birthday dessert ideas

Black Bean Brownies - Secret Recipe Club

I was thrilled when Amanda from The Secret Recipe Club asked me to make an extra recipe this month from India-Leigh's blog A Vegan Obsession. While I don't eat vegan, I am trying to reduce my gluten with the potential of eventually going gluten free. So there were many recipe ideas that I know I will be trying!

I've been meaning to make Black Bean Brownies for a long time. I have several recipes saved so when I saw she had one, I knew I'd be making it right away.

I am afraid that I de-veganed it though by using honey rather than agave. Whoops! Sorry about that. I did change the recipe a bit, I looked at original recipe and hers and sorta combined the two.

What I got was more of a banana bar. I didn't get the chocolate taste too much and the banana was very pronounced in flavor. I loved the texture and they tasted fine. The kids all ate them and had no clue there were beans in them. Score!

My group posts for The Secret Recipe Club next Monday! I've got a great post from another awesome blogger too!

Black Bean Brownies
Adapted from A Vegan Obsession

15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 whole ripe bananas
1/3 cup honey (or agave)
1 tbsp. orange marmalade
1/4 cup unsweeteded pure cocoa powder
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup oats, quick cooking

Heat oven to 350. Spray 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray.

Put all the ingredients, except for the oats, into a food processor. Process until smooth. Take blade out, fold in the oats. Pour into prepared pan, cook for about 35 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

Total calories = 1238 calories
12 bars = 103 calories per bar (from calorieking.com)

These are the stats I got when I plugged the numbers into Sparkpeople.com:
Nutrition Facts

12 Servings

Amount Per Serving
Calories 96.6
Total Fat 0.7 g
Saturated Fat 0.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 132.7 mg
Potassium 199.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 21.7 g
Dietary Fiber 3.4 g
Sugars 11.2 g
Protein 3.0 g

This is linked with Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at SS & GF

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Pastas

The last weekend when i was away and travelling, i ate Pasta atleast once a day, not because i love it that much, but because it was the only item on the menu apart from the boring Rice and Roti.... :-)

Back home too, i enjoy cooking Pasta- everytime i try to bring home a different kind of pasta, experiment with different sauces/pesto and recipes [ all of which are created by yours truly] and dish it out.. I can proudly say that till date it has not disappointed me.. Am happy about my taste palate... :-)

Even though pastas originated in Italy, it has become quite common here in India too... And a good alternative to rotis, rice, pizza and sandwiches...

Some of the different kinds of Pastas are-

Farfelle- Bow Pasta, which is my alltime favourite- cos they look so cute :)

Fettucine, long flat noodle kind of pasta.. i like these, but grandparents find them difficult to eat, so they are the last resort

Fussili- twirly pasta... Love these as well..

Spaghetti is a long, thin, cylindrical pasta, ideal for pasta made with sauce

Conchiglie, these resemble little shells and come in 2 sizes, small and big...

Penne, the traditional small pipe shaped pasta... Most commonly found and used... These come in single colour and Tricolour as well..

Fusili pasta made with Wheat flour.. These take a bit longer than the maida ones to cook, but are healthier...

Lasagna, pasta in the form of sheets that is used by layering the sheets between vegetables, topped with chees e and baked in the oven.. I havent made this, but have had it in restaurants..

I have seen a few more varieties on the net and heard from Friends who live abroad, but not seen them as part of the menu ..

Which is your favorite????

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Two little sisters...

... had two little bags.
Where they kept all their little things.
And where they hide their secrets, written in bits of rumpled papers...
And they shared all their toys - and their hapiness, their tears, their life.

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Indian Food Recipes Easy | Indian Food Recipes Easy Vegetarian

Indian Food Recipes Easy

Worldwide, abounding bodies accept too abounding choices adorable recipes. Especially for vegetarians, they are cerebration they do not accept too abounding options. Vegetarians in the U.S. are affected to eat these vegetables as a raw or uncooked. However, the recipes in India there are abounding options to have a good timea adorable meal vegetables. With these recipes Indian aliment lovers will not be like vegetarian tasting old, arid and addled with the old. If you are an able in food, Indian aliment recipes are adorable aliment for your palate.

When it comes to flavors, the recipes in India are accepting a advanced ambit of options. Although, for those who can not eat vegetables additionally are still proving that the bark aperture baptize after any craven or added meat acclimated as ingredients. In the subcontinent, are alone twenty-eight states and added than fifty languages and added than a hundred men of altered cultures active in this country. Ability and adrift meal plays an important role in its accord in diversity. Anniversary accompaniment has created its own appulse on history, tradition, ability and aliment is important. And additionally the alertness of appetizing Indian vegetarian recipes, anniversary accompaniment has its own style.

Indian Food Recipes Easy Vegetarian

These vegetarian recipes India can not serve as a aliment combination, but are advised to be captivated collectively. For example, if you demand to eat these vegetables with back-scratch or hot sauce, do not try to augment himself. It is all-important to amalgamate it with some rice or aliment or some added recipes. This affectionate of aggregate power, will not accept any assimilation problems, and advice you have a good timea meal. To accomplish a complete Indian meal, it is all-important to amalgamate these Indian vegetarian recipes according to the attempt of the kitchen. It is all-important to use lots of spices and garlic, amber and onions. For a simple meal, there are alone a few varieties are accessible for parties, there are abounding varieties of vegetarian recipes that you charge to prepare.

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Quinoa & Vegetable Bake

One of the things that I don't like about egg bake casseroles is the crust. You put a whole bunch of healthy things in a pan - over a crust that often doubles the calories. Tasty, but just not as healthy.

That's why I loved the idea of this quinoa crust. Quinoa is tasty, filling and healthy!

I love how versatile this is as well, you can sub different vegetables, different cheeses, whatever. It's good.

It makes a great breakfast, brunch or dinner. It's just really good.

Quinoa & Vegetable Bake Recipe
Adapted from Dinner at Christinas

Crust:
3 cups cooked quinoa, somewhat cooled
1 egg + 2 egg whites
Cheddar cheese, 2 oz. shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste

Filling:
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and moisture strained out
1 red pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
6 eggs + 6 egg whites
Cheddar cheese, 2 oz. grated
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, part skim
Salt and pepper to taste

Beat egg in a medium bowl for the crust. Fold in the quinoa and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spray a 9 x 13 in. pan with cooking spray and sump the crust mix into the pan. Carefully form the crust along the bottom of the dish and up the sides.

In a large bowl, add the veggies and the cheese. You can pretty much use whatever veggies you like or have in the frig. Beat the eggs and egg whites in the bowl you used for the crust. Add eggs to the veggies and add ricotta cheese and stir until everything is mixed. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the egg/veggie mixture into the crust. Pop in the oven, uncovered for about 40 minutes. Check the center for doneness with a knife. Let stand a few minutes before cutting into.

Total calories = 2261 calories
8 huge servings = 283 calories per serving

One Year Ago...

Taco Seasoned Meat

This is linked with:

$5 Dinner Challenge at $5 Dinners
My Meatless Monday at My Sweet and Savory
Mouthwatering Mondays at A Southern Fairytale
Your Recipe, My Kitchen at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Just another Meatless Monday at What's for Dinner, Mom?
Midnight Maniac Meatless Monday at Midnight Maniac
Made By You Mondays at Skip to my Lou
Mangia Mondays at Delightfully Dowling
Tuesday at the Table at All The Small Stuff
Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Hearth & Soul at Mom's Sunday Cafe
Tasty Tidbits at Permanent Posies
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at SS & GF
Gluten Free Wednesdays at Gluten Free Homemaker

Calories calculated from calorieking.com. Some numbers are approximate and rounded.

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Menu Plan Monday ~ September 12 - September 18, 2011

So we're taking a short vacation to Duluth, MN and Gooseberry Falls this week. It's only about 2 hours away and it's the perfect time of year. The trees are just starting to change colors and the weather is cool but still gorgeous. That's the beauty of homeschool, we can take off whenever we want. The school work will get caught up eventually.

Monday: Chicken Shawarma Pita Sandwiches

Tuesday: Chipotle Bean Burritos

Wednesday: Vacation

Thursday: Vacation

Friday: Vacation

Saturday: Vacation

Sunday: Vacation

This is linked with Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie

One Year Ago...