Leave a comment April 30, 2023 Sherylann

A staple of train journeys while we were growing up – chutney sandwiches.

Each summer, we journeyed from Nagpur to Margao, Gap, about 1600 kms, to visit our grandparents. At that time, the journey was over 2 days and my mom would pack huge hampers for the journey – meatloaf sandwiches, egg salad sandwiches, meat patties, chutney sandwiches, and so much more. We probably had to only say, “I’m hungry”, and there was something to eat!

Chutney sandwiches were also a regular menu item for parties and still make for easy, finger food. Here’s the recipe for the chutney. When ready, slather butter on two slices of bread, spread on the chutney and gobble it down. Or if you want the dainty, finger sandwiches for tea, trim off the brown edges, cut the sandwiches into 4 quarters, and enjoy with a cup of tea.

Ingredients

1 cup grated coconut
4 packed cups fresh cilantro leaves with stems, chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind pulp (alternatively lemon juice)
2 green chillies chopped
1 small red onion chopped
4 large garlic cloves chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water

Method

Add all the ingredients into a blender
Blend well until a small paste is formed
Take out from the blender, and store in the fridge in an air-tight container
Use on sandwiches as a delicious spread

Cooking hack: Tips for soft parathas

Leave a comment April 29, 2023 Sherylann

Parathas are griddle fried, Indian flatbreads. These unleavened breads are easy to make and are a favorite in our home. Made with whole wheat, water, and ghee/olive oil for a vegan alternative, it’s a healthy and delicious alternative to store bought flour tortillas or rotis.

When we got married, Nilesh remembers waking up every morning where the aroma of ghee beckoned him to the kitchen. There the cook barely kept up rolling out parathas as Nilesh would wolf them down as soon as they came off the tava/pan.

Today, the kids and Nilesh relish it anytime of the day – with scrambled eggs for breakfast, rolled up with jam and cheese as a snacks, or for lunch and dinner accompanied with curries.

Making them doesn’t really take much time. And they are so delicious, shape doesn’t really matter. You will need a rolling pin, a pan or griddle to cook it on, whole wheat dough, a dash of salt, olive oil or ghee and you are ready to go.

Here is the recipe along with tips to make them soft.

Warm water: use lukewarm water to knead the dough. Add water in batches. Knead gently. Dough should not be too soft or too firm.

Ghee or olive oil: a tablespoon of warm ghee or olive oil added while kneading not only gives it a different aroma, but will make it softer.

Cover the dough and let it rest: after kneading the dough, cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest for 10-30 minutes. Not only will it keep the moisture in, it allows the dough to rise slightly the dough should be semi soft

Add milk or yogurt: adding room-temperature yogurt or warm milk while kneading, enhances the texture and makes and keeps the parathas soft

Rolling the parathas: parathas should be rolled slightly thicker than chapatis

Stove temperature: don’t cook them on too low or too high a flame. Cook on medium flame and add ghee when you see brown spots on the paratha and lower the flame to complete cooking. Move the paratha around on the tava and keep applying a little pressure with the back of a spoon or spatula to cook evenly.

Parathas – Indian unleavened flatbreads

Leave a comment April 29, 2023 Sherylann

Pronounced pa-ra-thas, these delicious, healthy, flaky, unleavened Indian flatbreads, are made with whole wheat flour. These are best enjoyed warm with curries, lentils or vegetable dishes. They are also a good alternative for tortillas and wraps.

The word paratha is the combination of the words ‘Parat’ meaning layers and ‘Atta’ meaning dough. It translates to layers of dough that are cooked.

When making parathas, the dough in layered onto itself before it’s rolled into a triangle on a lightly floured surface. The rolled dough is then cooked in a hot tava (griddle) while brushing ghee or alternatively, olive oil, toasting until both sides have golden brown spots and crispy. The longer you cook, the crispier they get. Follow these tips to make perfectly soft parathas each time.

These parathas are great for curries, rolled up with jam or jam and cheese, or chutneys. In our home, they are a welcome alternative to bread for breakfast.

Servings: 8 parathas

Time: 40 minutes including resting time

Equipment: large mixing bowl, rolling pin (and surface to roll it on), tongs/flipping spatula, tava or griddle

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour (atta…available in Indian stores)
1 to 1.25 cup of water (as needed)
5 tablespoons ghee or oil (to add to the dough as well as during roasting)
3/4 cup dry flour for dusting during rolling
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Add 2 cups of dough, 2 teaspoons of the ghee/oil and salt to the mixing bowl
Slowly add water in batches, while kneading the dough in either a dough mixer or by hand to make a firm dough. I usually use a 2:1 ratio or flour to water
If the dough is too difficult to knead then add drops of water at a time, until it is soft and pliable
Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for atleast 20 minutes
Now divide the dough into 8 equal parts and roll each part into a ball. Keep the balls covered with the damp cloth as you roll each one out
Lightly flour the rolling area and place a ball of dough on it. Roll the dough into a circular shape with the help of the rolling pin
Smear a little ghee on the paratha evenly with the back of a teaspoon. Then fold into half. Now smear the semi-circle with a little ghee again, then fold into half, forming a triangle. Lightly sprinkle flour on both sides
Sprinkle flour on the rolling surface and lightly roll out the folded paratha. Don’t make it too thin. While rolling this, heat the griddle on a medium flame. I usually roll 3-4 parathas while the griddle heats up, keeping the rolled parathas aside, ready to cook
When the griddle is hot, place a paratha on it. Soon it will start to puff. Manage the heat, too hot and it will burn, too low a flame and the paratha will be too hard
When the paratha puffs, flip it over. On the slightly cooked side, smear ghee with a teaspoon, spreading it evenly. Gently press the paratha with a spatula enabling it to cook evenly. You will see brown spots as it cooks Flip the paratha and add ghee to the other side. You will see it puff and the layers separate. You will continue to see brown spots. Flip as needed, cooking while more brown spots form
Remove from heat and stack in a closed container so parathas remain soft and warm
Repeat the process to cook the rest of the flatbreads
Eat warm with curries, lentils or sauteed vegetables. Roll it with jam or chutneys. If stored, warm on the pan later. If you warm in a microwave, cover with a damp paper towel to maintain softness

Steps in pictures

Knead the dough and let it rest while covered with a damp cloth. Then divide into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball.

Take one of the eight dough balls and roll into a circle

Add flour to the rolling surface so the paratha doesn’t stick to the surface.

Smear the semi circle with ghee and fold again to form the triangle. Dust lightly with flour on both sides

Roll the triangle out gently ….make sure it’s not too thin

Cook on medium flame, smearing with ghee and flipping until the layers separate and brown spots form on both sides

Clean Bar (Peanut Butter, Banana, Oat, Chocolate)

Leave a comment March 23, 2023 Sherylann

Thick, chewy, oozing with goodness and made with only four ingredients, these bars come together in a jiffy. They are clean and nutritious, and devoid of artificial ingredients with the ripe bananas and chocolate contributing to the sweetness.

Cut them up into bars or squares for an on-the-go snack or a pick-me-up.

Time: 20 mins including 15 minutes bake time

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats (optional gluten free oats)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup ripe, mashed bananas
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Method:

Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees farenheit.
In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients together.
In a greased square glass container, pour the mix and press it into the container.
Place the container in the heated oven, and bake for 12-15 minutes until firm in the centre.
Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into bars or squares.

Hawaiian Meatballs

Leave a comment March 16, 2023 Sherylann

Delicious, succulent meatballs that are smothered with a sauce that is sweet and tangy make for a side dish, appetizer or main dish. Serve with a side of vegetable fried rice and transport yourself to the Hawaiian islands.

Time: under 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1.5 lbs cooked Meatballs
1 cup pineapple chunks or 1 can pineapple chunks drained1 cup barbeque sauce
1/8 cup rice wine vinegar
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (optional)
2 large cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon ginger minced
1 small onion diced fine
1/2 cup sweet red peppers chopped
1 stem green onion chopped for garnish
1 tablespoon sesame or olive oil

Method

In a small bowl, whisk the bbq sauce, vinegar, soya sauce, brown sugar, and sriracha sauce
Heat oil in a frying pan. When hot, add the onions, ginger, and garlic. Stir fry for a minute until the onions are translucent
Add in the meatballs and the peppers and stir for a minute
Pour the sauce and continue to stir fry until the meatballs are well coated with the sauce.
Add in the pineapple. Turn the heat to simmer and cook for another two minutes
Turn off the stove and sprinkle the spring onions over the meatballs
Serve with a side of vegetabke fried rice or plain rice and a side of vegetables

A walking tour of Montmartre

Leave a comment March 12, 2023 Sherylann

There is so much to discover in Montmartre – lovely cobblestone streets, ivy-covered homes, the Wall of Love, cafes visited by thinkers and writers, and off-course, the bastion of Paris – the Sacre Coeur. A self-guided walking tour of Montmartre is the best way to do immerse yourself. Use Google maps and plug in Abbesses metro, Wall of Love, Fric-Frac, Place Saint-Pierre, Sacre Coeur, Place du Tertre (the Painters of Montmartre), Le Consulat, La Maison Rose, Buste de Dalida, Le Passe-Muraille, Moulin Rouge. Along the way, grab croissants and orange juice.

First about Montmartre – it is a popular neighborhood located in Paris’ 18e Arrondissement, atop a large hill. The name Montmartre was named for the namesake hill from Roman times (Mount Mars). In the medieval ages, most of Montmartre was an abbey, however this abbey was destroyed during the French Revolution. To explore Montmartre, it’s best to start from the train station and head over to the Wall of Love.

The Wall of Love: “Mur de je t’aime” is a literal mural of love located in Jehan Rictus square, the park just behind the Abbesses metro stop and across the way from the big red brick church. A wall within the park displays over 300 ways to say I love you in over 250 languages.

Fric-Frac: There is a reason why food vloggers rave about Fric Frac. The ubiquitous French snack, croque monsieur (toasted cheese-and-ham sandwich) gets a contemporary makeover. You can enjoy some of their creative combos like Winnie (Crottin de Chavignol cheese, dried fruit, chestnut honey, chives and rosemary) or the more exotic Shaolin (king prawns, lemongrass paste, shiitake mushrooms and Thai basil) served with salad and fries. The service was quick and friendly and the food delicious. Well satisfied, we continued our walk up to Sacre Coeur.

The Sacré-Coeur basilica is Montmartre’s crown jewel that attracts millions of visitors. As you walk up the stairs, you will pass picnickers on the lawn and buskers seeking to entertain you. Along the way to the top, you will marvel at the mosaics and domes as well as the angelic statues. While the 237 stairs to the dome are a tight spiral climb, the views are worth it. Alternatively, you can get a ride up via the Funiculaire de Montmartre. The ride up takes less than two minutes and costs the same as a Metro ticket.

In the same area, you can also see the back of Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, the oldest church in Montmartre dating to the beginning of the 12th century. For more than 600 years it was a parish church and part of the Abbey of the Benedictine Sisters of Montmartre. It is the only vestige of the ancient abbey that exists today.

As you make your way to the church from the Sacre Coeur, enjoy the panoramic views of Paris including views of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. After the church, you’ll find yourself at the Place du Tertre.

A visit to Montmartre Paris is not complete without stopping by the lively Place du Tertre also known as the Painters of Montmarte. This charming public square sits just below the Sacre Cœur and provides a hub for artists and authentic Parisian cafes. Artists, who can wait up to ten years to get a coveted spot here, chat and are ready to capture on their easels whoever comes their way. Perhaps it’s your day for a caricature or sketch. Continue your way down to Le Consulat.

Le Consulat: During the time of the impressionists, Montmartre gained a reputation for cafes, cabarets, and dance halls, attracting many artists including Vincent Van Gogh and Picasso. Le Consulat is now a coffee house and restaurant and an Instagram favorite. Grab a coffee and people watch before you continue to La Maison Rose.

La Maison Rose: This house, a gathering place for artists, was purchased in the early 1900s by Germaine Gargallo, the wife of a well-known painter. The pretty ‘Pink House’ located on the corner of rue de l’ Abreuvoir and rue des Saules, inspired a painting by Maurice Utrillo that he called ‘The Little Pink House’ in the 1930’s which became famous not because of the subject of the painting, but rather because it sold for so much at an auction.

The beautiful winding cobblestone streets

Continue down the stunning Rue de l’Abreuvoir, one of the most beautiful streets in Paris with a view of the Sacre Coeur, La Maison Rose and ivy-covered buildings. Wind you way down the street to see the bust of the famous French-Egyptian singer and actor Dalida who lived nearby in Montmartre.

Buste de Dalida: Dalida – born Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti – was a singer and actress who was very popular across much of Europe, the Middle East and beyond. Her career lasted from the 1950s through until her tragic suicide in 1987. A bust on the small, shaded square commemorates her, and visitors can also glimpse her house on nearby Rue d’Orchampt.

Le Passe-Muraille is based on a fictitious character Dutilleul who discovered that he had an unusual talent of being able to walk through solid walls. But instead of just using his talent for good, he abused his power and one day Dutilleul lost all his powers and ended up stuck in a wall. We had fun trying to get him through the wall but didn’t succeed. You can read more about this interesting story by Marcel Ayme here

We then made our way through the winding streets of Montemartre and stopped for snacks along the way, making our final destination Moulin Rouge.

Moulin Rouge: The birthplace of the Can-Can. Who hasn’t heard of the once notorious cabaret Moulin Rouge? It is easily recognizable by the windmill at the front of the building. Not meant for kids, we took our pictures and headed home but not before stopping at Aux Merveilleux de Fred

Make this patisserie a stop on your tour. It makes traditional specialties from Flanders, one of which is The Merveilleux. Their merengue is just out of this world and is a fantastic way to end the day.

3 days in Paris

Leave a comment March 12, 2023 Sherylann

Best things to do in Paris in 3 days – how do you make the most of your trip especially with teens?

Paris! The one city that seems to be on everyone’s bucket list. I was fortunate to visit Paris years ago with my mum and dad and this time, over 18 years later, when we went back as a family with our teens, it seemed a lot had changed and yet, time had also stood still.

We were there for 4 nights and 3 days and were determined to make the most of it. For the kids, Paris was about food and IG moments. So, here’s our packed 3-day, 4-night itinerary!

Day 1: Ile de la Cité including Pont des Arts, Pont Neuf, The Place Dauphine, Sainte Chapelle, Notre-Dame, Shakespeare and Company, the Latin Quarter, and Pantheon. Head over then to the Champs Elysees. the Arc de Triomphe and finally, the Eiffel Tower before watching it sparkle from the Place du Trocadéro

Day 2: Versailles for a half-day trip (because it was winter, or else, I’d recommend a day trip), followed by self-guided walking tour of Montmartre ending in front of Moulin Rouge

Day 3: Louvre, Jardin de Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, Paris St. Germain stadium tour

Let’s go!

We took an afternoon train (Eurostar) from London that got us into Paris at about 6pm. We then hopped the local metro, getting us to our rental apartment by about 6pm. We bought the 10 pack of tickets because we were centrally located and planned on walking a lot. Alternatively, there are many options, and this site has good information on how to get around Paris affordably.

We had intentionally kept our evening free as we had planned on grabbing a nice dinner that set the tone for the rest of our time there. Did I mention that for the kids this trip was about food?!

After settling into our apartment in the 1st Arrondissement, we took a short walk to our restaurant – Brassiere du Louvre, Bocuse, a Michelin restaurant, something the kids were really looking forward to. According to his website, 1987, Paul Bocuse created the Bocuse d’Or in Lyon, clearly one of the most prestigious cooking contests in the world and was named President of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France competition (in the cooking and restaurant management category) in 1989. He was also named Chef of the Century and the Pope of Gastronomy. The meal was a gastronomical journey and one we enjoyed. Because they were shutting down in two days for renovations, they even topped the chicken with truffles at no additional cost. The service was amazing. And the snails are now on the kids’ list of favorite appetizers.

The restaurant looked out to the Louvre and after dinner, we took a walk through the grounds of the Louvre. And what a magnificent sight it was – the lights glittered and cast beautiful shadows on a wet ground. We then walked back to the hotel, excited for the days ahead.

Where we stayed: we stayed in the first Arrondissement. I booked through booking.com. The location was fantastic but the place was really small. Manageable for 4 of us but the location truly compensated for the tiny apartment. The Louvre was a stone’s throw away as was shopping and restaurants in all price ranges along with a mall.

Day 1:

Morning: Ile de la Cité including Pont des Arts, Pont Neuf, The Place Dauphine, Sainte Chapelle, Notre-Dame, Shakespeare and Company, the Latin Quarter, and Pantheon
Afternoon: Champs Elysee, Arc de Triomphe
Evening: Eiffel Tower and then watch it sparkle from the Place du Trocadéro

We started our day with freshly baked Croissants and fresh fruit from the bakery and grocery store near us. Most grocery stores have juicers that enable you to pick up bottles of freshly squeezed orange juice. What a delightful surprise and we made optimal use of these throughout our stay

Since we were in the 1st arrondissement, we were within walking distance of our day 1 sites so we headed off to the Pont des Arts, in Ile de la Cité.

Two islands sit in the middle of the Seine at the very heart of Paris. The more majestic one, Ile de la Cité, sparkles with history. This is the birthplace of Paris, between 250 and 225 BC, the birthplace of Paris, then known as Lutetia. It is the home of the Gothic Sainte-Chapelle, and the site of the prison where Marie Antoinette was held before her execution. Tourists flock to see the iconic Notre Dame and the beautiful bridges that straddle the Seine. Ile Saint-Louis, the more provincial island, welcomes you with cozy traditional eateries, small boutiques, and what some people say is the best ice cream in the city. This is the Paris that you must see – from the historical sites to the modern.

Make your way to Pont des Arts: The Pont des Arts or Passerelle des Arts is a pedestrian bridge linking the Institut de France and the central square of the Palais du Louvre. The most visited bridge in Paris because of all the love locks placed on it by thousands of visitors over time. As the weight of the locks took its toll, the locks and railings were removed, being replaced with a few symbolic locks and loctite panels. The bridge now has inviting benches to relax and enjoy the views. Then you can walk over to the Pont Neuf bridge.

The Pont Neuf (or “New Bridge”) is the oldest standing bridge across the Seine in Paris. It stands by the downstream point of the Ile de la Cité, the island in the middle of the river. The bridge is composed of two separate spans, one of five arches joining the left bank to the Ile de la Cité, and another of seven joining the island to the right bank. Today the tip of the island is the location of the Square du Vert-Gallant, nicknamed the “Green Gallant”. and another park, The Place Dauphine.

The cobbled streets leading to the Place Dauphine

The Place Dauphine is a public square that was initiated by Henry IV in 1607, who named it for his son, the Dauphin of France and the future Louis XII. While it’s called a square, it’s really triangular in shape and accessible via the Rue Henri-Robert.

Head southeast on Pl. Dauphine toward Rue de Harlay and be dazzled by the 1,113 stained glass windows in this gem of Rayonnant Gothic architecture, Saint Chapelle.

Sainte-Chapelle, built in seven years, is the finest royal chapel to be built in France. It was built in the mid 13th century by Louis IX, at the heart of the royal residence, the Palais de la Cité. It was intended to house precious Christian relics, including Christ’s crown of thorns, acquired by Saint Louis. Having these sacred relics in his possession made the already powerful monarch the head of western Christianity. Adorned with a unique and exceptional collection of fifteen glass panels and a rose window forming a veritable wall of light, it is simply stunning.

This place gets busy so buy your pass ahead of time through the official site.

From Sainte Chapelle, it is less than a ten-minute walk to Notre Dame. Notre-Dame de Paris – little needs to be said about it! Referred to simply as Notre-Dame, it is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. The stunning facade has been replicated in a few churches in the United States and Canada. Unfortunately, due to a fire in April 2019, the spire, and most of the roof were damaged. Thankfully the Catholic relics housed there were rescued. However, the church continues to be under renovation.

From there, it’s a quick walk past the Shakespeare and Company bookstore to the Latin Quarter. The Latin Quarter is situated on the Seine’s Left Bank, and is known for its bookshops, lively atmosphere and student-filled cafes, given its proximity to Sorbonne University.

Within sight of Notre-Dame, across a bridge into the Latin Quarter, on the Left Bank of the Seine, is an English-language bookstore called Shakespeare and Company.

It was opened in 1919 by American Sylvia Beach who ran it as a casual bookstore and boarding house for up-and-coming writers. Ernest Hemmingway wrote his memoir, A Moveable Feast here and at one-point, other writers like James Joyce and Ezra Young gathered here. Eventually the store closed during the German war, but at some point, reopened by George Whitman, a young American. Today, it’s a favorite for readers and writers. While slightly cluttered and crowded, it’s worth a visit.

We then ventured out into the narrow streets of Le Quartier Latin past the Sorbonne University and to the Pantheon.

The Pantheon: Perched atop a little hill known as Montagne St-Geneieve, this stately church turned mausoleum pays homage to the remains of great French minds, from Victor Hugo to Voltaire, Rousseau, Marie Curie and Alexander Dumas. This neoclassical building with its distinctive off-white dome was originally built as a church but transformed to a “temple of the nation” during the French Revolution. When we got there, we had doctors and med students protesting the long hours and low pay! It was quite an interesting experience, as we watched the protestors amplify their concerns making a din with their whistles, drums and fireworks! When we finally made our way in, we walked around the nave and visited the crypt.

Right beside the Pantheon, is Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, a church, that contains the shrine of St. Genevieve, the Patron Saint of Paris. When we got there, we were blessed to see her relics being brought out.

After spending time at the Pantheon, grab a sandwich from one of the bistros near you, and head to a bench in the Jardin du Luxembourg. Relax and immerse yourself in the sound of water running through a fountain, while enjoying the sights of the grand garden with its expansive lawns, sublime statues and rows of deciduous trees. Don’t forget to stop by the stunning Medici Fountain in a corner of the park, which is steeped in French history.

After catching a snooze on the bench or just people watching, you can make your way to the Catacombs, or hop an Uber/cab or the metro and head to the Champs Elysees, where you can window shop or pick up the latest in fashion before walking down the promenade to the Arc de Triomphe.

While the Champs Elysees was a mecca for fashion conscious high rollers, it’s now very touristy.

Le Arc de Triomphe: This colossal, magnificent, 164-foot triumphal arch was ordered by Napoleon—to celebrate his military successes. Decorative sculptures celebrating military victories of the Revolution and the First Empire adorn the facade of the arch’s four pedestals. A winding stairway of 284 steps will get you to the top of the monument; an elevator goes partway up the monument, but from there the top, where an observation deck is located, can only be reached by climbing the remaining steps. The traffic circle around the Arc is named for Charles de Gaulle. However, locally, it’s known as L’Étoile, or “the Star”—a nod to the streets that fan out from it. Climb the stairs to the top of the arch and you can see the star effect of the 12 radiating avenues and the view down the Champs-Élysées toward Place de la Concorde and the distant Musée du Louvre. France’s Unknown Soldier is buried beneath the arch, and a commemorative flame is rekindled every evening at 6:30pm.

Finally, we head to the Eiffel Tower where you can either walk around the base or ride up and enjoy the expansive views of the city. We booked our trip to Paris only a month in advance and by then, we weren’t able to get tickets to ride to the top. Tickets can be bought as part of a package or on the official site.

After walking around the base, we walked over to and watched it sparkle from the Place du Trocadéro. Since the year 2000, the lights have sparkled on the hour for five minutes from nightfall until 1am (if night falls at 7.40pm, the lights sparkle first at 8pm).

Day 2: Versailles, The Basilica de Sacre Coeur, a walking tour of Montmartre

We started the day by taking the RER to Versailles. Note that Admission to the Palace, the Estate of Trianon, and temporary exhibitions is free for visitors under 18 years (and under 26 years for UE residents) upon presentation of proof of identity. In 1667, 28-year-old all-powerful king of France, Louis XIV, decided to build the greatest palace in the world – Versailles. This Palace of Versailles was the principal residence of the French kings from the time of Louis XIV to Louis XVI. It was used as the principal residence until 1789 when they had the French Revolution. After the revolution, the palace was nearly destroyed. In 1837 King Louis-Philippe restored it and turned it into a museum. The Palace is well known for its extravagant rooms and expansive gardens.

To make the most of your trip, make sure you book tickets in advance. Check out this official link for suggested itinerary and download the free app, as well.

Once you are done with the palace, head out back to Paris. We’ll start at Abbesses Metro station, then make a few stops before we visit Sacre Coeur and then explore the rest of Montmartre.

To get there from Versailles, take the train back to Paris to go to the Abbesses (on the metro 12 line), metro train station. The entrance to this station is one of the only remaining glass-covered Guimard original Metro entrances in Paris. Abbesses is the deepest metro station in Paris, and it has stairs – a lot of stairs – it is indeed a hike! Then, for a self-guided walking tour of Montmartre, use Google maps and plug in Abbesses metro, Wall of Love, Fric-Frac, Place Saint-Pierre, Sacre Coeur, Place du Tertre (the Painters of Montmartre), Le Consulat, La Maison Rose, Buste de Dalida, Le Pass-Muraille, Moulin Rouge

We then made our way through the winding streets of Montemartre and stopped for snacks along the way, making our final destination Moulin Rouge.

Day 3: Louvre, Jardin de Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, Paris St. Germain stadium tour

A word of caution…the Louvre is massive and gets a ton of visitors. So, it’s best you start your day there and also chart a plan so you can maximize your visit. We had teens who weren’t that interested in museums, so we had a must-see list that enabled them to make the most of the trip. Here’s how we got through the Louvre in half a day. Follow the itinerary if you have kids or teens and want to make the most of your time here.

Now, of course, despite several reminders, the kids said they didn’t have any must-see places on their list. And yet, halfway through the morning at the Louvre, Sean decided he wanted to visit PSG stadium, the home of his beloved Messi.

The good news though was that if we left the Louvre early, we would be able to come back in. So, after our tour, we headed off to PSG, did a museum tour and then came back to the Louvre, went back to see the Mona Lisa, then recovered in the Tuileries Garden. If you don’t want to jet around like a crazy family, I would recommend going through the Tuileries Garden, after which you can go across the street at Rue de Rivoli to Angelica’s for some decadent hot chocolate and pastries and continue to the Place de la Concorde.

Place de la Concorde – From Angelica, stroll through Tuileries Garden or along the Rue de Rivoli to Place de la Concorde. This famous square is full of French history. This was the spot during the French Revolution where King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and Robespierre were executed by guillotine. This place has a magnificent arrangement of fountains and statues, held together in the center by a 3,000-year-old Egyptian obelisk which was a gift to France from Egypt in 1829. From the Plaza, look down the Champs-Élysées and see the Arc de Triomphe in the distance.

Another interesting stop for soccer lovers is a visit to Les Parc des Princes, the home of Paris St. Germain (PSG) football club since 1974. They have a really nice Experience Tour, which is worth taking. With the tour we had a chance to explore the change rooms, the grounds, and even kick balls into a net. While ours was a last minute decision which meant booking the tickets in person at the stadium, you can also book it online. Overall, a fun experience that was a great way to end our trip in Paris.

And we had to grab one last bite of macarons before we headed home!

Tofu bowls

Baja Fish tacos

Leave a comment February 27, 2023 Sherylann

These fish tacos are the best. Easy to make, fresh, and flavorful with smoky, spicy white fish, crunchy cabbage, pineapple salsa, and the best creamy fish taco sauce! It takes less than 30 minutes to make, so it’s perfect for a weeknight or a make ahead meal.

When you are looking for make-ahead meals, this recipe is easy to prep and keep in the fridge. Fry or bake the fish right before meal time and you will have hot, delicious fish tacos on the table in no time. Wrap it into a delicious burrito for a meal at work or school or make it into a healthy fish taco bowl. Either way, the smoky, zesty favors of adobo shine through and this will be a sought after recipe for Taco night, Lenten fish Fridays or just about anytime. Best of all, it’s a good dose of healthy – the red cabbage slaw provides your daily serving of vitamin C and vitamin K while the fish adds a boost of protein and omegas.

While it looks complicated, there are three easy steps to making the fish tacos: prepare the fish, whip up the sauce, and prep the taco toppings. Serve and enjoy!!

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients for the Adobo fish

1 pound fish (Cod, halibut or tilapia) cut into small cubes
2 chipotle chilis in adobo mashed up and 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder or minced fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Juice from 1 large lime
3/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup flour
8 corn tortillas

Ingredients for the coleslaw

1/2 medium head of red cabbage, shredded or finely sliced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar or white vinegar)
1.5 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Ingredients for the adobo crema sauce

3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1teaspoon honey

Ingredients for pineapple salsa

2 cups fresh pineapple diced
4 small Roma tomatoes diced
1-2 red or green jalapenos, finely diced (dressed for less heat)
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic finely diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice from 1/2 large lime
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Optional topping: Poblano peppers sliced and grilled or pan fried

Method:

For the fish:

Place the chopped chipotle chilies in a small bowl, add the adobo sauce, cumin powder, garlic, turmeric, salt, lime juice, and stir to form a paste. Place the fish in the bowl and rub it to cover all pieces with the marinade. Keep in a Ziploc bag in the fridge. When ready to fry, heat oil in a frying pan. Place the flour on the plate and lightly coat each fish piece on all sides with the flour before frying. Turn on all sides until cooked.

For the coleslaw:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside for at least 15 minutes for the flavors to set in

For the adobo cream sauce:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and keep aside. Drizzle lightly over the fish when serving.

For the pineapple salsa

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and keep aside for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors mix in.

To serve:

Heat the corn tortillas on a large dry skillet or griddle over medium/high heat.

To assemble:

Layer the tortilla with pieces of fish, the cabbage slow, the pineapple salsa, and drizzle with that awesome taco sauce! Serve with a fresh lime wedge to squeeze over tacos.

Alternatively, serve as a bowl on a bed of lettuce and cabbage slaw

Butternut Squash Mash (Bharta)

Leave a comment February 27, 2023 Sherylann

Washington DC has some great restaurants but it almost seems like if you don’t make a reservation, you are out of luck. Having been told our wait times were closer to an hour at several places, my colleague and I finally stumbled on an Indian restaurant with outdoor seating. Outdoors in 45F weather didn’t sound appealing but we checked out the enclosed tent and with a space heater right next to us, it wasn’t so bad after all. And I am glad we took the chance, as we had this finger-licking butternut squash bharta (mash) dish. This dish is a take on the traditional Indian dish of baingan (eggplant) bharta. Not too spicy, with hot garlic naan, it was the perfect meal for a damp, cold winter day.

So, I had to make this dish at home. Try it out – grab some hot chapatis or naans to scoop it up with it and you won’t be disappointed.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cups diced butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
1/4 teaspoon black mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large red onion diced fine
2 inch piece of ginger diced fine
6 large garlic cloves diced fine
2 large tomatoes chopped
2 small green chilli’s, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 large line
Salt, to taste
1/3rd cup water

Air fryer Method:

Switch the ninja foodi to the saute mode
When hot, add in the oil and heat it. When the oil is hot, add in the mustard and cumin seeds, allowing it to splutter
Add in the onions, ginger and garlic, frying them well for 3-4 minutes
Add in the tomatoes and continue to fry until the tomatoes have softened – about a minute
Stir in the coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala, green chilli, salt and sugar
Add the butternut squash and water
Close the pot with its lid. Press the pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and then do a quick release
Now slowly open the pot, press saute and then mash the cooked squash with a potato masher
Let it simmer on saute mode for 6 to 8 minutes until the excess water evaporates and bharta becomes little dry
Switch the foodi/instant pot off and garnish with lime juice and cilantro
Serve the bharta with chapatis or naan

Oven and stove top method:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Use a sharp knife to halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Rub the cut sides of squash with one tablespoon oil and season with salt. Place cut side down on an unlined baking sheet and roast for 60-75 minutes
Remove from oven and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash with potato masher until smooth and set aside
In a large vessel, add the remaining oil. When hot, add in the oil and heat it. When the oil is hot, add in the mustard and cumin seeds, allowing it to splutter
Add in the onions, ginger and garlic, frying them well for 3-4 minutes
Add in the tomatoes and continue to fry until the tomatoes have softened – about a minute
Stir in the coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala, salt and sugar
Add in the squash and stir well. Garnish with cilantro and lime juice
Serve with chapatis, or naans

Korean shrimp and daikon stirfry

Leave a comment February 24, 2023 Sherylann

Daikon also known as the Japanese radish, is a root vegetable. Grown throughout East and South Asian countries, it’s nutritious, crunchy, refreshing and can take on different flavors depending on how it’s cooked. Daikon are less spicy than their commonly consumed cousin, the red radish.

It is a superstar vegetable with it being a low-calorie food filled with high water content and packed with vitamins and nutrients, including vitamin C, calcium, folate, and potassium. Besides containing fiber and enzymes that aid digestion, it is also known to heal wounds quickly.

This perfect blend of daikon, carrots and shrimp come together for an easy, quick weeknight meal filled with sweet, tangy, and fiery flavors.

Serving: 3 as a side

Time: 15 minutes including prep time

Ingredients:

2 cups diced (small cubes) daikon
1 lb deveined, cleaned uncooked shrimp, washed and seasoned with a dash of salt and pepper
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 yellow onion diced fine
2 scallions/ green onions chopped fine
1/2 cup carrot, chopped into small rounds or cubes
2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari or soya sauce
2 tablespoons gochujang paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon oil

Method

In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil. When hot, add the onions and the whites of the scallions. Stir fry for a minute until onions are translucent.
Add the daikon and carrots to the pan, stir frying at high flame for 3 minutes making sure it doesn’t burn. Cook a minute or two longer, if you like your vegetables softer in texture.
Add in the soya sauce/ tamari, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and gochujang paste and stir fry for another minute.
Add in the shrimp and stir fry for another 1-2 minutes until the shrimp is cooked.
Remove from flame and garnish with the left over scallion greens.
Serve over a bed of freshly steamed rice.

Dairy free Green Smoothie

Leave a comment February 14, 2023 Sherylann

After some over indulging, especially over holidays, on vacation, or after a big party, you just feel the need to reset. This Green Smoothie is a delightful way to do just that and not only makes you feel good about yourself, it puts you back on track. overboard on indulgent eats and treats during the holidays, on vacation, or for celebrations, and need something to get back on track, right? That’s where my Green Detox Smoothie comes in handy

Servings: 2 large servings

Time to prep and make: less than 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup green apple cubed
1 tbsp ginger
1/8th cup lemon juice
2 cups greens (spinach, kale)
2 cups coconut water (cold)

Method

Pour the coconut water into a blenderAdd the remaining ingredients
Blend and serve

Juicy, lean Mediterranean Turkey Meatballs

1 Comment January 24, 2023 Sherylann

Hands down the juiciest turkey meatballs you can make. The secret to the moistness in these meatballs is a combination of yogurt, zucchini and bread. Try these, and you will think twice before buying store bought meatballs again. And it’s also a great way to sneak some veggies in!

Our family loves meatballs….in pasta, curry, Mediterranean bowls, a sub, or on its own, the possibilities are endless. It’s easy to make meatballs at home and freeze them. Turkey meatballs can be still juicy and delicious and most of all, lean and healthier than beef meatballs.

Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: for 4 – 6;people

Ingredients

1.25 lbs 93% lean ground turkey
4 cloves garlic finely minced
1 small red onion finely diced
2 cups baby spinach (chopped)
1 tsp dried chili flakes (optional if you like it spicy)
1 cup grated zucchini, liquid squeezed out well
2 slices whole wheat bread, or gluten-free bread
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs, or gluten-free panko
1 large egg
1 tbsp fried oregano, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt and fresh black pepper
Olive oil cooking spray

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
Spray olive oil on a sheet pan and set aside.
Put the slices of bread in a bowl and cover the slices with water. Allow it to soak for about 1 minute. Discard the water and squeeze the water out from the bread. Crumble it a bit with your hands and add it to a mixing bowl.
To the same mixing bowl, add in the rest of the ingredients seasoning with salt and pepper.
Form balls (golf sized) with that mixture and arrange them on a sheet pan.
Bake in the heated oven for 30 minutes or until meatballs are fully cooked.
Then transfer to the top rack and turn on the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the tops are boiled.
Alternatively, in a skillet, add in a tablespoon of olive oil and heat on medium flame. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs and cook over low heat, until cooked through, turning halfway, for about 10-12 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.
Serve them in a Mediterranean bowl with greens, feta, olives, couscous, and all the sauces you like. Alternatively, they taste great in pasta.

London in Three Days with Teens

Leave a comment January 21, 2023 Sherylann

A first timers itinerary in London. London has a wealth of child-friendly, fun, historic, educational, and cultural things to do. How then to make the most of 3 days in this fun UK capital? With so much to see and do, here’s an itinerary to get to those bucket-list sights and must-dos in London.

Day 1: Westminster Bridge, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, St. James Park, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, London Eye, China Town

Day 2: Uber Boat to Greenwich, Royal Observatory (Prime Meridian and GMT), Cutty Sark, Burroughs Market, The Shard and Leake Street Tunnel

Day 3: Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, High Tea at The Wolseley, Fortnum and Mason, Harrods

In early 2022, we had planned on visiting Europe and then unfortunately, two of us came down with Covid a couple of days before our departure date resulting in cancelled plans. So, over the Christmas holidays, we made last minute plans to go back. Given that it was such short notice, we ended up going for 8 days and split that time between London and Paris.

We arrived early morning at 6:30am at London’s Heathrow airport. From there, we decided to take the train into the city to our hotel right beside Lambeth train station.

We decided against buying the Oyster card but instead bought single metro tickets for the four of us. The journey from Heathrow to central London takes around 45 minutes by taxi, 15 minutes by train, 35-45 minutes by London underground (Picadilly or Elizabeth Line) and 1 hour by the National Express bus.

When we got to the hotel, we kept our baggage at the front desk and decided to go on our way. Since we were hungry, we stopped by a bakery, grabbing some croissants and coffee to charge us up.

Tips: I planned the day with all the key sites we wanted to visit based on proximity to each other allowing us to maximize our time. The best way was to put the sites we wanted into Google Maps, sequence to optimize proximity to each other, and then follow the directions either walking or taking public transportation. We walked a lot – averaging 20,000 – 30,000 steps a day. As long as the two teens were well fed, they were troopers! (minus some exceptions!). I evaluated the cost of separately bought tickets to the various sights and realized it was cheaper and effective to use the London Pass instead.

Day 1: Westminster Bridge, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, St. James Park, London Eye, China Town

We walked from our hotel to Westminster Bridge, past the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and continued walking towards Buckingham Palace. To get to the Palace, we passed the Wellington Barracks, on the edge of St. James’ Park along Birdcage Walk.

Since it was a Sunday, we had to watch the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace. You can watch the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can watch them at Windsor Palace on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. https://changing-guard.com/where-to-watch.html

You don’t have to watch them at the gates of Buckingham as there are other options. The first troop movements for the Changing of the Guard ceremony take place at St. James’ Palace. 10:25 The St James’ Palace Detachment of The King’s Guard form up for inspection on Friary Court. During the inspection the St James’s Palace Band play a selection of music. (Check the calendar as on occasions there is no St James’s Palace Band). The Guards, normally led by a Regimental Band or Corp of Drums, step off to march down The Mall to Buckingham Palace.

Since it was winter, you couldn’t do a tour of Buckingham Palace but we strolled outside the dates, and admired the statue of Queen Victoria. The Queen Victoria Memorial is located in front of Buckingham Palace and comprises the Dominion Gates (Canada Gate, Australia Gate and South and West Africa Gates), the Memorial Gardens and a vast central monument commemorating the death of Queen Victoria in 1901.

From there, we walked down the Mall to Piccadilly Circus. We planned on watching London’s New Year’s Day Parade and snagged a coveted spot. It was a cold, clammy day and some hot cocoa kept us going.

After watching the parade, we plugged in directions to our hotel in Google Maps and walked back, via Trafalgar Square, where had the kids been younger, they would have surely climbed on the lion statues at the base of Nelson’s column. Along the way, we enjoyed the sights of London. We walked right past the London Eye, where you had lines of visitors lined up for a ride up into the sky.

Being London, we had to try Fish and Chips and decided to check out The Fishcotheque an old-fashioned, long-standing chip shop offering fried fish, burgers & pies, plus a take-out option. After tasting the drool-worth fish and calamari, I think we’ll want to jet out there again just for that!

After lunch, we strolled back to the hotel and checked in. We lounged around in the room for a bit and then feeling rested, we headed out again. We wanted to experience the lights of London at night. Big Ben, London Eye, the lights on Regent street, it was so beautiful.

The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is Europe’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel. It moves very slowly.

Big Ben, one of the most Instagrammed landmarks, has an iconic silhouette and is probably the world’s most famous clock. Did you know though that the Houses of Parliament and Elizabeth Tower, are commonly called Big Ben?

Six monarchs and 41 prime ministers have come and gone since the bells first struck their now familiar music across Westminster. Unfortunately, with renovations, the tower was closed, but it’s a high 292 steps to the clock faces and 334 steps to the Belfry where Big Ben, the Great Bell, hangs. Big Ben is not the only bell in the clocktower. The bells are fixed and struck by hammers from outside, rather than swinging and being struck from inside by clappers.  

The streets were beautifully lit up with holiday lights.

The trick to keep moving with teens is to keep them well-fed. We snacked on sandwiches and finger-foods from bakeries and by the time we wanted to grab dinner, we realized most places were shutting down for the night. Fortunately, we were close to China Town and found a well-known restaurant that caters to late-night diners. There we feasted on Malaysian Laksa Noodles, Roast Duck and Roast Pork, Mussels in Chili oil and Sweet and Sour Ribs. The kids washed that down with Mango Bubble Tea. We then walked back to our Hotel, collapsing after a long but fun first day.

Day 2: Uber Boat to Greenwich, Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian (GMT), Cutty Sark, eating traditional foods, Burroughs Market and a visit to the Shard ending with a walk home via Leake Street Tunnel

Day 2 started with a ride down the Thames via the Uber boat from the Westminster bridge pier all the way down to Greenwich. It’s a great way to see the sights of the capital as you jet down the river.

Greenwich, the tranquil borough on the bank of the Thames is home to the Cutty Sark, the classical buildings of the Old Royal Naval College, and the Royal Observatory, the site of the Greenwich Meridian line and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

The Cutty Sark, a British clipper ship, is considered the world’s only surviving extreme clipper. Most of the hull fabric seen on the ship is from it’s original construction. Clipper ships are marked by three design characteristics – a long, narrow hull, a sharp bow which cuts through the waves rather riding atop – and three raking masts. Launched in 1869, it was the fastest and sleekest ship of its time. She’s beautiful and dominates the waterfront.

After the Cutty Sark, you wind your way past the Old Royal Naval College and through the wide-open Greenwich park up a steep hill to the Royal Observatory.

**Greenwich Palace also known as Placentia**

**Royal Observatory** – **The Shepherd 24 hour Gate Clock**

This is one of the earliest electrically driven time public clocks, installed in 1852. Being a 24-hour clock, the hour hand marks noon at the bottom on the dial and midnight to the top.

Just as the equator divides the northern and southern hemisphere, the Prime Meridian divides the eastern and western hemispheres. It is longitude 0°. In 1884, Sir George Biddell Airy, built the Transit Circle telescope at the Royal Observatory. The cross-hairs in the eyepiece of the telescope precisely defined Longitude 0° for the world.

Hungry after spending a hew hours there, the Pie and Mash at Goddards at Greenwich beckoned us and we enjoyed a delicious meal of pie, mash and absolutely scrumptious sticky toffee pudding.

Well satiated, we made our way back to the pier and took the Uber boat back to Bankside Pier which is within walking distance of Borough Market, one of the largest and oldest food markets in London. It’s fun to just walk through the market and try out the wares of the vendors. A quick walk from Borough Market is The Shard, considered an Icon of modern London. A ride up to the 68, 69 and 72 floors gave us spectacular 360-degree views upto 40 miles despite it being a deary day. We spent over an hour there, watching the sun go down.

**A view of The Shard from the bottom of the building**

After enjoying the views from the Shard, it was time to head home, taking the boat back to Waterloo pier where we walked through Leake Street Tunnel on the way to the hotel.

Leake Street Tunnel: Tucked under Waterloo station is one of London’s coolest street art locations with its ever-changing colorful murals. This 300-meter tunnel is the city’s largest legal graffiti wall and very cool! The Tunnel is a short walk away from Waterloo Station. It takes about five minutes to walk it from the station via York Road or you can get there from Lower Marsh street. To learn more, check out: https://www.leakestreetarches.london/

Day 3: Ride along with the Big Bus Hop On Hop Off Bus, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, High Tea at The Wolseley, Fortnum and Mason, ending with a visit to Harrods

We decided to use the Hop On Hop Off Bus as part of the London Pass. Buying the pass was the best decision we made. Not only did it include attractions that would have been more expensive purchasing individually, we were able to ride the HOHO bus on a cold wet day, seeing various sites from the bus, while staying dry from the rain.

Tower Bridge:

There’s always a waiting line for the Tower Bridge so we started the day there hoping to avoid the crowds. There’s a lot of narrow stairs to climb up that bridge – beware! But the view from the top is worth it. You can see up and down the river and walk along its panoramic glass walkway and see the mechanics of the bridge that make it open and close. This engineering marvel, is not only London’s most striking bridge thanks to its Neo-Gothic architecture and lifting central sections that can open frequently, but when it was first opened, it was the most sophisticate bascule bridge in the world.

Tower Bridge is often incorrectly called London Bridge. These are two separate bridges. Tower Bridge is the stately one, seen in the picture below and besides the Tower of London. When opened, it connected London and quickly made commerce easier. London Bridge, meanwhile, is slightly upriver, spanning the Thames from the City of London to Southwark. Walking from London Bridge to Tower Bridge takes less than 15 minutes.

**Jump on the glass floor if you dare!**

**A mirrored ceiling makes the views more fun**

From the Tower Bridge, we headed over to the Tower of London, a stone’s throw away.

Tower of London:

The Tower of London is one of London’s most important tourist attractions, an incredible palace and castle that you can’t miss on a trip to London. It will probably take you 1 – 2 hours to visit the Tower of London. The tour was included and was extremely informative and fun. Officially His Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, this is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It also houses the Crown Jewels. The Tower’s been around since Roman times and has seen many changes over the years. During the Second World War, parts of the Tower were destroyed by bombing, including part of a building used by the Royal Mint and the Main Guard. War Prisoners, including the German deputy leader, Rudolph Hess, were kept as prisoners in the Tower. Another famous prisoner was Guy Fawkes who attempted to blow up Parliament with gunpowder, on November 5^th 1605.

The Yeoman guard, in the middle, is a popular symbol of the guards of London. Henry VII’s personal guards were the first ‘Beefeaters’, so named as they were permitted to eat as much beef as they wanted from the King’s table, and Henry VIII decreed that some of them would stay and guard the Tower permanently. They carry out ceremonial duties, such as unlocking and locking the Tower every day in the Ceremony of the Keys.

Here’s where you will find the Crown Jewels, under armed guard, a dazzling collection of dazzling collection of crowns, scepters, orbs, medals and rings handed down by British monarchs throughout history

**Yeoman Warder. popularly known as the Beefeaters**

We then hopped back on the bus and got off at Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey: The magnificent Westminster Abbey, one of the most famous places in London and a must-see on your visit to London. It will probably take you 1-2 hours to visit the Abbey. Since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066, all coronations of English and British monarchs have been held in the abbey, as have many royal weddings, including that of Prince William to Kate Middleton in 2011.Westminster Abbey was initially built by Henry III in 1245 and it is one of the most important Gothic buildings of England. At first it was home of Benedictine monks, then the coronation church since 1066 and the final resting place of 17 monarchs. It contains a treasury full of paintings, stained glass, pavements, textiles, books and various other artefacts plus the most significant collection of monumental sculptures of the UK. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries in the Abbey’s Triforium opened in June 2018.

This Coronation Chair has been used at every Coronation ceremony since 1308. The Stone, which filled the space below the seat, was returned to Scotland in 1996, but will come back to the Abbey for future coronations.

After this, we hopped onto the Bus again, headed down towards Bond Street where we got off at The Ritz.

High Tea Afternoon Tea in Mayfair | The Wolseley, Piccadilly, London

Our 15-year old has been dreaming of London for a while now. It was sweetly amusing to see how enamored she was with the British accent and kept practicing it with dad! For her, the highlight of a visit to London would have been High Tea. And so we splurged with a visit to Fortnum & Mason followed by High Tea at The Wolseley, one of London’s oldest restaurants. These restaurants are within walking distance of each other.

At Fortnum and Mason, our 17-year old was able to pick up amazing Beef Wellington, something he had been craving while the 15-year old and the hubby entertained themselves checking out the selection of teas, chocolates and cheese.

The Wolseley, established in 1707 and located in Mayfair in London’s iconic Piccadilly. is an elegant restaurant serving Modern European food & afternoon tea with grand, art deco glamour. We could understand why it’s renowned for it’s art decor, food and truly impeccable service, making it indeed an evening to remember. The server, a Texan transplant to London, went out of his away to make sure this was a special occasion and a memorable evening.

We also walked along Bond Street and Oxford Street, window shopping, checking out the fanciest of cars, and imagining the lives of the Rich and Famous.

We then hopped a car (Uber) that took us over to Harrods.

Harrods is London’s well-known high-end department store. It epitomizes British luxury retail, attracting millions of visitors from around the globe for its selection of world-class, high-end retail shopping. Set in a beautiful historic location on Brompton Road near Knightstbridge London Underground Station, the distinguished department stores boasts seven floors and more than 330 departments. For one of my teenagers, Harrods was all about checking out the shoes – study hard kid!

This brought us to the end of our 3-day visit. The next day, we hopped on the Eurostar to Paris. We’ll be back – London was amazing!

Blueberry Banana bread

Leave a comment January 16, 2023 Sherylann

Thick slices to have on their own or with a cup of tea. Chock-full of antioxidant rich blueberries, potassium laden bananas, this yogurt-moistened, blueberry banana bread recipe is a keeper.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour + 1 tablespoon to coat the blueberries
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter softened
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (can substitute frozen although bread will be streaked blue)
Butter or cooking spray to grease 9*5 loaf pan

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Grease the loaf pan with butter or cooking spray and set aside.

Wash and pace the blueberries in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of flour and toss to coat.

In a mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, yogurt, vanilla, and add the mashed banana to it. Mix the banana in well.

Slowly add in the try ingredients, mixing till it is all moist. Slowly blend in the blueberries.

Gently drop the mix to the greased loaf pan.

Place in the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool the bread for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack; remove the bread from pan.

Cool completely on wire rack before cutting.

Highlights of the Louvre with teens!

Leave a comment January 14, 2023 Sherylann

The Louvre is one of the most well-known museums in the world. It’s extensive and you can easily spend a day or two or more, especially if you are a history buff. But since our two teens were more interested in IG (Instagrammable) moments, and wanted mostly the highlights, we charted out a path that was no more than a couple of hours and took us through the the must-see things in the Louvre (as identified by these teens).

Since we had arrived the previous evening in Paris, and were staying a stone throw’s away from the Louvre, we stopped by. The lights are simply beautiful and we were able to snag some amazing pictures.

First let’s start with what we know about the Louvre. The Louvre is a national museum in Paris, France. An iconic palace, it is one of the most visited sites in Paris. The building started with being a military fort built by Philip II in the 12th century. Francis I had the fort torn down and replaced with a palace for the royal family. He named his new home the Louvre, a name that has stuck. Subsequent kings continued to add buildings around the main building.

So, now let’s get moving.

Quick tips that worked for us: It’s best to get to the Louvre using a timed entry pass. We bought it online and arrived 15 minutes prior to the time on the ticket but even then there were long queues. Had we not bought a ticket ahead of time, it would have been worse. There are also three entrances to the Louvre. Most people will head to the glass pyramid entrance, but you can also enter through Porte des Lions or Le Carrousel du Louvre, and they are usually not as busy. Now, get an audio guide or tour guide. Have a plan, get a map (free at the info desk) and plan out your must-do sights. Time-box yourself – so much to see, lots to walk around and kids get bored. A plan with a set time limit was the best thing we did. We did carry our passports along since the museums are free for kids under 18. In this case, I wasn’t asked for proof but I’ve heard of friends who were asked to show proof.

Our first stop was to head down to the moat where we saw one of the old walls of the castle that is preserved in the Medieval Louvre. This is the wall facing the city with the support pillar of the drawbridge, the main entrance to the Louvre.

As we looked closely at bricks on the wall, we noticed that quite a few bricks have a symbol on it – a circle, heart, square, etc. That’s because each brickmaker had to account for the number of bricks they made. Tagging each brick by a symbol enabled them to do just that. In those days, a heart didn’t symbolize love, it was no different than a square, circle or similar symbols.

Then we were off to see the statues.

The Sphinx

The Great Sphinx of Tanis is a granite sculpture of a sphinx, whose date may be as early as the 26th century BC. It has the body of a lion and the face of the Pharoah.

Athena – Pallas de Velletri

Our next stop was at Athena. Athena, the daughter of Zeus, is the Greek goddess of crafts, wisdom, and warfare. She was also known as the Goddess of the wise war. The statue in the Louvre is known as the Athena de Velletri Pallas. Pallas is a specific type of marble statue with Athena wearing a helmet. All statues of this type are 1st century Roman copies of a lost Greek bronze.

From here, we moved on to see the statue of Aphrodite.

As you walk through the museum, you will notice that these statues in the museum are all white. When these statues were originally created, they were painted and adorned with jewelry but over time, the paint colors faded or jewelry was looted. It was during the Renaissance that the statues were painted white which is how we see most of them today.

Aphrodite

This statue of Aphrodite has an apple in one hand and there’s a story behind it.

In Greek mythology, both gods and mortals coveted the golden apples the goddess Gaia gave as a wedding present to Hera and Zeus. They were kept in a garden guarded by a hundred-headed dragon that never slept. These apples promised immortality and more to anyone who ate them. Now Eris, the goddess of discord, was very angry at not having been invited to the wedding of Thetis and Peleus, so she took one of the apples and threw it among the guests. On the apple was inscribed, “For the most beautiful of them all”.

Three goddesses saw the apple that Aries had thrown on a table. Hera, Zeus’ wife, Athena, his daughter and Aphrodite, his other daughter. Zeus was asked to intervene, and to decide who was the most beautiful. Of course,he didn’t want to do so he asked a mortal prince, prince Paris to intervene. The three tried to bribe him and he picked Aphrodite swayed by The three goddesses appearing before the shepherd prince, each offering him gifts for favour. He chose Aphrodite, swayed by her promise to bestow upon him Helene, the most beautiful woman, for wife. The subsequent abduction of Helene led directly to the Trojan War and the fall of the city.

Venus de Milo

Venus is the Roman counterpart to Aphrodite. This status is very famous because it was not only the first Greek sculpture to be in the collection and is also one of the best preserved Greek statues in existence. It is said to be as old as 150 years BC. Legend has it that it caused women in the 19th and early 20th century to have unrealistic expectations of body image.

Now, for over a thousand years, temples and statues slowly disappeared as ancient wonders were dismantled and used to build homes. The marble that had been used for certain sculptures made the best lime. Statue and temple marble fragments spent centuries, forgotten in caves. Then, in 1820, French naval ships anchored on the island of Melos (Milo). As Olivier Voutier, a young navy officer with a passion for ancient Greece, walked around what the runes of a theater, he came upon Yorgos Kentrotas, a peasant, who was searching for stones to reinforce the wall around this field. The peasant had just uncovered the upper part of a statue in poor condition but given that he didn’t think it useful, was going to cover it with rubble. However, Olivier, instead dug it out. Despite having no arms, broken knot of the hair and nose, it looked like a remarkable piece and the two continued to look for the rest. Olivier has the statue then assembled, much to the amazement of the officers who had gathered around. There is much debate on how the statue was transported back to France but nevertheless, the statue was delivered to King Louis the XVIII who offered it to the Louvre.

We don’t know who she is. Milo is the name of the island where she was discovered but the features on the arms that would have helped identify her are lost. In ancient Greece, gods took human form and sculptures depicting gods are made taller than human beings. The best materials were also used for gods and there is a serenity radiating from her face while led people to believe she was a goddess. Aphrodite was the only goddess to be naked and this hip position . The hole in the arm was to hold a bracelet in place. Being half-naked, it was speculated that she was probably Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and fertility. Aphrodite being Venud to the Romans, this Greek statue ended up with a Roman name,

The Winged Victory of Samothrace

The Winged Victory of Samothrace, is a Hellensitic-era Greek sculptural masterwork depicting the goddess Nike.

As mentioned in the Louvre, the Greeks had the idea of portraying Victory as a woman, a messenger of Zeus. This monument of Samothrace is the finest representation of that image. The artist wanted to represent the winged messenger, atop the prow of a ship, made of gray marble from the island of Rhodes. The statue itself is made of marble, from white Parian marble.

Nike wears a long garment of a beautiful cloth with folded flaps and a belted beneath the breast. The mantle is slipping from her shoulders and the power of the wind is shown with the drapes on her legs. The torso is not naked but represents her dress with the wind and sea blowing against her.

Victory in Greek is Nike and the brand was inspired by the statue and the name.

After that we entered Gallery of little Versailles.

King Louis XIV, famously identified himself with the sun god Apollo and he had in mind how he wanted to represent that and build out Versailles. But before that, he called on an architect and outlined his vision for Versailles asking to first build this gallery at the Louvre. If that went well, the architect would get to build out Versailles. One may say, the audition went very well as this splendid gallery is a beautiful representation of Louis’ image. The greatest painters, gilders and sculptors of the day worked on it and then worked on the Hall of Mirrors at the Chateau de Versailles.

Today, the Galerie d’Apollon is home to the royal collection of hardstone vessels and the French Crown Jewels. Charles Le Brun, the lead, decorated the vaulted ceiling with paintings of Apollo driving his chariot across the sky. The center of the ceiling shows the sun god’s journey, marking the different times of the day from dawn to night. On the sides, you will be mesmerized with images and symbols of the variations in the sun’s light depicting hours, days, months, seasons, and zodiac signs, giving visual representation to the sun’s power and in turn, the glory of the Sun King, Apollo Dawn to Night. These are surrounded by a whole cosmos of images and symbols of everything that is influenced by variations in the sun’s light and heat (the hours, days, months, seasons, signs of the zodiac and continents). The ‘Gallery of Apollo’, with its lavish carved and painted decoration, gave visual form to the sun’s power over the whole universe, magnifying the glory of the Sun King.

This gallery also houses the French crown jewels. Wow – These are the daily utensils of King Louis XIV, they had actual jewels in it. The small diamond in the picture below was installed on Napoleon’s sword

Mona Lisa and the Wedding Feast at Cana

From there we had to the most famous of them all – The Mona Lisa. Beware, there are always lines, and it can take as long as 45 minutes to see the beguiling Mona Lisa. Of the 5 paintings by Da Vinci in the Louvre, only one has millions lining up for it. Is it worth it? What do you think?

Now, before you get to the Mona Lisa, while we were waiting in queue to see the Mona Lisa, we looked around. The room is filled with magnificent paintings, the biggest painting of which is Veronese’s monumental Wedding Feast at Cana. For those not familiar with this biblical story, it’s the first miracle of Jesus where he turned water into wine. At the wedding, towards the end of the feast, the wine was over. Mary, the mother of Jesus, asked him to help. Jesus reluctantly stepped in and asked servants to fill jugs with water and He transformed the water into wine, the best one served at that wedding.

Now the Mona Lisa: Let’s start with who she is and why did she get so famous?

A silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo commissioned Leonardo Da Vinci to paint a portrait of his wife, Lisa Gherardini, aka Madonna -Madam- Lisa del Giocondo, shortened to Madonna Lisa del Giocondo, and eventually, shortened into Mona Lisa. As the story goes, Madam Lisa had just lost her baby, and Da Vinci took it upon himself to make her smile but he wasn’t satisfied with the result. As a result, Leonardo never delivered the painting to Francesco and Lisa. He kept it, kept improvising it and took it with him to France. Upon his death, his assistant sold the painting to the King of France. Through his expression of his ideal vision, he ended up giving an unassuming woman the nobility of a lady of high rank, and the majesty of a Virgin Mary. The smile is something that Da Vinci has captured in his other paintings too – whether it’s the Virgin Mary smiling lovingly at the infant Jesus in her arms or John the Baptist smiling widely, the smile is there is most of his paintings, although the enigmatic smile is attributed to the circumstances while the portrait of Madam Lisa was being painted. You’ll also note that this painting is not on canvas but is actually on wood panels.

Besides this being Da Vinci’s painting, why did this get so famous?

On a quiet morning in August 1911, a weekly closure day for the Louvre, a man entered unnoticed into the Louvre. He had worked here before, putting glass into frames and knew his way around. He wasn’t happy these Italian paintings were in France and was determined to take them back. Vincenzo Peruggia realized that most of the paintings were way too big, with the exception of the Mona Lisa. He seized it and quickly took it out of the frame and slid it under his jacket. The next morning, the theft was noticed when a painter who was supposed to paint a copy of the Mona Lisa found it missing. The police scoured the city for clues including searching the apartment of Peruggia, a known thief, who had left a thumb-print behind but the police missed finding the painting.

Days after the theft, a contest for eccentric stories started. A newspaper interviewed Mona Lisa; others speculated that it must be a ‘crime of passion.’ Or that Arsène Lupin was involved. Movies and popular songs poked fun at the whole thing. Newspapers offered financial rewards for information leading to the painting. For over two years, the Louvre ran daily ads in the newspaper. All that publicity led to the Mona Lisa becoming such a famous painting – any other painting would have likely received the same publicity.

For two years, it stayed hidden until Peruggia decided to sell the painting to antique dealers in Italy who were offering good prices for art. With the painting hidden in the bottom of a trunk, Peruggia crossed the border to Florence. There the merchant he was negotiating with contacted the Italian authorities and Peruggia was arrested. He was given a lenient sentence as he claimed he was trying to return it to Italy believing Napoleon stole it.

And some other questions that often get asked:

Why this this painting so small? It is not small. Au contraire, it is the biggest portrait that Leonardo has ever painted. Like all portraits, it is roughly life size.
Do her eyes really look at you? If a painter can turn a few drops of color into living eyes, it can provide an an opening into someone’s soul and looks like the eyes follow you. It’s a myth that they eyes are following you
, then the painting is most likely a masterpiece

We took our time and enjoyed the painting. Ignoring the hype and the mystique and the stories around it. We had to let the beauty of the painting sink in.

The Grande Galerie

Dozens of Italian Masterpieces hang in this Grande Galerie at the Louvre, a hot-spot to see majestic paintings. The Grande Galerie was built at the end of the 16th century to link two royal palaces: the Louvre and Tuileries and runs parallel to the Seine.

One of the masterpieces in that corridor, is the Coronation of Emperor Napoleon and Empress Josephine. This painting is a contradiction of both history and fiction. It was ordered by Emperor Napoleon to establish his power. The Pope was supposed to crown him but Napoleon believed he was above the church and everyone so he took the crown from the Pope and placed it on his own head and then placed it on the queen. While the painting is supposed to represent the coronation of Napoleon, it shows Napoleon crowning the queen while the Pope looks on disgusted and mad.

This painting is full of factual error. In the balcony, you see a woman sitting who is Napoleon’s mother. But Napoleon’s mother lived in Corsica, and didn’t attend the coronation and she knew her son was going to disrespect the Pope, and she didn’t want to be a part of that. His mother also didn’t like Napoleon’s wife, Josephine who was older than Napoleon. In the painting, Josephine looks so young but she was 43 and didn’t want to look older than Napoleon and so she asked the artist to make her look younger. The exact same picture is also in Versailles. In the original painting, the sisters and cousins of Napoleon are also depicted in the same dress. But one of the women paid the painter to redo it with her wearing a pink dress and you’ll see that version in Versailles.

Now our last stop of the day is to see Alexander the Great

Alexander III of Macedon created one of the largest empires of the ancient world in little over a decade. According to the website historyextra.com, after suppressing his enemies on home soil, Alexander moved quickly to reassert Macedonian power in Greece and to conquer the Persian empire, achieving victories across the Persian territories of Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt without suffering a single defeat.

The next eight years of campaigning saw him create an empire that stretched across three continents and covered around two million square miles – south into Egypt and as far east as the Indian Punjab.

He was undefeated in battle and is widely considered one of history’s most successful military commanders – but died in his prime at Babylon in June 323 BC, just before his 33rd birthday.

Now that brought us to the end of the tour. There was still plenty to see within the Louvre. There are so many works of art. But our kid wanted to visit the Paris Saint Germain stadium, so we wandered a little bit more through some of the other galleries. The one with all the Islamic artifacts reminded us of our visit to Istanbul. When we were done, we stepped out and took a break in Jardin de Tuileries, a public garden located between the Louvre and Place de La Concorde before heading out to the football stadium and the home of Messi.

Korean Ground Turkey

Leave a comment January 10, 2023 Sherylann

Sweet, sour, spicy come together for a delicious flavor profile in this Korean Ground Turkey recipe. This dish has become a comfort food for the kids. Combine it with a bowl of steaming Jasmine rice, a side of broccoli, carrot sticks and edamame beans and viola, a perfectly healthy, flavorful meal at your fingertips.

This is a perfect weeknight dinner as it is ready under 15 minutes. This recipe is often made with beef but I substitute turkey or chicken for a lean option.

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey or any lean ground meat
1/4 cup soya sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp siracha sauce (or to taste)
1/2 tsp dry red chili flakes
3 large cloves of garlic, chopped fine
1 tbsp ginger, chopped fine
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp roasted white sesame seeds for garnish
1/4 cup finely sliced green onions for garnish

Method

1. In a frying pan, heat the oil. When hot, add in the red chili flakes, ginger and garlic. Stir fry on medium heat for a minute

2. Add in the ground meat, frying it well, breaking the meat into crumbles over medium heat, until it is no longer pink

3. Add in the soya sauce, brown sugar and Sriracha, mixing it well, until it is well combined. Let it simmer for 2 minutes

4. Serve on a bed of hot rice, garnished with the sesame seeds and green onions. Add a side of vegetables like sweet pepper strips, cucumber slices, steamed edamame beans, broccoli, green beans or carrot sticks

BBQ Pork (Char Siu) Board

Leave a comment December 30, 2022 Sherylann

This Asian-twist to a Charcuterie board is a veritable feast on a tray! With Charcuterie boards being all the rage, why not try something different? I’ve made a grazing board a couple of times now using this BBQ board and my guests/hosts have appreciated it being different, but they loved the taste as well.

Method: Click here to make the Char Siu following this recipe

Time: 10 minutes not including the time to make the Char Siu

Servings: 10-15 people as an appetizer (along with other appetizers)

Ingredients:

2 Warm crusted French Bread
Fillings (4 cups char siu slices)
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup rice vinegar (sub apple cider vinegar)
1/2 cup sugar
Salt to taste
3/4 cup julienned carrots
3/4 cup julienned radish (daikon or regular)
3/4 cup cucumber cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup cilantro sprigs
1/4 cup thinly sliced jalapenos, optional
1/2 cup mayo with Sriracha sauce mixed in, if you like it spicy

Method:

Slice and keep aside 4 cups of char siu slices in 1-2 serving bowls that will fit on your charcuterie board or arrange them on the board
Mix the warm water, vinegar, sugar and salt until the sugar is completely dissolved. Divide the mixture into three small separate serving bowls and add the carrots to one bowl, radish to the next and cucumber to the third bowl. Best to let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving
Mix the Sriracha sauce with the mayo and place in a small serving bowl on the charcuterie board
Cut the French bread into thin slices (preferable on a bias) and arrange on the charcuterie board
Place cucumber springs and jalapeno slides either on the board or in a small serving bowl
Guest will lather slices of the bread with the mayo and layer it with meat and vegetables for a delectable treat (makes it a deconstructed Banh-Mi sandwich!)
Manger!

Rum Balls / Walnut Fudge Balls

Leave a comment December 23, 2022 Sherylann

A popular Christmas treat, these simple and yet, decadent rum balls are a quick, easy add to our Christmas treat or to our Kuswar. Kuswar, derived from the Portuguese term consoada, means dinner served on Christmas eve. It’s a set of Christmas sweets prepared by the Catholics in India during Christmas. On Christmas day, after mass, we’d take plates of Christmas sweet – rum balls, marzipan, rose kookies, kulkuls, biscuits, gauva cheese and more – all homemade and exchange treats with our neighbors. Now living in the US, we have tried to keep the tradition going. We often have carol-singing parties followed by a Kuswar exchange. This easy-to-make treat is a decadent add to the Kuswar plate.

1 minute prep time, 1 minute in the microwave, let it cool a couple of minutes, form the rum balls and before you know it, you have a delicious treat on hand!

Time: 10 minutes Servings: 50-60 rum balls

Ingredients:

1 14oz condensed milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons Spiced Rum (feel free to add more if you’d like to up the alcohol content) – avoid alcohol, if you’d like
1 tablespoon butter (to coat palms to form the balls)
1/4 cup tiny walnut pieces

Method:

Prep a sheet of parchment paper by rubbing a spoon of hardened butter over the sheet – this will prevent the fudge from sticking to the sheet later.
In a microwave-safe dish pour the condensed milk and then stir in the chocolate chips.
Place the dish in the microwave and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir the contents until the chips and condensed milk is well blended and smooth. Stir in the rum.
Microwave in 15 second increments incase the chips are not melted as the duration varies by the microwave.
Pour the contents of the dish on the parchment paper. Place in the fridge to cool or cool on the countertop.
When cool to touch, coat palms with butter and take teaspoon full of fudge and roll into a ball on the palm of your hand. Top with a tiny piece of walnut, similar to the picture
Place the balls in an airtight bowl to store, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

4-minute Fudge!!

Leave a comment December 22, 2022 Sherylann

Seriously??!! Yes, 1 minute prep time, 1 minute in the microwave, let it cool a couple of minutes, slice and serve. In less than 4 minutes you have fudge…delicious, finger-licking and decadent fudge! Want to make it festive, follow the tip at the bottom of the page.

Time: Under 4 minutes

Ingredients:

1 14oz condensed milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

Prep a sheet of parchment paper by rubbing a spoon of hardened butter over the sheet – this will prevent the fudge from sticking to the sheet later.
In a microwave-safe dish pour the condensed milk and then stir in the chocolate chips.
Place the dish in the microwave and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir the contents until the chips and condensed milk is well blended and smooth.
Microwave in 15 second increments incase the chips are not melted as the duration varies by the microwave.
Pour the contents of the dish on the parchment paper. Place in the fridge to cool or cool on the countertop.
When cool to touch, cut into squares to serve.
Place the squares in an airtight bowl to store, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

Tip: Want to make it festive? Add two tablespoons of spiced rum (or more, to taste) after step 3 and stir into the melted chips/condensed milk. When slightly cool to touch, coat palms with butter and take teaspoon full of fudge and roll into a ball on the palm of your hand. Top with a tiny piece of walnut, similar to the picture below. You can make 50-60 balls.

Nankhatai (Indian shortbread biscuits)

Leave a comment December 19, 2022 Sherylann

Gearing up for Christmas? This is an easy to make, rich, and such a pretty add to your Christmas platter. This one is from mum’s recipe book and also one that Nilesh’s mom makes each year.

Makes about 30-40 nankhatais

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup ghee/ clarified butter
10 green cardamon (remove the outer covering and crush the seeds)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Optional: for garnish – edible silver balls, chopped pistachios, or candied fruit

Method

Sieve the flour and sugar into a mixing bowl. Mix in the baking powder and cardamon powder
Add the ghee and knead to prepare a soft dough. Do not add water
Wrap the dough in a Saran/plastic wrap tightly and keep it aside for 4-6 hours or overnight. No need to refrigerate
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. In the meantime, line a baking tray with parchment paper
Optional step: should you wish to make colorful nankhatai, split the dough into smaller chunks and add color to each chunk, kneading the color in until desired color is reached and it is well blended
Make small balls from the dough and in the center, add a silver ball or a piece of pistachio nut or a tiny piece of candied fruit for garnish to the top of the ball, pressing gently to stick it to the ball
Place the balls on a tray about an inch apart and place the tray in the oven
Bake for 12-15 mins until the cookies are golden. The timing will vary depending on your container, oven, etc. Remove the tray from the oven and place cookies on a wire tray to cool. Otherwise you can leave it on the baking tray but the bottoms will continue to brown
Place in an air-tight container. Will stay for 3 weeks
Enjoy!!

Falooda

Leave a comment December 18, 2022 Sherylann

Falooda is a quintessential summer drink in India. It has a lot of resemblance to the popular drink Boba. Made with layers of rose syrup, basil seeds, creamy milk, vermicelli, ice cream and jello, it will keep you thirsting for more!

While my mom made this frequently at home, the highlight of a trip to Mumbai was a visit to Badshah’s, in Crawford Market where their Falooda was to die for. That was her favorite restaurant and now a trip to Mumbai with our kids always includes that stop!

Servings: 6. Time: 15-30 mins including the time to soak the seeds but not including the time to set the optional jello

Ingredients

3 cups – Chilled milk
1 packet Falooda sev (looks like yellow thin noodles) usually found in an Indian grocery store
2 tbsp – Subja/Takmuria seeds (optionally use chia seeds). Subja seeds are good for digestion and found in Indian grocery stores
1 cup – Rose syrup (Sharbat Rooh Afza bottle) or more to meet the desired sweetness
6 scoops Vanilla or Strawberry ice cream or a flavor of choice
1 packet Jello – strawberry flavor (optional)

Method

If using Jello, make it as per the instructions on the box and refrigerate to set.
Cook the Falooda sev per the instructions on the packet or follow these instructions. In a cooking vessel, add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the Falooda sev/noodles and boil for 7 minutes, remove from the stove, drain the water and then add 3 cups of cold water and keep aside the cooked sev.
In another bowl, soak the subja seeds in 3 cups of water for 30 minutes. You will notice the seeds plump up.
Take 6 glasses in which you intend serving the Falooda. Pour a half cup of milk into each glass.
To each cup, add in 1/8th cup (2 tbsp) of the rose syrup to each glass and stir until blended. You can always add more syrup for desired sweetness.
Add in 2 tablespoons of jello along with 2 tablespoons of sev and 2 teaspoons of sabja seeds, in each cup.
Serve with two scoops of icecream into each cup.
Slurp!!

Semolina (Cream of Wheat) porridge

Leave a comment December 11, 2022 Sherylann

Semolina, or suji as it is known in India, is made from durum wheat, and not highly refined or processed. It is a good source of healthy carbs, protein and fiber. Also popularly known by the brand name Cream of Wheat, this is a healthy and quick breakfast option. As shared by a report in Times of India, semolina not only helps in providing instant energy but also boosts your metabolism in the longer run. Due to the presence of iron, it helps in regulating and maintaining a normal blood pressure level in the body. It improves blood circulation and prevents anemia. The best part about this gritty grain is that it doesn’t contain any cholesterol, thus, it can be a good staple for people with cardiovascular diseases.

Both Nilesh and I had this as a breakfast option before school and when Nilesh’s parents would visit from India, they looked forward to Papa making it for them both before and after school. Even now, it is a nice breakfast or after-school option especially on cold days!

Time: 10 minutes. Servings: 2

Ingredients

3 tablespoons suji
1/2 tablespoon sugar (or more to taste)
Pinch of salt
2 cups milk

Method

In a heavy bottomed vessel, add the semolina and place on the stove on low heat
Roast semolina on low heat, stirring continuously to prevent the suji from burning. Should take a minute or so, and you will notice the aroma of the roasted suji. Make sure it doesn’t burn
When the semolina is roasted, add the milk to the vessel along with the sugar and salt, and stir until well combined
Raise flame to medium heat and keep stirring until the porridge thickens to desired consistency. We like it more liquid in texture so I keep stirring it for about 5 minutes
When the desired consistency is reached, remove the vessel from the flame and pour the porridge into a cup or bowl.

Enjoy!

Kalakhand – An Indian Milk Sweet

Leave a comment November 29, 2022 Sherylann

Kalakhand, is the Indian version of milk cake, oozing with the goodness of milk, sugar and nuts.

Now there’s “easy” and there’s “too much effort” when it comes to making desserts. This one has gone from “too time-consuming” to “goodness me, how is something so easy, so delicious?!”. Try it, I’ve had many folks ask me for this recipe because it is just so delicious and they also couldn’t believe how easy it is to make.

Come December, my mom, grandmother, and all the aunties we knew would get busy with preparing for Christmas. They’de slave over the stove, or oven for hours. Gauva cheese, dodhol (a Goan jaggery sweet), marizpan- all delicious but oh so time consuming. Here I’ve found shortcuts and this particular dessert takes away the hours you’d need stirring milk on the stove to just minutes in the microwave.

Prep time: 5 minutes, Cook time: 18 minutes, Set time: 1 hour

Servings: approximately 20 pieces

Ingredients:

15 oz Ricotta cheese
14oz Condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon Rose water
1/4 teaspoon Cardamom powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped Almonds or almond slivers

Method:

In a microwave safe rectangular dish, mix the Ricotta Cheese and the Condensed Milk well. Make sure there are no lumps, mashing them with the back of a spoon or using a whisk
Place the dish in the microwave, uncovered and cook for 5 minutes
Remove from microwave and stir the contents well, making sure you loosen the edges
Place the dish back in the microwave, uncovered, and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the microwave, stir
Microwave for 2 minutes, covered. Take out and stir
Now place back in the microwave, cross cover the dish and microwave for 2 minutes. Then remove and stir
Microwave for another 6 minutes, uncovered taking out and stirring every 2 minutes
Once done, add in the Cardamom powder and rose water and stir well again
Evenly flatten the mix into the dish, spreading and flattening it
Sprinkle chopped Almonds on top of the mix and press them down to help them stick to the top of the dessert
Cover the dish and place in the bridge, setting it for atleast an hour.
Remove and cut into squares before serving

Cluster beans (gawar)

Leave a comment November 13, 2022 Sherylann

A simple, healthy dish made with cluster beans or gawar phali as it’s commonly known in India.

Cluster Beans are a legume, also known as gavar, gawar, or guvar beans, often available in fresh and frozen forms at an Indian grocery store. Not only is it high in fiber, it is said to help with resolving anemia issues and building stronger bones. Why not give this simple recipe a try and add this recipe to your list of side dishes?

Time: 20 minutes Servings: 4

Ingredients

300 grams gawar phali / cluster beans
1 small onion, diced fine
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon carrom seeds (ajwain)
2 tomatoes, finely diced
3 pods garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon haldi (turmeric) powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon dhania powder (coriander)
2 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped (hari dhania)

Method:

In a pan, heat the oil. Add the carrom seeds and let it splutter, and then add the onion, ginger and garlic. Cook till the onions are translucent.
Add the tomatoes, chili powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder. Saute on medium flame, until the tomatoes are mushy.
Add salt to taste, one-third cup water, cover and cook on medium flame for about 12 minutes. Remove the lid and sprinkle the coriander leaves.
Serve hot with chapatis

Mango custard with fruit

Leave a comment November 12, 2022 Sherylann

Fruit salad with custard. It was a given that when you went for Goan party, dessert would include a fruit salad with custard. In my home, it’s now a nice option for when the kids want a quick snack. Use low fat milk, let the fruit sweeten the sugar, and now you have a healthy snack or even breakfast option!

Custard, a creamy milk dish, was traditionally made with milk, cream and eggs. Today, the fastest (and eggless way) to make this is by using custard powder. I often buy Brown & Polson’s custard powder, as that’s what I remember my mom and grandma using. It’s easily available in Indian grocery stores and is a quick option for when the kids want something for a snack or a dessert when guests swing by. The addition of milk and a variety of chopped fruits give it a ton of nutritional benefits. For a twist, I will use unsweetened mango pulp for mango-flavored custard. I hope this becomes a regular at your home too.

Ingredients

1/4 cup custard powder ( I use Brown & Polson vanilla custard powder)
2 cups 1% milk (3 cups milk, if you don’t want to make a mango custard but prefer a vanilla custard)
1 cup unsweetened mango pulp (omit if you just want a vanilla custard and increase milk to a total 3 cups)
2 tablespoons sugar ( or reduce it to 1 tablespoon and let the fruit sweetness take centre stage)
Fruit for serving – blueberries, chopped banana, apple, grapes, strawberries, pomegranate arils

Method

In a bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of the milk with the custard powder to form a smooth plaster and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, boil the remaining fill on medium heat. When the milk reaches boiling point, stir in the sugar and the mango pulp.
Turn the heat to low, and add the custard paste and continue stirring until it thickens. The consistency should be almost like a sauce. You don’t want this to burn so continue stirring until it reaches that consistency.
Turn off the heat and cool. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Serve with fresh fruits like blueberries, chopped strawberries, apples, bananas, grapes and pomegranate arils.

Chickpea Cucumber Salad

1 Comment October 11, 2022 Sherylann

A refreshing salad that is healthy and big on taste – perfect as a side salad or grab a bigger portion for a complete meal. This invigorating salad has a zesty taste with a capers, lemon and jalapeno dressing.

Servings: 2 Time: 20 minutes including 10 minutes resting time

Ingredients

1 15 ounce can chick peas, rinsed
1 pound Persian cucumbers
2 medium tomatoes or 16 oz grape tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, for serving
2/3 cup parsley, chopped
1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
1/4 cup red onion, diced finely
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1.5 tbsp capers, drained and chopped alternatively 1.5 tbsp finely chopped dill pickles
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a large bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil and honey together. Add in capers, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk well to combine.
Dice the cucumbers and add to the bowl along with tomatoes, onions, jalapeno and parsley. Toss all the ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes, at least before serving.
Top with feta cheese before serving.

Mediterranean Flatbread (Za’atar flatbread)

Leave a comment September 25, 2022 Sherylann

This past summer, we stopped by Abu Dhabi enroute to India. It was a few days of beautiful sights and the most delicious middle eastern food. The Za’atar on tender bread reminded Nilesh of his days growing up in the middle east. He couldn’t stop talking about those flavors even after a month so this afternoon, we stopped by a Lebanese grocery store, picked up some Za’atar spice and gyros bread and used our home grown tomatoes to make some scrumptious Middle Eastern flatbread.

What’s Za’atar? It’s a herb and spice mix that tastes a bit nutty, savory and crunchy. The herb, originally is a herb called hyssop, although in the US, oregano or thyme replace it. The spices are a combination of sumac, coriander seeds and sesame seeds.

Benefits of Za’atar: In some parts of the middle east, there is a belief that Za’atar makes the mind alert and is also used to prevent or eliminate internal parasites. It’s also known to sooth inflammation, boost skin health and build strong bones. No wonder, Lebanese kids are encouraged to have it for breakfast. You can drizzle it over vegetables, avocado on toast, or mix it up with olive oil for use on a pizza/flatbread.

Cook time: 10 mins. Prep time: 5 mins

Servings: 2

For the pizza

2 pitas or naans
1 large tomato cut into half and then sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Za’atar spice mix

Tahini Sauce for drizzle

1/2 cup Tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
8 tablespoons cold water

Method for Tahini sauce:

Blend all ingredients together to form sauce. Add extra water for desired consistency.

Method for pizza: (Oven/ Foodi/ Air fryer options)

Preheat Foodi or Air Fryer with air fryer option to 375 degree Farenheit or Oven to 400 degrees
Mix Za’atar and olive oil and brush the mix on the pita
Layer tomato slices
Cook in air fryer or over for 10 mins
Remove and drizzle with tahini sauce to serve

Easy, Healthy Granola

Leave a comment September 19, 2022 Sherylann

Granola is an excellent source of fiber and potassium. It’s a magical, delicious mix of oats, nuts, dried fruits and maple syrup or honey. Not only is it beloved by hikers, it’s good for breakfast, a snack, or when mixed in with yogurt and berries, makes for a delicious desert. But store bought granola can be full of artificial sweeteners. Here is a super easy and yet, very healthy granola recipe. It’s sweetness comes from maple syrup (or honey) and the crunch comes from nuts. Make it your own with your choice of nuts.

Servings: 6 cups of granola

Time: 35 minutes including baking time of about 20-22 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats ( or use gluten free oats)
1.5 cups mixed nuts – almonds, walnuts and pecans (you can use your own combination of nuts – cashews, pistachios taste great)
2/3rd cup maple syrup (or honey)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive or coconut oil (I prefer the flavor of coconut oil)
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3rd cup dried cranberries (other dried berries, just watch the sugar in those)
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Method:

Line a large, rimmed baking sheet or pan with parchment paper while preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts, salt, cinnamon powder.
Pour into the mixing bowl the maple syrup(or honey), oil and vanilla essence. Stir to combine so all the oats and nuts are coated.
Evenly layer the mix on the baking sheet and place the sheet in the oven. Set the timer for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, remove sheet/pan from oven and stir the granola so that it browns evenly. Put the sheet back in oven and cook for another 10-12 minutes.
Remove sheet/pan from oven and cool for an hour, as the granola will further crisp.
When cool, mix in the dried cranberry and chocolate chips.
It is now ready to be served or store in an air-tight container.

The best buttercream frosting ever!

Leave a comment September 17, 2022 Sherylann

Growing up, every birthday party had the most delicious and beautiful homemade cakes. I especially remember a cake in the shape of a multi wagon train with goodies in each wagon, and a checkered cake for my 21st birthday. I am so grateful for such a creative and loving mom. I have tried to replicate that for my kids with every birthday being a themed one. As they’ve grown into teens, the themes are no longer there but they still want homemade cakes. And that’s where this buttercream icing has stood the rest of the time. Adults, kids all love it and I will often use a box cake mix (I love Duncan Hines) to save myself time and focus instead on the shape and decoration. This icing makes the cake out of this world.

Time: 10 mins including prep time

Servings: enough for one 9 inch cake

Ingredients

3 sticks salted butter, softened
1/3rd teaspoon salt
1 ½ pounds ( 3 cups or 24 ounces) powdered sugar (confectioner’s), sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

Method:

Soften the butter either in 15 second increments in microwave or by keeping it at room temperature. Butter should be soft but not fully melted. If melted, the frosting will just take a little longer to make.
In a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a standing mixer) add the butter, and beat on low speed with the mixer (hand or stand mixer) for 30 seconds until butter is a little fluffy.
Slowly add in the sugar to bowl and continue to beat on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated.
Add in vanilla, salt and 3 tablespoons milk and continue to beat until fully incorporated. Turn speed to medium and beat for another 5-6 minutes.
If buttercream is too thick, ass in milk one tablespoon at a time to get the desired consistency.
You’re now ready to frost your cake and if your family is like mine, they will be standing around to lick the paddles!

Old-Fashioned Overnight Oats

1 Comment September 11, 2022 Sherylann

Oats are a nutrient-dense food. Per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a half cup of dry, quick-cooking oats, contains about 150 calories, 5 grams of plant protein, 27 grams of carbs, 4 grams of filling fiber, and a few grams of fat. Oats also contain vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, iron, magnesium, zinc, vitamins, and smaller amounts of calcium and potassium. So, why not add them to your food choices? It’s not only a great option to start your day but an easy to have snack during the day. Avoid those sugar-loaded, ready-made Oatmeal packets and try one of these overnight oat recipes or even the warm oat recipes.

This Healthy Old-Fashioned Overnight Oats Recipe is a delicious breakfast that can be prepared easily and ready for a busy morning. Customize with toppings of your choice and you won’t have a reason to skip a healthy, delicious breakfast no matter how crazy your morning can get!

Overnight nights are an easy, no-cook breakfast that you can prep and keep ready for the entire week. Our favorite toppings are walnuts, almonds, banana, maple syrup, peanut butter and granola. You can also try dark chocolate chips, honey, fresh fruit.

Serving Size: 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes plus 8 hours/overnight

Ingredients:

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (or gluten-free oats)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (for vegan – use a plant-based yogurt)
2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional – but super good for you!)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey or sweetener like agave/stevia)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Mix all the ingredients in a large glass container and stir until combined
Cover the container and refrigerate overnight (or atleast 2 hours).
Before serving, give it a stir and add a little more milk, if desired for a thinner consistency. Add toppings and serve!

Jazz up your overnight oats with these other recipes

Apple-cinnamon overnight oats

4 Comments September 10, 2022 Sherylann

Overnight oats are delicious, easy to make and not just a perfect way to start the day but also very healthy! Mix, soak, enjoy!! And if you really don’t like them cold, just pop them into your microwave and heat in 30 second increments until the desired temperature is reached and enjoy!

Chopped apples, cinnamon, maple syrup! What’s not to enjoy!!

Prep time : 8 hours including overnight time

Serving size: 2

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened milk, I prefer unsweetened almond but any milk will do
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or plant-based for a vegan recipe)
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (or gluten-free oats)
2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey or sweetener like stevia
1 tsp vanilla extract, optional
2 teaspoons chia seeds
Pinch of sea salt
Big pinch of cinnamon powder
1/2 a small apple, diced
Toppings like nuts, granola, berries, diced apple and banana

Method

Mix all the ingredients, except for the toppings in a large glass container and stir until combined
Cover the container and refrigerate overnight (or atleast 2 hours).
Before serving, give it a stir and add a little more milk, if desired for a thinner consistency. Add toppings and serve!

Enjoy! Make a bigger batch and it can stay in the fridge for up to 5 days

Try out some other overnight recipes here:

Tropical Mango Banana overnight oats

Leave a comment September 9, 2022 Sherylann

Tropical mango and banana combine to form this delicious, vegan and gluten-free overnight oatmeal breakfast.

Servings: 2

Time: 5 minutes plus 8 hours (overnight)

Ingredients

2/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats (or gluten-free oats)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
3/4 cup Mango pulp (no sugar added)
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (for vegan – use a plant-based yogurt)
2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional – but super good for you!)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey or sweetener like agave/stevia)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 banana mashed
Pinch of salt
Toppings (optional) – banana slices, mango cubes, other fruits like berries, nuts, coconut flakes

Method

Mash banana in a glass container with a lid
Add the remaining ingredients with the exception of the toppings
Stir, cover and refrigerate overnight
Before serving, give it a quick stir and serve garnished with fresh banana slices and mango cubes and other toppings of your choice

Try these other delicious recipes

Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

Leave a comment September 9, 2022 Sherylann

These peanut butter banana overnight oats combine all of your favorite flavors to make the most delicious, high-protein breakfast made in under 5 minutes!

Serving Size: 2

Prep time: 5 minutes plus 8 hours (including overnight time)

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
2/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats (or gluten-free oats)
1 whole banana, mashed
4 tablespoons peanut butter, creamy
2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional – but super good for you!)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Toppings: Crushed peanuts, banana slices, strawberries, dark chocolate morsels and nuts

Method:

Mash banana in a glass container with a lid
Add the remaining ingredients with the exception of the toppings
Stir, cover and refrigerate overnight
Before serving, give it a quick stir and serve garnished with fresh banana slices, dark chocolate morsels, peanuts and other toppings of your choice

Jazz up your overnight oats with these other recipes

Broccoli Beef

Leave a comment September 8, 2022 Sherylann

Why get take out when you can quickly dish up a quintessential Chinese takeout dish in minutes? This one-pan, 30-minutes dish is loaded with tender broccoli and nutrition-packed beef cooked in a delicious sauce. Serve over rice for a delicious meal!

Broccoli Beef originates from a Chinese dish called Gai Lan Chao Niu Rounor or Chinese Broccoli Fried Beef. However, early immigrants could not find Gai Lan in the US, and American broccoli became an easy substitute, right around when broccoli was getting more popular in the US too. Given the ability of the broccoli to absorb delicious flavors of the sauce and the tender slices of beef, it’s no wonder it makes its way onto every Chinese restaurant menu.

Servings: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons cornstarch, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda or tenderize the meat by hammering it with a meat mallet)
1 pound flank steak, cut into 1-inch pieces. (Find the grains of the beef and cut against it. After cutting rinse off the blood and set aside)
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons sesame or vegetable oil, divided
4 cups small broccoli florets
1/4 cup carrot, cut into matchsticks (optional)

Method

In a large bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch with water to form a slurry. Add beef to the bowl and toss until the beef is well coated with the cornstarch mix.
In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch along with soya sauce, oyster sauce, pepper and brown sugar. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan or wok on medium flame. When hot, add the beef and fry the beef on one side for 30-60 seconds. Flip and fry the beef until it is cooked through another 60 seconds. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
Add remaining oil to the pan and when hot, add the diced onions, garlic and ginger and cook for a minute and then add the broccoli florets and carrots. Cook until broccoli is tender, about 4 minutes.
Add the beef back to the pan and pour the sauce over. Stir for another minute until the sauce thickens.
Turn off the stove and serve with a side of rice or noodles.

Chicken with lemon-caper sauce

Leave a comment September 5, 2022 Sherylann

A healthy dish that comes together in a flash for a weeknight dinner but with its restaurant- quality look and flavors it’s perfect for when guests stop by. The tart, briny and lemony flavors will have you licking the plate clean. You may want to double up the servings as you will be craving this again the next day!

Dairy and nut free.

Servings:4

Prep time: 4 minutes. Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup flour (whole wheat or all purpose)
4 – 5oz boneless, skinless /skin-on chicken thighs
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning (preferably no salt)
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
2 tsp olive oil
1.5 tbsp capers, drained
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tsp cornstarch (mix in a quarter cup of water)

Method

In a plate, mix together the flour, black pepper powder, Italian seasoning. Coat chicken with the flour mixture, and shake off excess.

In a skillet, heat oil, on medium flame. When hot, add garlic, and cook garlic for 30 seconds.

Add the chicken to the pan and cook. After 5 minutes, turn chicken over, and continue cooking until brown on both sides and cooked through for another 5 minutes. Should take about 10 minutes to cook on both sides. Remove from skillet and set aside

Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring to a boil. Add in the water and the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch water mix). Continue cooking for about 2-3 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Add chicken back to the skillet, cover and simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in lemon juice, capers and parsley. Turn off the stove. Divide amongst four plates, spooning the sauce over the chicken.

Serve chicken in lemon-caper sauce with a side of beans and mashed potatoes! Yum!!

Kheema – ground turkey, beef or chicken

Lentils with spinach – dal palak