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Ok so, Deepa, my BFF, had a maid called Pennamma chechy, a typical Catholic lady who cooked amazing Kerala food and each time I eat at Deepa’s place, there’s always mezhukkupuratti and it’s always always yummy. Once I asked her for the recipe and since then, I have never made mezhukkupuratti any other way. You may also wish to check out this carrot beetroot stir fry and stir-fried jackfruit seeds (chakka kuru) Beans Mezhukkupuratti Serves: 2 Ingredients: 1 cup French beans, cut into 1/2″ pieces 1 small onion, thinly sliced (optional) 8-10 shallots (also called sambar onion) 2 cloves of garlic 1 tsp red chilli powder 1/4 tsp jeera / jeerakam 1 tbsp oil 1/2 tsp mustard seeds A pinch of turmeric A few curry leaves Salt to taste Instructions:...

I find plain cauliflower rice bland, so this easy recipe is our attempt at making it delicious! We put our heads together and came up with this herby riced cauliflower with garlic, lemon, and almonds. The herbs, garlic, and lemon add so much flavor, while the almonds introduce a little extra texture. I love it! Key Ingredients Cauliflower: You can use store-bought cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen) or make your own....

Say hello to the BEST veggie burger recipe! Of course, that’s just my opinion, but once you try it, I think you’ll agree. For one, these patties are grill-able! And if you’d rather be spending time in the sun than in the kitchen, you can even make them a day or two in advance. But that’s not all. This veggie burger has an amazing meaty texture and savory, smoky flavor....

Stir fry was probably the first healthy-ish meal I learned to make, although it used to look nothing like this. When I was in college, I’d stock up on frozen vegetables because I was broke and they were 4 for $1 at Publix. I’d mix the frozen veggies with instant brown rice and drown it all in soy sauce. While I appreciated the bargain, that dinner was “healthy” for healthy’s sake, and I’d try to convince myself it was delicious while my roommates all ate pizza....

I’m probably the last to know this – but have you heard that they’ve cancelled Saturday morning cartoons? I suppose on-demand or Netflixed cartoons are probably more convenient, but I am still sad to hear the news. Growing up (without cable), Saturday morning cartoons were what my sister and I looked forward to all week. Pancakes, cereal commercials, the whole bit. Jack and I still have a weekend ritual – although our “cartoon” is Shark Tank instead of Muppet Babies, and our breakfast is usually eggs instead of pancakes....

Spring is in the air (at least, here in Austin it is), and I’ve been getting non-stop carrots in my Farmhouse Delivery box. Which means one thing to us… carrot cake. This time, in muffin form. I topped these with coconut whip lightly sweetened with maple syrup. It’s airy, yet creamy… much less indulgent than a more traditional cream cheese frosting, but it was exactly what I was in the mood for this time....

But, it has been a whirlwind ride for sure and I want to share some of the highlights with you at least this year of completing 5 years. That’s half a decade. That’s how long it takes for a baby to be born, topple over, sit up, start talking, start walking, go to play school, start kindergarten, and learn ABCs (or start teaching in a college, I don’t know, I am told babies are extremely bright these days)....

Pin I have always been partial towards the extra spicy and curry-leaf-rich Chettinad cuisine ever since I can remember and Anjappar is one of my favourite restaurants in Singapore to get spicy Chettinad food. Their Chicken Masala is particularly good – bite-sized pieces of chicken cooked in a rich spicy gravy and reduced to a consistency where the gravy is just about coating the chicken pieces. It goes great with rice and roti alike and is absolutely delicious....

Before I met Jack, I associated cream of mushroom soup with green bean casserole. I thought of it as an ingredient, not a dish on its own. In fact, soup aside, I wasn’t a big fan of mushrooms in general. But Jack may be the world’s #1 mushroom lover, and as I tried the mushroom pastas and sandwiches he loved, I discovered how delicious mushrooms could be. Prepared the right way, they become rich and savory, with an intense umami flavor....

Jack and I have been going to the Dai Due dinners (prounced die do-aay) for a few years now, and it’s something we really look forward to. I usually try to snag tickets once a year in the summertime for one of the seafood-themed dinners. (There are some obvious themes I can’t go to as a non-meat-eater — ie. “The Whole Hog” dinner). The husband and wife team, Jesse Griffiths and Tamara Mayfield, take “local” to a crazy-person level (the good kind of crazy)....

How to Make Double Chocolate Cupcakes From Scratch There’s no need to break out the mixer for these cupcakes or the frosting. Just a few bowls, a whisk and a spoon. The cupcakes are simple — melt butter, add coffee and cocoa powder then whisk until smooth. Add flour, sugar and a few more ingredients like baking soda and salt then stir in sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Simple. By the way, we know, coffee sounds a little odd, but trust us....

We’re big fans of buffalo sauce, and we’ve used it in everything from baked buffalo hot wings to buffalo chicken pizza and rice bowls. This time, we’re transforming cauliflower into irresistible cauliflower wings everyone loves (adults, kids, vegetarians, and meat lovers!). Unlike other recipes, we skip the breading and batter. Roast the cauliflower, toss it in a delicious homemade buffalo sauce, and you’re done. Our cauliflower wings are quicker, easier, and just as tasty!...

How are Steel Cut Oats Different to Rolled Oats? Steel-cut oats are whole oat groats cut into small bits (instead of rolled into flat discs like with rolled oats). They take slightly longer to cook than other oat varieties but are delicious. When cooked, steel-cut oats have a creamy, chewy texture. In our house, steel-cut oats are referred to fancy oatmeal. We love them! Old fashioned or rolled oats are what we use in our Everyday Oatmeal Recipe....

Here are Our Favorite Pumpkin Recipes Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe – Make these easy pancakes with pumpkin puree and spices soon! You’ll love them. The Best Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe – Save some money and make at home. Our pumpkin spice latte recipe is simple and tastes just as good (if not better) than the one form Starbucks. Pumpkin Ginger Mousse Recipe – This easy no-bake dessert tastes like Fall without all the work!...

It’s squash season! I think fall has a tendency to become “canned pumpkin season,” but there are so many great meals that can be made around fresh squash. Here are just a few of my favorites! Click directly on the photos to go to each recipe. Butternut Apple Cranberry Sandwich My current obsession – I’ve eaten this sandwich multiple times this week. I can’t get enough of those roasted butternut planks with tangy apple cider-marinated cabbage stacked between thick slices of bread....

This is actually the third time I set out to make farro. And for one reason or another, a farro post is still yet to happen. Thanks to my superior pantry labeling system (a million unlabeled bags), I happened to grab these wheat berries instead. Turns out, pre-cooked wheat berries and pre-cooked farro look remarkably similar to each other. Not that it matters… in these salads, any grain will do....

I’ve mentioned this before on the blog, but this past year we made a huge move from Austin to Chicago, where I’m originally from. Years and years ago (when I first met Jack who lived in Austin) I was SO excited to leave and to live somewhere warm… forever! I didn’t miss fall, I didn’t miss the seasons, I basked in the sun in December and I loved every minute of it....

Who would have guessed that moving to Chicago would have made me a taquitos fan? Just after Jack and I moved here, a new bar opened up down the block from our house. At first, we went there for drinks, but we’ve kept going back for taquitos! As it turns out, this bar has an inventive chef who comes up with a rotating menu of homemade taquitos. They make their tortillas from scratch and stuff them with seasonal, local ingredients....

Right after radishes and asparagus, bok choy is one of the first vegetables to appear at our local farmers markets in the spring. I love this Asian leafy green. If you haven’t worked with it before, it has a delicate flavor with hints of mustardy spice, and you can eat every part of it – the crisp, juicy stalks as well as the lush, dark green leaves. It lends itself well to all sorts of recipes....