Laiji's Special Salad

Laiji's Special Salad

My recipe

when it comes to Healthy eating, I believe in "eating nutritious at the same time being able to enjoy what you eat." I say so, because to many of us, Spinach and Avocado might not seem appetizing! 😊 I too agree, that on its own, yes, it is pretty bland. But, trust me, try this salad and you wouldn't believe it has avocado or spinach in it..

By the way, I am back to the blog after a veryyyy long break.. 😊 No excuses!! 😌 Now was the Time.. and here I am back again.. 😊 Let's head straight into the recipe. (Unlike earlier, all the photos taken for this blog were with my Samsung Note5.)

Ingredients :
Baby Spinach	-		as much as you prefer (I suggest half a bowl)
Avocado	-		1
For the Dressing:
Lemon or Lime Juice	-		1 tablespoon
Salt	-		To taste
Black pepper (freshly ground)	-		As required
Extra virgin olive oil	-		1 tablespoon
Balsamic vinegar	-		1 tablespoon
Honey	-		1 tablespoon
To Roast: Seeds : Sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon Flax-seed  - 1 tablespoon Nuts : Walnuts - 7 - 8 pieces  Pecans  - 7 - 8 pieces Preparation Method :

Wash and air dry the baby spinach. 

Avocado is what gives this salad its creamy texture. Of course, its a healthy fat too! 😊

For the Dressing: 

Squeeze the juice off half a lime or a tablespoon of lemon.

Add in the balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. (A tablespoon each)

Add salt to taste, freshly ground black pepper and a tablespoon of honey.

To Roast : 

The Seeds

Sesame seeds and flax seeds roasted together,  and slightly crushed gives the dressing a whole new texture and flavor. Of course, a healthy punch of Omega 3 fats too. 

The Nuts :

Walnuts and Pecans are the nuts of my choice for this recipe. You could add the nuts of your choice too, but, I do not guarantee the same taste.. 😊
Slightly and coarsely crush the nuts to release all its healthy oils and then roast it until it starts to brown. Add it hot into the dressing.

Cut your avocado into 2 halves and remove the pit.  Then score into the fruit without cutting through the skin as seen below to get perfectly diced avocado. Scoop out the dices with a tablespoon. Nothing makes me happier than cutting into a perfectly ripe avocado. 😊 Add this to the dressing.

Mix the dressing and the avocado well until a few of the avocado pieces are mushed and gives the dressing the perfect creamy texture. Scoop it clear onto the Baby spinach and mix well. 

Honestly, I prefer clean hands to do the mixing, to evenly coat each leaf with the dressing. 

At this point taste a little and hope it tastes just as awesome as my salad.. 😊 Hopefully it will.. 😊

This is a meal in itself, loaded with healthy fats and nutritious vitamins. You could also have it with grills or poached / fried / boiled eggs.

Enjoy this delicious salad and let me know how you liked it.. 😊 

Lots of Love 😊

Tea / Coffee and Breakfast Station

Freshly brewed coffee or tea, quick handy breakfast, snacks, treats, in the serenity of your own home, creating a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere for both you and near and dears is indeed the best space you will love in your house. Trust me on that.. 😊 I have been loving mine! 😊

How do you go about setting up one at home? Here are few Ideas and Tips you might want to consider as a guideline.

1.      Choose a suitable Space and Theme : 

Choose a space that's convenient and functional. Make sure you have easy access to water with a water dispenser or a sink nearby. Go by a colour theme of your choice. Do a little research for inspirations and ideas from magazines or Pinterest. Stroll through your favourite stores and do a little planning before you eventually make any major investments. Outline a design and make a list of things you may already have in hand and another list of things you might consider buying. Also make sure you find place for your waste that's well kept.

 2.      Start with a Sturdy Base : 

Choose a sturdy and strong Base. You could either have a mini kitchen cabinet with an overhead as well, set exclusively for your counter or any sturdy table would serve your purpose well.

 3.      Containers and Jars : 

Containers and Jars would serve as storage, as well as enhance the overall look of your bar. So make sure you go by a uniform colour / material theme.

4.      Organizers : 

Organizing is the key to having a functional and easy to access breakfast bar. Make sure it's simple and neat and everything contained is visible. Group like items together and store in an appealing manner. Use storage bins and baskets to store and neatly organize miscellaneous snack packets and items together. You could even label the baskets if required.    

5.      Mugs and Canisters : 

Mugs / cups / jars / travel mugs / cereal bowls / spoons etc are the must haves of your breakfast bar. Make sure you choose it aesthetically. 

6.      Tea and Coffee : 

Stock your favourite tea / coffee collections. Stock your regular brands and buy occasionally used brands only when a batch finishes. Be aware of what you stock up. You don't want to clutter your space with things you end up never using. You could also add Cocoa powder, Cinnamon / Cardamom powder, honey or sweeteners of your choice etc. to your collection. 

7.      Fruits / Cereals / Nuts / Seeds : 

What completes the Breakfast bar, is having a one stop access to everything you might require for a quick breakfast / snacking  or refreshment. That includes fruits, your family's favourite cereals, Nuts and Dried fruits, snack bars, oats, healthy seeds, spices, etc. It's all up to you to personalize the choices according to the eating habits of your family and you.

 8.      Appliances : 

You know best of what you require. Keep it minimal though. If you are a coffee lover, a basic drip maker or a pump espresso machine would be something you would fancy. Or, you could keep it simple with either a coffee machine or a simple kettle would do great too.

9.      Utility Decor : 

Adding a few mood awakening fresh or artificial flowers, mugs with cute / fulfilled quotes, a frame with inspiring quotes, Or even a chalk board painted wall etc. could enhance your space with an alluring and heart-warming feel. Make it the inspiring, and relaxing space in your home, which will instantly boost you with zest and energy. A recharging spot.. :)  

Take a chance to express your taste & style. Put a little thought into it, making it one of the most beautiful spots in your home, where both your health and mental tranquility is taken good care of..  

Happy tea / coffee drinking to all tea and coffee lovers.. 😊

Vanilla Cheesecake

with Strawberry and Blueberry Compote  

 My version

From what I've read, I understand that Cheesecake is a dessert with an ancient Greek origin. Then the Romans and the French too began making the cheesecake! Slowly the dessert spread all across Europe to countries like United Kingdom, Ireland, Bulgaria, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, Poland, Belgium.. Then, over to the United States, the South American subcontinent, Japan  and finally over to Asia as well! 
Don't really know.. :) But, that explains the variety of styles in which it is made worldwide!

I have eaten cheesecakes from different places, and honestly, I haven't been a fan of it! But, like how I started loving Gajar ka Halwa after coming up with my own recipe, so does history repeat in the case of Cheesecake too! ;) Yes! If you too haven't liked cheesecake! Trust me, you will Love this one!!! I wouldn't put up this recipe otherwise!

Well, Cheesecake is originally made with eggs, cheese, sugar etc and is baked. Here, I am making the modern version, which is eggless and is refrigerated, not baked. Though Cheesecake sounds like cake, it's nothing like a cake, nor is it a torte, nor a pudding, nor a custard.. Cheesecake, is CHEESECAKE! ;) with a crusted base; melt in the mouth, soft, creamy, cheesy filling and a sweet, flavourful and pungent topping all scooped together to create this mouth-watering heavenly treat! MMMmmm... As I write this, I couldn't resist the temptation of indulging in some out of my fridge! ;) Trust me! You ought to try this one!! :)

This post, is specially dedicated to my sister :) It was her birthday the day before, and she has been after me for a while now, for her favourite cheesecake. Happy Birthday Sweetheart! :)

Well, I guarantee the best results, only if you follow me exactly! No compromises on the ingredients and no substitutes please! So, let's start! :)

Ingredients :
For the Crust :
Digestive Biscuits	-		180g approximately (12 nos.)
Unsalted butter	-		60g
Sugar	-		1 tablespoon
For the Cream Filling :
Double Cream (Preferably full fat)	-		250ml
Cream cheese (Philadelphia)	-		300g
Icing sugar	-		60g
Vanilla essence	-		1 tablespoon
Lemon juice	-		1 tablespoon
For the Compote :
Strawberry	-		6 large
Blueberry	-		Roughly 1 cup
Sugar	-		1/2 cup
Vanilla essence	-		1 tablespoon
Mixed berry juice	-		1/2 cup
Preparation Method :
We will need a 20 cm spring fold pan. Other pans won't work for this, unless you are making it in individual cups or something. Line the base with wax paper. You could line the sides too. But, I am a little impatient. ;) For the Crust : In a food processor, throw in the Digestive biscuits. Why 'Digestive Biscuits'? Well, It's made of wheat, is semi-sweet and does not powder like other biscuits. We need a sandy texture! No compromise! Add 60 grams of unsalted butter. If it's winter, you could thaw the butter for a while. If not, you could use it straight out of the fridge. But, please do not melt! Add a tablespoon of caster sugar and blitz until all the biscuits are crumbed and the butter and sugar are combined well into a sandy textured mixture. If you do not have a food processor, you could also place the biscuits in zip lock plastic bag and beat it well with something heavy and then mix it well with the softened butter and sugar. The point is, we do not want the biscuit to powder. Remember, sandy texture! Spread that evenly onto the base, pressing down firmly with your fingers or however you would want to. Make sure you press it down well. We do not want a loose and feeble crust. Then, place it into the refrigerator to firm. For the Cream Filling : Meanwhile, whip up 250ml of Double Cream. I only got the light one at the store! MISTAKE! Don't do that! You will end up with a frail filling which will be difficult to slice. :(   Whip that into a fine cream. If you are whipping it with an eggbeater, make sure you do not beat it on high. It could curdle. You need to be really patient. Again, if it's summer, make sure you refrigerate the cream while you get the cheese ready. In a bowl empty the Cream Cheese. Philadelphia Cream Cheese has become one of the most commonly used cheese to make cheesecake. It is a form of pasteurized cream cheese. I haven't tried Cheesecake with any other cheese, so I do not know.  Again, if its winter, it would be better to bring the cheese down to room temperature. I am working with it straight out of the refrigerator. Break it down. Add the Vanilla essence. If you have the vanilla bean, you could use that instead. Then add the icing sugar. Please do not use the regular sugar. Give a quick mix. Then squeeze in approximately 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and mix everything into a fine cream. Add this mixture into the whipped cream and fold in gently. Yes! Really gently. Dollop that onto the chilled crust, and spread evenly.  Give the pan a couple of gentle dabs to release any air in between and spread the filling evenly with a spatula. Cover that with a cling wrap and chill for 3-4 hours. For the Compote : If you are using frozen strawberries, defrost them in a microwave for 2 minutes. If you are using fresh strawberries, microwave the fruit for a minute and then mash them with a fork, to that add the raspberry. If you are using frozen raspberry, make sure you defrost them in the microwave. I'll tell you why! Next, in a dry sauce pan, add the sugar and heat on high. When the sugar starts to melt, bring down the heat and wait till the sugar melts down completely and begins to turn light brown.    Do not touch that with a spoon or spatula. Quickly add the berries. Now, why I said 'microwave   the fruits', was because, if you don't, the sugar will crystallize when the cold fruit is added and that could ruin the compote. Once that begins to bubble and melt into the caramel, add the vanilla essence. Then add the mixed berry juice. and swirl the pan well and continue to cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes or until the caramel has completely dissolved and has formed a thick syrup. How beautiful does that look! :) Set this aside to cool. To check if this has got to the right consistency, touch it with your finger and wait for couple of seconds. It should neither be watery nor crystallize. Should be of a sticky consistency.  Beware! This Compote tastes awesome! ;) You need this for the topping :) so make sure neither you nor anyone in your house licks and finishes this up! ;) Once this cools completely spoon this gently over the filling and spread evenly. Now, how awesome does that look! :) :) :) BUT! Be patient! It's not time yet, If you want the most awesome cheesecake ever, refrigerate this for a whole day! :) Trust me, a whole day really counts! Before serving this, slowly loosen up the cheesecake around the edges with a knife holding it firmly against the wall of the pan and gently release. Voilà!!! Here we are! With the perfect CHEESECAKE! :)  Believe me guys! This gets better day after day! The more patient you are, the more you could relish this fabulous dessert! :) Enjoy!