Sunday, January 12, 2014

Buttered Sweet Corn and how handy these pull tabs can be...

 
A quicky treat for kids and yes..it's my kids' favourite too.
 
You need
 
2 cups sweet corn (I used the store brought cans)
Butter - 1-2 tsp (upto the users discretion)
Salt and pepper to taste
 
 

Mix all the ingredients together.
 
Slightly toast the mix in a skillet on stove top, or warm in microwave for the butter to melt. Mix once again.
 
 
:P 


 
Serve hot and sure the serving plates will be duely returned to you back in no time, asking for more.
 
Have seen a lot of remake / best  -out-of-waste projects with used food cans . Colour and use them as pen holders, planters..so so...but what about these pull up tabs on the can cover ?


I never thought of this before...to be honest. I have already started collecting my can pop-tabs now.




 
and "this" as well.
 
If you have a frame that's doesn't have a wire on the back for hanging, you don't need to go searching for a way to hang it up. All you need is a screw and such a can pull up tab. (A share, from here )

 

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Super Soft Fat - Free Fruit Paniyaram (Apple & Banana)

Well..it is originally a  fat-free  vegan muffin recipe , but not sure if its coz of the extra soft texture; it just didnt work for me as a muffin, and i ended up making a batch of paniyarams.  Trust me...was indeed very pleased with the outcome. It cooked much quicker on stove top, than being baked in the oven. 
 
Fat -free Apple - Banana Paniyarams
 
 
 There is plenty of moisture (and healthy fiber) from the apple juice and fruit content in the recipe, so there's no need for margarine or oil, which adds fat as well as calories. If you're looking for a healthy fat-free or low-fat vegan snack, this is a good one to try.
 
Good to know....

*   A banana ripens quickly (overnight), when you put it into a brown paper bag with an apple or tomato .

*   Apples come from the Rose family, Rosacea, that’s why they have a rosy aroma!




Ingredients:
 
2 cups flour/maida
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 apple, diced
2 ripe bananas, mashed
 


 
Preparation
 
 

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar.

 
and thats exactly why..we add in the apple and mashed banana and mix it well with more apple, but the juice.

 
And once mixed, tha batter looks like this. 


Good to know...

*     About 80 percent of the weight of a banana is water...but...you need nuclear science to extract juice from bananas .

It's awfully hard to do so. Agree ? Have you ever tried squeezing one?

Their molecular structure is just not very squeezable. The currently available banana juice is blended banana, not squeezed banana.....which is obviously cheating...hummmm

 
 
Spray some cooking oil on the paniyaram pan and pour the batter into the holes.
 
Let it cook on either sides ( a few minutes)

(the original recipe was to preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and
bake in a lightly greased muffin tin for 35-45 minutes, or until they raise and are golden brown).

 
 
Well..the obedient me did so too..but.. sadly...


....it was a flop-show. The paper lining just wouldnt peel off the muffin . :(
 Wonder y...or y not ?
  

Anyways, the paniyaram pan was there for the rescue. Just couldnt be throwing the batter away. And, back to smiles....they cooked in very less time compared to the 40 mins required for the muffin, were extremely soft,  and yes ! healthy too !!
Best when taken hot.

 
Good to know..
 
Apples ,  Bananas  and even Watermelons float in water. Statistics state that approximately 25% of an apple's volume is air hence making it less dense than water. When you place the banana in water, it will sink at first, then it will rise to the surface and float as they too have tiny air pockets in them.
 
 


 
But..just be very clear on the question . Life of Pi .... clicks ?
 
The question isn't whether bananas float, it's whether they float with a 100+ pound adult orangutan sitting on top of them, and the answer is almost certainly NOOO !!!.


 :)

Original recipe source - from here .

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

A century .... First guest post and the very BEST of yest year !

 
Alright..I have all rights to be HAPPY today !
 
and not just simple..plain HAPPY..its goes...with glitters and smile...100 %
 
 
 
Am not a regular blogger, my posts are never consistant...but somehow,
I did hit a century !
 
 
(cumilative of my two blogs together, that is. Quick Picks..which is this..and Pick Quicks, the other sister blog. Its not a big deal for many..but for me, well..it indeed is .
 
My 1st post of the year and My 100 th post as well.
 
And even more excited am I today, to have a really lovely "someone" on board...
 
She has a big craving for chocolates..keep tempting us with fb shares of Daily Milk and other chocos .... a big seeker of "Happiness"....and yes..she shares it the world too. It's like literally looking forward to what next is in her "Happiness is...." series...each day on her fb page.
Those regualr bloggers will definitely be able to make out by now, who she is...
 
The Lady behind "The BIG SWEET TOOTH"...
 
 

 

 a big hearty welcome ...... Ms. Rafeeda !!!

She is soo consistant with her posts..and even best part is that she does make it a point to drop by everyones space...leave a comment or a word of appreciation..without fail !!! Really really appreciate that . You knew how excited I was when you accepted my request to do a guest post . Thanks a bunch once again....
 
over to you !
 
**********************

When Sona came by with a request for a guest post, I was really glad. She is one of those few bloggers in my little list who come by like a ray of sunshine with her zesty comments. What I really love about her is her sense of humor and her style of writing. Those who regularly follow her two blogs will agree to me on this. She has this subtle but hitting way of writing, which ensures that she gets through her point without being really evident. I wish I could master that craft from her! Of late, one of her blog posts that I really loved was this one, so apt, so poignant…"So far..yet too dear"

For the readers of Sona’s space, a little introduction about myself. My name is Rafeeda, who blogs at a little space called The BigSweet Tooth”. A working mother of two beautiful daughters, who looks at cooking as a perfect stress buster to get rid of the daily tensions of life! I started my blog hardly a year ago and Alhamdulillah, am very glad the way things have looked up for me. Just like my name suggests, I have an immensely dangerous liking for sweet stuff, but I am trying my level best to control my intake so that I can manage my see-sawing weight – a difficult task though!

 Just like Sona, I am also a Keralite based in an Arab country – me in the UAE and Sona in Kuwait. However, being a working mother in an outside country has somewhat the same effects and I really connect with her in that case! Over the past few months, I have loved my interaction with this chirpy madam and would have never said “no” to any request of her. So there you go, deciding on what to give her was a dilemma, as has been a case for all my guest posts. She told me to feel at home… it felt like I was given her best seat, the best plate and the best cup with the best chai in it… hehe…
 
In this part of the world, eating breakfast is like a luxury in itself. Offices and schools start so early that 90% of the population does not have a proper breakfast. I normally get out of home just with a mug of warm water with honey and have my breakfast at around 9 in the office, which is mostly a bowl of cereal with milk. It is only during the weekends that we really have a meal called breakfast, but I still doubt about it, as waking up late becomes a norm during the weekends. Our weekend breakfast is always ChakkaraGothambu (Wholewheat in Jaggery), Kichadi (Sweet Rice and Lentils) or scrambled eggs, as these are easy to whip up in no time. However, if I am assured that nobody would bother for a breakfast – eg. if HD is already off to work while I am sleeping, B not in town, etc. I would just settle for whatever is in the kitchen to feed myself.

One such lazy Saturday, I made this sandwich which was quite easy – nothing fancy as such – coupled with a mug of Horlicks (yes, I am still not stronger-taller-sharper!!! Hehe…) and the weekend magazine to spend some silent “me” time till the kids woke up. You can see that I opened up the food section of the magazine while having my little sandwich, thinking that what I was eating was what I was seeing. Actually, don’t many of us love to do that? I have heard a friend say to eat an apple thinking it is a piece of chicken and it really gives ultimate satisfaction!!! So much so for the power of the mind!
 
I must definitely say that this was one meal that kept me going till afternoon without much hiccups, that filling the sandwich was! Don’t we all love meals that are simple yet give the power to take all the punches! Going off to the recipe:

Scrambled Egg and Cheese Sandwich

Serves 1

 
 

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil
2 medium eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 slice cheddar cheese
2 sliced of large wholemeal bread
 
Method:
 
Heat oil in a saucepan till heated. Break in the eggs, add the salt and pepper and scramble them. Cook till done. Keep one slice of whole meal bread ready on a plate. Spread the hot scrambled egg on it and immediately put the slice of cheese on top. Close with the other slice of bread and keep untouched for a minute. The warmth of the egg would melt the cheese and get into the egg. Devour yourself with a mug of Horlicks, just like I did!!! Yummm….

 
 
Notes:

This is just a basic sandwich. You can add onions, cucumbers, sprinkle in some more masalas while scrambling eggs– the possibilities are infinite. The combination of egg and cheese is what makes the sandwich really good. I would really suggest whole meal bread, as the bites of seeds they provide gives the sandwich a really nice feel.

I know I am bragging, but this is definitely the best pictures that I have ever taken in my blogging life. I really loved the shade that came and loved the way the whole picture looks. Unfortunately, I have not been able to keep the same tempo in any of my pictures after this. L So Sona, I am giving you the best – as per me, that is! – that I’ve taken till date, because it is for you! J

Hope you all have enjoyed the post, as much as I have enjoyed doing this for my homely host. More than that, I sincerely hope that she has loved the post as well! Wishing all of you in advance, the best of the season…
 
*************************
 
now what else, do I need. A lovely person whom I just came across through blogs.. and she says..."I have given you my best !!!
 
With all the warm wishes for a great year ahead....
 
 
and before I sign off , a peep back into what would have been the "best" of 2013.
 

 
Super man, finally did look at himself the mirror, and realize something was just not worn right ! Agree ??
 
Yours truly..
 
Ms. Chirpy
....she named me so...and am sooo keeping it ;)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Sunday, January 12, 2014

Buttered Sweet Corn and how handy these pull tabs can be...

 
A quicky treat for kids and yes..it's my kids' favourite too.
 
You need
 
2 cups sweet corn (I used the store brought cans)
Butter - 1-2 tsp (upto the users discretion)
Salt and pepper to taste
 
 

Mix all the ingredients together.
 
Slightly toast the mix in a skillet on stove top, or warm in microwave for the butter to melt. Mix once again.
 
 
:P 


 
Serve hot and sure the serving plates will be duely returned to you back in no time, asking for more.
 
Have seen a lot of remake / best  -out-of-waste projects with used food cans . Colour and use them as pen holders, planters..so so...but what about these pull up tabs on the can cover ?


I never thought of this before...to be honest. I have already started collecting my can pop-tabs now.




 
and "this" as well.
 
If you have a frame that's doesn't have a wire on the back for hanging, you don't need to go searching for a way to hang it up. All you need is a screw and such a can pull up tab. (A share, from here )

 

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Super Soft Fat - Free Fruit Paniyaram (Apple & Banana)

Well..it is originally a  fat-free  vegan muffin recipe , but not sure if its coz of the extra soft texture; it just didnt work for me as a muffin, and i ended up making a batch of paniyarams.  Trust me...was indeed very pleased with the outcome. It cooked much quicker on stove top, than being baked in the oven. 
 
Fat -free Apple - Banana Paniyarams
 
 
 There is plenty of moisture (and healthy fiber) from the apple juice and fruit content in the recipe, so there's no need for margarine or oil, which adds fat as well as calories. If you're looking for a healthy fat-free or low-fat vegan snack, this is a good one to try.
 
Good to know....

*   A banana ripens quickly (overnight), when you put it into a brown paper bag with an apple or tomato .

*   Apples come from the Rose family, Rosacea, that’s why they have a rosy aroma!




Ingredients:
 
2 cups flour/maida
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 apple, diced
2 ripe bananas, mashed
 


 
Preparation
 
 

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar.

 
and thats exactly why..we add in the apple and mashed banana and mix it well with more apple, but the juice.

 
And once mixed, tha batter looks like this. 


Good to know...

*     About 80 percent of the weight of a banana is water...but...you need nuclear science to extract juice from bananas .

It's awfully hard to do so. Agree ? Have you ever tried squeezing one?

Their molecular structure is just not very squeezable. The currently available banana juice is blended banana, not squeezed banana.....which is obviously cheating...hummmm

 
 
Spray some cooking oil on the paniyaram pan and pour the batter into the holes.
 
Let it cook on either sides ( a few minutes)

(the original recipe was to preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and
bake in a lightly greased muffin tin for 35-45 minutes, or until they raise and are golden brown).

 
 
Well..the obedient me did so too..but.. sadly...


....it was a flop-show. The paper lining just wouldnt peel off the muffin . :(
 Wonder y...or y not ?
  

Anyways, the paniyaram pan was there for the rescue. Just couldnt be throwing the batter away. And, back to smiles....they cooked in very less time compared to the 40 mins required for the muffin, were extremely soft,  and yes ! healthy too !!
Best when taken hot.

 
Good to know..
 
Apples ,  Bananas  and even Watermelons float in water. Statistics state that approximately 25% of an apple's volume is air hence making it less dense than water. When you place the banana in water, it will sink at first, then it will rise to the surface and float as they too have tiny air pockets in them.
 
 


 
But..just be very clear on the question . Life of Pi .... clicks ?
 
The question isn't whether bananas float, it's whether they float with a 100+ pound adult orangutan sitting on top of them, and the answer is almost certainly NOOO !!!.


 :)

Original recipe source - from here .

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

A century .... First guest post and the very BEST of yest year !

 
Alright..I have all rights to be HAPPY today !
 
and not just simple..plain HAPPY..its goes...with glitters and smile...100 %
 
 
 
Am not a regular blogger, my posts are never consistant...but somehow,
I did hit a century !
 
 
(cumilative of my two blogs together, that is. Quick Picks..which is this..and Pick Quicks, the other sister blog. Its not a big deal for many..but for me, well..it indeed is .
 
My 1st post of the year and My 100 th post as well.
 
And even more excited am I today, to have a really lovely "someone" on board...
 
She has a big craving for chocolates..keep tempting us with fb shares of Daily Milk and other chocos .... a big seeker of "Happiness"....and yes..she shares it the world too. It's like literally looking forward to what next is in her "Happiness is...." series...each day on her fb page.
Those regualr bloggers will definitely be able to make out by now, who she is...
 
The Lady behind "The BIG SWEET TOOTH"...
 
 

 

 a big hearty welcome ...... Ms. Rafeeda !!!

She is soo consistant with her posts..and even best part is that she does make it a point to drop by everyones space...leave a comment or a word of appreciation..without fail !!! Really really appreciate that . You knew how excited I was when you accepted my request to do a guest post . Thanks a bunch once again....
 
over to you !
 
**********************

When Sona came by with a request for a guest post, I was really glad. She is one of those few bloggers in my little list who come by like a ray of sunshine with her zesty comments. What I really love about her is her sense of humor and her style of writing. Those who regularly follow her two blogs will agree to me on this. She has this subtle but hitting way of writing, which ensures that she gets through her point without being really evident. I wish I could master that craft from her! Of late, one of her blog posts that I really loved was this one, so apt, so poignant…"So far..yet too dear"

For the readers of Sona’s space, a little introduction about myself. My name is Rafeeda, who blogs at a little space called The BigSweet Tooth”. A working mother of two beautiful daughters, who looks at cooking as a perfect stress buster to get rid of the daily tensions of life! I started my blog hardly a year ago and Alhamdulillah, am very glad the way things have looked up for me. Just like my name suggests, I have an immensely dangerous liking for sweet stuff, but I am trying my level best to control my intake so that I can manage my see-sawing weight – a difficult task though!

 Just like Sona, I am also a Keralite based in an Arab country – me in the UAE and Sona in Kuwait. However, being a working mother in an outside country has somewhat the same effects and I really connect with her in that case! Over the past few months, I have loved my interaction with this chirpy madam and would have never said “no” to any request of her. So there you go, deciding on what to give her was a dilemma, as has been a case for all my guest posts. She told me to feel at home… it felt like I was given her best seat, the best plate and the best cup with the best chai in it… hehe…
 
In this part of the world, eating breakfast is like a luxury in itself. Offices and schools start so early that 90% of the population does not have a proper breakfast. I normally get out of home just with a mug of warm water with honey and have my breakfast at around 9 in the office, which is mostly a bowl of cereal with milk. It is only during the weekends that we really have a meal called breakfast, but I still doubt about it, as waking up late becomes a norm during the weekends. Our weekend breakfast is always ChakkaraGothambu (Wholewheat in Jaggery), Kichadi (Sweet Rice and Lentils) or scrambled eggs, as these are easy to whip up in no time. However, if I am assured that nobody would bother for a breakfast – eg. if HD is already off to work while I am sleeping, B not in town, etc. I would just settle for whatever is in the kitchen to feed myself.

One such lazy Saturday, I made this sandwich which was quite easy – nothing fancy as such – coupled with a mug of Horlicks (yes, I am still not stronger-taller-sharper!!! Hehe…) and the weekend magazine to spend some silent “me” time till the kids woke up. You can see that I opened up the food section of the magazine while having my little sandwich, thinking that what I was eating was what I was seeing. Actually, don’t many of us love to do that? I have heard a friend say to eat an apple thinking it is a piece of chicken and it really gives ultimate satisfaction!!! So much so for the power of the mind!
 
I must definitely say that this was one meal that kept me going till afternoon without much hiccups, that filling the sandwich was! Don’t we all love meals that are simple yet give the power to take all the punches! Going off to the recipe:

Scrambled Egg and Cheese Sandwich

Serves 1

 
 

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil
2 medium eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 slice cheddar cheese
2 sliced of large wholemeal bread
 
Method:
 
Heat oil in a saucepan till heated. Break in the eggs, add the salt and pepper and scramble them. Cook till done. Keep one slice of whole meal bread ready on a plate. Spread the hot scrambled egg on it and immediately put the slice of cheese on top. Close with the other slice of bread and keep untouched for a minute. The warmth of the egg would melt the cheese and get into the egg. Devour yourself with a mug of Horlicks, just like I did!!! Yummm….

 
 
Notes:

This is just a basic sandwich. You can add onions, cucumbers, sprinkle in some more masalas while scrambling eggs– the possibilities are infinite. The combination of egg and cheese is what makes the sandwich really good. I would really suggest whole meal bread, as the bites of seeds they provide gives the sandwich a really nice feel.

I know I am bragging, but this is definitely the best pictures that I have ever taken in my blogging life. I really loved the shade that came and loved the way the whole picture looks. Unfortunately, I have not been able to keep the same tempo in any of my pictures after this. L So Sona, I am giving you the best – as per me, that is! – that I’ve taken till date, because it is for you! J

Hope you all have enjoyed the post, as much as I have enjoyed doing this for my homely host. More than that, I sincerely hope that she has loved the post as well! Wishing all of you in advance, the best of the season…
 
*************************
 
now what else, do I need. A lovely person whom I just came across through blogs.. and she says..."I have given you my best !!!
 
With all the warm wishes for a great year ahead....
 
 
and before I sign off , a peep back into what would have been the "best" of 2013.
 

 
Super man, finally did look at himself the mirror, and realize something was just not worn right ! Agree ??
 
Yours truly..
 
Ms. Chirpy
....she named me so...and am sooo keeping it ;)