded with spices is a healthy breakfast. This recipe of millets idli is a mix of kanchipuram idli and Kotte Kadbu, the spices come from Kanchipuram idli and the shape comes from Kotte Kadbu from Karnataka region. It makes for a great anytime meal.

Driving through Bangalore highways, passing through mountains that are brown and rocky is an experience in itself. While traffic inside the city can go at snail speed, the drivers take every opportunity to speed through the impressive four lane highway. The highway that connects Bangalore to Mysore is called Nice Road, and was made only a few years ago. It’s a boon.

After a couple of hours of drive, we stop by this popular highway restaurant.

We enter the crowded restaurant. The air is filled with the smell of spicy sambhar and ghee. Some are dressed in elegant sarees ready to go to a wedding, some are casual like us, like how we feel. Everyone seems to be excited for their destination….

Salvadoran Sweet Bread / Semitas De Dulce (Sweet Stuffed Bread)

May 15, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

This Salvadoran Sweet Bread / Semitas De Dulce is a traditional bread stuffed with panela/jaggery. A delicious twist on the classic recipe is to use your favorite jam as a filling.

You have to taste the culture to understand it.

We travel for many reasons. To explore, for love, for glory, for adventure, for thrills, to get away from reality, to relax. For the new and the familiar, for sensory thrills and serenity, for socialization and isolation, for risk and reward, for the journey and the story and the secrets. I travel for all these reasons. Which is all just another way of saying that I travel to eat….

Avocado Banana Muffins – Dairy free/Gluten free

April 24, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

Avocado Banana Muffins – Dairy Free/Gluten free. These easy and delicious avocado and banana muffins that’s dairy free, an easy bake and you can make it gluten free./ It’s a great breakfast on the go.

A lot of the south Indian recipes are gluten free, the savory stuff and many desserts. When I do bake non Indian I usually stick to gluten, because that works well. In the past many months, every time I make BANANA BREAD on insta stories, which by the way is our favorite, I’ve had so many messages to blog and show how to make gluten free banana bread. Many times I’ve directed them to Alanna’s cookbook and blog. She has some amazing gluten free options and great desserts.

But, this is probably the first time I’ve tested with gluten free flour and I have gotten the results that I love. And here I’m sharing my new favorite gluten free bake. …