Homemade 'Oats and Nuts' Granola/ Cereal

So when my favorite cereal (Quaker Life), which I thought wasn't too 'Sugary' and was 'Multigrain', got a 'C' rating on Fooducate (a cool App to scan groceries and know what's really in them), because  of being 'highly processed', has 'low fiber' and has the additive- Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)...I decided to make my own blend of Granola/Cereal...with all the goodness..free of additives...low in fat and sugar... to 'Start the day with the Right Bite"!!

What I added...And Why???

Oats: 100% Whole Grain
Puffed Rice: For crunch(has low calories per serving)
Almonds: Mono unsaturated fats, protein
Pistachio: Oleic acid, vitamins and minerals, lowest fat nut
Wheat bran: Fiber
Flax meal:Antioxidants, minerals, fiber
Chia seeds:Omega 3 fatty acids
Olive oil- unsaturated fats, crisp up the cereal
Light brown Sugar and honey- Sweetness
Cinnamon: highest anti oxidant strength,helps lower 'bad' cholesterol
Dried cranberries: Sweet-tart flavor, Vitamin C

Ingredients:
This granola won't be as 'Crunchy' as the store bought one....well.....because it isn't loaded on sugars and fats!!

3 Cups Quick cooking oats/ you can use whole oats too (any 100% whole grain oats)
1Cup Puffed Rice (puffed brown rice would be great!!)
1/2 Cup chopped Almonds
1/2 cup chopped Pistachio
1/2 cup Light brown sugar
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2tbsp Unprocessed Wheat bran
2tbsp Flax meal
1tbsp Honey
2tsp Chia seeds
2tsp olive oil
1tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp salt
Canola oil Cooking spray

Method:
Preheat oven to 300F
1) Mix the oil, sugar,salt, cinnamon and honey.
2) Add rest of the ingredients except the cranberries
3) Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.Spread the cereal mix on the sheet and spray it with cooking spray.
4) Bake the cereal for 60-70 mins until toasted, mixing and turning it every 15 mins. The nuts should turn slightly toasted.DO NOT LET IT BURN!!
5) After cooling, mix the dried cranberries and store in a container.

Start your day with a spoon full of "Goodness"!! 

Chicken Kheema Wraps

Chicken Kheema is one of my favorites!! From Appetizers to Entrees...it can make delicious meals!! Some examples of "Chicken Kheema" as star of the dish:
1) Chicken Kheema Pav/ Indian Sloppy Joes
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/02/fusion-cuisine-indian-sloppy.html

2)Asparagus Chicken Kabobs
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/05/appetizers-asparagus-chicken-kababs.html

3)Chicken Kheema Ball Curry
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/04/everyday-cooking-chicken-meat-ball.html

4)Chicken Kheema Goli Pulav
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/11/everyday-cooking-pulav-with-chicken.html

5) Baked Chicken Kheema Balls
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2009/11/appetizers-chicken-kheema-balls-minced.html


 Last weekend, with the Chicken Kheema I had, we made these wraps for lunch. With the whole wheat chapati and the spicy kheema....these are sure to be the best lunch ever!!!

Chicken Kheema Recipe:

http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/02/fusion-cuisine-indian-sloppy.html

Wraps made with chapati dough:
2 Cups Whole wheat flour
salt
water
oil

Garnishes:
Maggie hot and Sweet Ketchup
Chopped Onion and Cilantro

 Method:
1) Mix flour, salt and water and knead into  a semi soft Chapati dough.
2) Roll out the Chapatis and roast lightly on a hot tawa.
3)  To each chapati, apply 1tsp Hot and sweet sauce.Place 2-4 tsp cooked Chicken kheema, chopped onion and cilantro filling in the center and roll the wrap.
4) Warm the wrap with few drops of oil on a hot tawa. Wrap into aluminum foil and serve Hot!!

Yogurt- Strawberry frozen bars

You decide to diet and eat 'healthy', but those sweet cravings aren't going anywhere are they??? And then the Lil' ones at home still need a weekend treat...right???
This was a perfect little bar...which wouldn't 'undo' all the exercise of the week, but still make the lil' ones jump with joy:)  'A' wouldn't even share a 'lick' of this bar with anyone!!!

Ingredients:
8-10 Fresh Strawberries
1 Cup fresh yogurt
4-5 tsp sugar (adjust according to the sweetness of the strawberries)
few drops of Vanilla essence

Method:
1) Wash the strawberries and cut of the leaves.
2) Blend together yogurt,strawberries, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
3) Pour into 'kulfi' / Popsicle moulds and insert sticks

 4) Freeze for 5-6 hours until completely frozen.
5) Run the mould under warm water to remove the Yogurt-Strawberry bar!

 Enjoy!!

The Sizzle From a Guest Kitchen: (Shruti Sanas-Jadhav) ::Cheese Cake with Strawberry Sauce

A Sizzle From a Guest Kitchen:
A section in the blog wherein, I connect with my friends and fellow foodies through their recipes and their kitchen!
Today a dear friend - Shruti, who now lives far away, and I cannot visit her, shares her 'star' recipe with me. Like you would remember your moms kitchen with the amazing 'aromas',the special aromas of the 'weekend' meals,your grandmas 'spicy stuffed eggplants' ......I recollect a friend's kitchen with their certain 'special dishes'. I remember the aroma of  a Spicy Chicken Curry, The Best Chicken Biryani ever and many more from Shruti's Kitchen!!
Today she shares : Cheese Cake with Strawberry Sauce

 Here is the recipe Shruti send me:
Here is my version of cheese cake, as the normal cheese cake recipe needs almost 5 packs of cream cheese , I have tried with one pack. Sufficient for 3-4 people unless u r making for a party. :)) njoy.
Cheese cake with strawberry sauce
Ingredients:
Cream cheese - 1 (8ounce) pack
Egg - 1
Sour cream - 1/4 cup
All purpose flour - 2 tbsp
Graham Cracker - 10
Butter - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Vanilla - 1 tsp
sugar - 1 tbsp for crust
Salt - pinch
Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Method :
Preheat the oven at 325 F
In a 7 inch spring form pan grease it with butter and put it aside. Now grind the graham cracker to form crumbs. mix in the melted butter and 1 tbsp sugar. Now put this mixture in the pan and press it with hand or bowl.
In a big bowl, take cream cheese and mix the sugar, beat it for 1 min. Now add the egg, sour cream, flour, vanilla, lemon juice, salt and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
Pour this mixture in the pan and bake for 40 mins.
After baking the cheese cake will be slightly giggly in center and light brown on border. This is perfect. Cool the cake for 6 hours before serving. Pour the chilled strawberry sauce for added flavor n taste.
Strawberry sauce recipe:
Fresh strawberries - 500 gm
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Salt- pinch
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Cut the strawberries in quarter.
Mix everything in a saucepan and heat this mixture for 10 minutes until sauce is juicy and thick. Cool it before chilling. And serve with any dessert of your choice.