Almond Nankatai

The world is going through one of the worst crisis of our times. The COVID-19 has taken toll in everyones lives in one way or the another. Everyone is at home trying to stay safe and keeping their loved ones safe. However, one positive way to look at it is- We all now have ample family time to do that craft with the family that we wanted to do, to play games with the kids, to create that art project, to pursue that hobby that we look forward to, to develop a new skill that otherwise got pushed to the back in our busy lifestyles.

For me, amongst the most satisfying and gratifying thing is that, I am able to help the community through the COVID-19 efforts through my work place and through some personal efforts along with my husband to show a small gesture of gratitude to the healthcare workers, who are the real heroes and fighting on the frontlines. Another bright side is that I am able to pick up on my cooking and blogging hobby again which had become a rare opportunity amidst the busy lifestyle! So expect new stream of posts over the next few days:)

I baked these Almond Nankatai yesterday. These delicious nankatai cookies have a distinctive almond flavor and are packed with protein due to the almonds (There is more almond powder in the recipe than the flour!) 😋

• Recipe: (Makes about 25-30 cookies) 

1 and 1/4 cup Almond powder
1 cup Powdered sugar
3/4 cup All purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup milk (may need little less)
1 tsp Vanilla essence
1 tsp Baking powder 

Preheat oven to 250F. Apply little butter to baking sheets. 

1) Mix / fold the butter till smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix well by folding.
2) Add vanilla essence, powdered almonds, Flour, Baking powder and mix. Add milk little by little to the batter. Batter will be slightly sticky but not too loose. (Don’t use all milk if not needed! )
3) Place small dollops of batter on baking sheet. Flatten with buttered hands. Put some almond slices on top.
4) Bake at 250F for 30-45 mins till golden brown.
Don’t let the cookies burn! They remain light on top and golden brown on the bottom.

** Oven and baking sheets can vary. So baking time may have to be adjusted slightly accordingly. 

5) Remove when golden brown and let them cool completely before storing in airtight container. Enjoy with the little ones/ loved ones :)

*****More Nankatai Recipes: 

http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/search/label/Nankatai…

Oatmeal-Chocolate-Almond Cookies

At home, anything made with 'Oats' is frowned upon by everyone except me ;0
But to my surprise.... these cookies are a WINNER ! They have been liking it and munching on them with a smile on their faces. Being made with oatmeal and whole wheat flour.....a sure score for me!

When I looked up few recipes of oatmeal cookies, I was under the impression that Oats cookies are usually on the softer side of the texture. But these ones turned out Crunnnchy!! How can anyone not like this Chocolaty-Nutty-Crunchy yumminess!!

I combined a bunch of recipes to get this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Makes about 35-40 cookies)

3.5 cups quick oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose four
1 and 3/4th cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup slivered / chopped almonds
2 whole eggs
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp salt

1 tsp  baking powder 
1/2 tsp baking soda

Method:

1) Pre heat oven to 350 F. Slightly butter 2 large cookie baking sheets.
2) With electric mixer or hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.Add the eggs, vanilla and beat/cream some more.
3) Sift the flour,salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder.Add to the creamed mixture and mix. Add the oatmeal and mix till combined.
4) Scoop the cookie batter onto baking sheets or form into flat rounds with hand and place onto cookie sheet. Press chopped/ slivered almonds on top.

5) Bake at 350 F for 12-14 mins until crisp. Remove from oven and let it cool on baking sheets.

Enjoy the crispy crunchy wholesome cookie!

"Whole Wheat" Almond and Chocolate Chip Cookies

I agree to Lisa Leake, from "100 Days of Real Food" : There is "Traditional Junk Food" Versus "Artificial Factory made Junk Food". At home, even if you bake with things like butter, all purpose flour, sugar...which most don't consider 'healthy'....you still are doing much better than eating a cookie from a store with 20 ingredients/ additives/ chemicals...you can't spell and don't know what they do to your body.

 And then there is that 'concept' that processed foods have built into us. For eg: a store bought bread...is extra fluffy ..soft ...looks 'picture perfect'. But a bread baked at home...may not come out as "picture perfect' and fluffy and soft. Well...at the factory they added all those conditioners and other chemical additives to make your bread that way. At home...you are eating "pure"....a bread..like bread should be!! But in our minds..the texture and 'look' of bread is "like the store bought"...

So....Spring break started and we needed some 'activity' to keep the Lil' ones busy!

We managed to bake a 'Healthier Version" of  Chocolate Chip Cookies!!!

Ingredients:(Makes 24 cookies)
 1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Almond powder
1/2 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Stick unsalted butter (slightly cold)
2eggs
1/3 cup Chocolate chips
1/3 cup Peanut butter chips(optional- you can double the chocolate chips and leave out peanut butter chips)
1/2tsp Baking soda
1/2tsp vanilla extract
1/4tsp salt

Method:
1)  Sieve together whole wheat flour,all purpose flour, salt and baking soda.
2) Beat the butter with electric beater for 3-4 mins until creamy.This is important!!Add sugar and eggs and beat for another minute or so.Add the vanilla extract and mix.
3) Add the sieved flours,almond powder and beat till blended.
4) Add the chocolate and peanut chips and mix

5) Chill the batter in refrigerator for 15-20 mins. Pre- heat the oven to 375F.
6) Place spoonfuls of batter onto a ungreased cookie sheet. For 'better looking' cookie..make the batter into rounds and press.I just leaved the batter as is.

7) Bake for 8-10 mins till golden. Do not let them burn on bottom.Let them cool.

 The cookies will puff up, are crisp on the bottom, little soft in center and delicioussss ....as cookies should be:))

"Coconut-Almond-Wheat Bran" Butter cookies

Every morning, before going to school, all 'E' has is....'Milk and Cookies'. Now which cookies you ask....not the 'healthy' kind I say. Oreo, Pepperidge farm Milanos and Chocolate chip (store bought) are his favorite kinds. Every now and then...I strive (yes that's the right word) to make him eat a 'bit' healthier homemade cookie.But most of the times, it is in vain. He will try one..and then he is back to what he likes.Same with "A'...I have to feed her a cookie (like I feed her Roti) with Great Effort!! But like all 'moms' are...I am very persistent....I will keep on trying...to bake a healthier cookie that they will like :))  
This is another one ....a 'tad bit' healthier version of a butter cookie.

Ingredients:
1 Cup All purpose flour
1 Cup Powdered sugar (heaped full cup)
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp unsalted butter (that is total of 9 tbsp butter)
1/2 cup Dry powdered coconut
1/4 cup Powdered Almonds
1/4 cup unprocessed Wheat bran
1/4 tsp Baking powder
1tsp Vanilla essence
Mini chocolate chips and chopped almonds for garnish

 Method:
Preheat the oven to 300F 
1) Bring butter to room temperature. Sieve the all purpose flour and baking powder.
2) Beat the butter till light( you can beat with a hand whisk) Add the powdered sugar and beat for few seconds.
3) Add the coconut powder, almond powder,wheat bran, all purpose flour, vanilla etc and make into a soft dough.
4) Refrigerate the dough for 15 mins.
5) Butter a cooking sheet. Make small round balls with the dough and flatten them slightly. Press almond chips/ chocolate chips in the center.
6) Bake at 300 F for 15-20 mins. Keep a watch. Do not let them brown much.
7) Let them cool completely before storing.

You will enjoy  every bite of these crisp,nutty Cookies with a little bit of 'less' guilt:)

"Sweet Treats"- Besan Nankatai/ Besan Cookies

 There was a BIG pack of 'besan'/ Gram flour lying around in the pantry...and a friend had reminded about 'Besan Nankatai's" just last week. My 'Teeny Tiny" A'...is on a High calorie diet..and I am always looking for foods..that are high calorie, rich in nutrients and relatively healthy for her. These 'Nankatai's....are sure a winner in this category!!! I had baked All purpose flour nankatai's before...and are still my most favorite..
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2010/04/sweet-treats-nankatai-indian-sugar.html

It is kind of hard to cater 3 different diets in the family. 'M' and I need low calorie diet.......because guess what......nobody is getting any thinner :(   Little 'E' needs to eat normal diet...as he needs all the fat,nutrients and calories for his growing body. And then there is little tiny 'A'..she has been low on the weigh scale and the doctor asked us to give her a 'High Calorie' diet!! So..here I am ..the Master Personal Chef of 'Thetes'....catering an array of diets at home!

Ingredients:
Recipe Guidance from:
http://www.cinnamonnchillies.com/2011/03/besan-cookieschickpea-flour-cookies.html
1 stick unsalted room temperature butter
1 Cup Besan/ Gram flour
1 Cup powdered sugar
1/2tsp Baking powder
1tsp Vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
Chopped nuts for garnish

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 300 F/ 150C.
2) Lightly butter a cookie sheet
3) Cream together the butter, vanilla and sugar till light and fluffy with a hand mixer.
4) Sieve the Besan, baking powder,salt.Add to the cream butter sugar mixture.
5) Knead into soft dough.Make little 'Pedha' like balls.Press them a little.
6) Place on cookie sheet and press chopped nuts on top.Or make 'Tic tac toe like pattern"

7) Bake at 300 F for 12-15 mins ..until slight brown on bottom.Cool the cookies.

**My First attempt at Besan Nankatai ---Verdict
The cookies looked excellent....they tasted good too....they had the 'hole' in them too....But..they were a little bit 'chewy'...not the texture of the typical nankatai...

"Sweet Treats"- Thumbprint Cookies

Aren't they gorgeous? So pretty....... but yet so simple to make!

Couple weeks ago, 'N' made these for the tea party.They looked cute as a button and I couldn't wait to try them out.'N' had used Ina Garten's recipe, but I made mine with a twist....
I made mine along with Flax seed meal and Wheat germ(that's why you see those brown specks in the cookies) and made two toppings- Strawberry jam and the other Peanut butter with Honey and a dark chocolate chip tucked in.

Here goes the recipe:
Ingredients:
1.5 cup All purpose flour
1/8 cup Wheat germ(you can skip this and add all purpose flour instead or Almond powder)
1/8 cup Flax seed meal(you can skip this and add all purpose flour instead or Almond Powder)
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4tsp salt
1tsp Vanilla essence
1 egg
1tbsp orange juice/ Water

Topping:
Strawberry jam
OR
Peanut butter mixed with honey + chocolate chips

Method:
1) Bring butter to room temperature. Cream sugar and butter with hand mixer.
2) Add the egg and mix again.
3)Add all the other ingredients and mix till blended.

4) Wrap in plastic wrap and chill the dough in refrigerator for 1 hour
5) Preheat the oven to 350F

6)Make small rounds of equal size.Press in the center with your thumb/pointer finger/ melon baller

 

7) Bake the cookies at 350F for 10 mins.

8) Place a little Strawberry jam/ Peanut butter+honey+ chocolate chip in the center of the cookies

9) Bake again at 350F for 8 mins.Take cookies out.Then turn the oven to OFF.After about 10 mins of the oven cooling,place the cookies back in for 8 mins(Oven is off)This 'low heat' baking helps the cookies to crisp up.Do not let them brown. Cool before storing.

"Nutritious and Delicious"- A cookie with Goodness- Chocolate Almond Cookies

Want to eat your Cookie and feel good about it too? You are at the right place!! In my mania of ' eating good foods'...here is one more recipe I tried last week.

The cookies came out chocolaty, nutty, fulfilling and tasted delicious.They had a unique texture....not chewy...not crispy...not crumbly either...but  something in between!! You got to try it.Even my picky little 'E' loved those. For him ..I made little 'cupcake cookies' with the same cookie dough.

I call them" A cookie with goodness' because they have- half -whole wheat flour in the recipe, has oat meal, has almonds, flax seed meal....all good for you!

Ingredients: Makes 24 cookies/ cupcake cookies

3/4 cup Whole wheat flour

3/4 cup All purpose flour

1/2cup Oat meal ( pulse quick cooking oats in a mixer and powder them)

1/4 cup Flax seed meal

1/3 cup Almonds finely chopped ( see the white specks in the cookies?..Those are the almonds)

1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup Light brown sugar

1/2cup white sugar

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

5 tbsp butter (room temperature)

1/4cup canola oil

1Egg

1/4tsp salt

1tsp Baking powder

1/2tsp Baking soda

1tsp Vanilla essence

2tsp water

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 325F. Spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray. If you want to make 'Cupcake cookies'...spray the mini muffin pan with non stick spray.

2)Beat the butter +Eggs+ Sugar.

3) Add all of the above ingredients and mix.

4) Mold into small balls and flatten/ press into mini muffin pans

5) Bake at 325F for 15 mins. Let them cool

6) You can frost the cupcake cookies with 'chocolate butter cream frosting' or other frosting of your choice.

Butter Cream frosting:

1/4 cup room temperature butter

1/2cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2tsp Vanilla essence

Mix together. Add few drops of water to achieve desired consistency

Frost the cookies when cooled

"Sweet Treats"- Nankatai ( Indian sugar-butter cookies)

So far through the pregnancy, I have craved the foods that we made and used to get in India. All the tempting chaats, mouthwatering spicy- tangy dishes and some(few) Indian sweets and desserts. Nankatai was one of my favorite cookies as a child. And it happens to be 'M''s too ( as a kid , he called those 'Nankati- taai'  cookies...LOL!!) So few years ago, when M's parents visited us here in USA, M's mom taught me this recipe. It was so easy , quick and gave us the taste of 'Nankatai' here in USA....  away from India. Like parents-like son......'E' loved the 'Nankatta cookies' (as he calls them) and munched on them throughout the day!

Nankatai has a sugar- butter- flour base and then you can jazz it up with whatever nuts and flavors you want. But a typical nankatai will be ' creamish white' in color and may or maynot have any nuts. When you bite into this blissfull cookie it just melts in your mouth....

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Unsalted butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour ( approx)

1tsp vanilla essence

1tsp baking powder

Nuts like Cashews, Almonds, chopped Pistachios

Method:

1) Fold room temp butter till very smooth.No lumps should be seen.

2) Mix powdered sugar,vanilla essence

3) Add the all purpose flour(mixed with baking powder) spoon by spoon, to make a smooth dough.Use only as much needed to make smooth dough.

4) Roll into small balls (about size of a 'Pedha' )

5) Garnish with the nuts.Or make a 'grid' or 'Tictactoe' like design on top of the cookie with a knife and garnish with pistachios.

6) Preheat the oven to 250F. Place the nankatai on cookie sheet with some space between each of them.They will 'spread' will baking.

Bake at 250 F for 20 mins. Watch out! They will burn from the bottom easily.You don't want to darken them.

7) Makes about 40 Nankatais.Store in airtight container.

Enjoy this buttery-sugary..'Melt-in- your-mouth' cookie with a cup of hot tea/ coffee