The ultimate French toast!

Hello Foodies!!

Have you ever been confused with some of the dishes if they were to be eaten as breakfast,lunch or dinner? My ultimate French toast can be eaten whenever you feel like. It is one of the meals which is not only healthy and easy to make but the ingredients used are mainly store cupboard essentials for most of us.

I think the French have dominated on the name French toast but it can be American, Spanish, German, Tanzanian or British toast. Surprisingly the French call it the " Pain Perdu" meaning " the lost bread". In countries like Portugal and Brazil it was a Christmas time dessert. The origin of the name is not too sure, I have read it somewhere that it was actually a person called Joseph French who invented it. I do not want to go on with the history of French toast, but it intrigues me most of the times to know the history and origin of some of the food that we eat.

I know you would be thinking that my French toast recipe is sweet, but its actually salty and spicy. But it tastes divine. My best judge is my husband and he said so! and I made this recipe for dinner.

3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato chopped
2 small red chillies finely chopped ( I use red chillies because I have a plant at home, if you don't have red you can use green or just chilli powder)
6 -7 olives, halved from the can (If you don't have, never mind)
3 eggs
6 medium slices of bread ( You can use whichever bread that suits you and that is available)
salt and pepper to test
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 - 1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoon or so of olive oil for frying

1. In a large bowl, whisk all the ingredients together except the bread until everything is combined. In a pan heat 1 teaspoon of oil for each slice of bread, soak each slice of bread in the egg mixture at a time, make sure that the bread is well covered with the mixture together with the onions and tomatoes and fry it 1 - 2 minutes on each side. Serve hot!

You can make it your own by adding other veggies like peppers or courgettes. You can make it more spicy by adding turmeric powder, you can add cheese to it to make it a feast.

How easy can this be? It is full of goodness for everyone! It is a balanced meal.

Keep eating healthy!!

Extremely handy and tangy hummus

Hummus in Arabic means chickpeas. It's origin is from the Middle eastern countries. In today's time everyone has its own version of Hummus except its made from chickpeas. I have my own version too. Last weekend I made hummus of 1.5kg chickpeas. I know its too much. But you would be surprised of its multi use. My husband had come home with two big cans of chickpeas from work. Ever since it has been lying in our garage. I had to do something about it, and all that came in my mind was making hummus. I have tried shop bought hummus as well. It is ridiculously expensive, not so delicious and I wonder if its healthy. After you make it at home, you realize what you were missing!!.

So here goes my version of hummus....

2x400g canned chickpeas. (If you don't have canned, you can soak chickpeas overnight and boil for few minutes)
2-3 fat cloves of garlic.
3-4 tablespoon of olive oil ( I don't think you can substitute with any other oil)
3-4 tablespoon yoghurt
zest and juice of 2 medium sized lemons (if you want it very tangy you can add more juice)
2 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste, if you don't have it you can omit it, and add more oil and yoghurt, I would suggest you to buy it as it has long shelf life and you can use it again)
Bunch of coriander, roughly about 20g

1. Whiz all the ingredients except for coriander in a food processor or blender, until it is smooth, if you feel that the consistency is not so smooth, you can add more oil and yoghurt to make it of a smooth consistency.
2. Roughly chop the coriander and discard the stalks and add it into the mixture and whiz again, until it is well incorporated in the mixture.
3. I did not add any salt too it, but if you think its not so salty than you can season according to your taste

How hard can hummus making be? You make it in large quantities and store it in the freezer. You can use it with salads, I have with slice of bread during lunch, you can use it as a sandwich spread, you can have it with bread sticks and pita bread, you can have it as a dip with carrot and cucumber sticks. Oh gosh, there are various uses of hummus. I am still counting, its best serve in parties as starters with bread sticks or vegetable sticks. You can use your own imagination with it!

Hummus is high in iron and Vitamins. Chickpeas make it a good source of proteins and fibres. How good can that be? Its not only a delicious appetizer but also healthy. No wonder in some Arab countries it is their staple food!

I hope you enjoy this recipe of mine, and try it for yourself!

Healthy living!!

On being a host.....

Having people around at your place and entertaining them is as simple as it can be. I have been lucky enough to be invited to several parties at homes of the most wonderful people I have come to know. I have been a hostess myself on a few occasions and I am going to write about few tips, tricks and cheats on playing a host.

In the hard financial times that we are in, we end up not entertaining people because of the cost involved in doing so. What I have realized is that it is us who make it complicated in trying hard to impress our guests when it is not necessary.

Another factor with entertaining is a healthy meal, we tend to use rich ingredients which are not only expensive but also unhealthy. There is no rule at such that the meals prepared for parties should include such rich contents. You would be surprised that most guests will not appreciate the "exotic" or "expensive" ingredients that you have used. So what I suggest is why not make it simple, delicious, low cost and above all HEALTHY!!

These are some tips....They are not in any particular order. You can follow what you think suits you best, if you think you have any better tips, go ahead and implement them.

• Observation is key. You will be surprise of what you will learn by observing your host when you are invited to theirs. Don't observe too hard and make it too obvious. You don't need to put so much effort, you will see it as the party progresses. There are various shows on the telly like Come dine with me which I have watched which has given me ideas about being a host. Not only the telly but the various cookbooks that I read are full of great ideas and tips on having people around.
• Set a budget. When you decide on having people around, just mentally or in a notebook set aside a budget that you are willing to spend. This is totally up to you depending on your affordability. What I have learnt is that parties can be held with any sort of budget. There would be various ingredients in your store cupboard that you can use. A budget gives you a guideline on your spending.
• Plan a menu. Which should not be that hard when you know how much you are going to spend. I mostly plan a menu based on what I have at home. I know we are all busy and we don't have the time to slog in the kitchen for hours, so plan a menu which you can prepare in advance. If not all atleast a few items. I like to plan a menu on these three criteria. You  might think its silly but really works for me. I would cook either of the course using the oven, the stove, and the third would be no cooking required at all. How easy can that be? You can make a hearty vegetable pie using the oven, rice using the stove and fruit yoghurt whereby no cooking is involved. Make sure the menu is healthy  which you can eat guilt free whilst watching your weight. In my other blogs I will be writing to you such recipes and ideas on menu planning.
• Prepare things in advance. Here I mean is make sure your house is cleaned, which you can do a day before. There is no clutter around. Arrange things in there right places. By doing so, will leave you with time to get yourself ready. (Not only the house but YOU have to look great) and above all you will be relaxed by the time the guests arrive.
• I don't like my house to be overly decorated what I prefer is a good fragrance when the guests enter. A vase of flowers and some candles burning would make all the difference.
• When a few hours are remaining for the party, or you can do this in advance, wash and dry your cutlery which you are going to be using. Cutlery does not have to be grand, a round white plate is as extravagant as it can be.
• Create a comforting ambience by soft music playing in the background. Be as comfortable as it can be. Make your guests feel special and warm by your  million dollar smile!
• When you have prepared everything in advance, you will have the time to be with your guests. That's the main part, the delicious meal would be wasted if you have spend more time in the kitchen than with your guests. The best parties are the ones where the host and the hostess are having fun. This spirit will make the guests easy and relaxed.

We are all learning, there is no right or wrong and there is no perfect host. You have to do what pleases you and makes you comfortable.

Until than, stay relaxed and enjoy life!!

This blog is dedicated to my two favourite Aunt's who I think are perfect hostesses!!

Hello food lovers,

Today I am going to share an easy lemon and yoghurt cake recipe. I got acquainted with this recipe from the book called Barefoot Contessa at home. I really enjoy watching the show Barefoot Contessa on TV but I do not totally agree with the Chef (Ina Garten) with some of her recipes. Will tell you why in my other blogs. Surprisingly enough I really liked this recipe of hers which I have modified to my needs. I like cooking with ingredients that are easily available or storecupboard essentials. This is one of those recipes where you could satisfy your sweet tooth and yet does not add up to your calorie counts!! That's not the only reason why I love this recipe, it does not require an electric mixer. I enjoy baking but am not fortunate enough to have an electric mixer as yet and recipes like this are a bonus.

I made this recipe for the first time when I went over to my Aunt's. I baked this cake as a present for her. I like baking cakes or cookies as presents. You know you will not go wrong with home baked cookies or cake or home made jam and pickles.

After everyone loving the cake, an idea popped in my head, Why can't I bake 2 or 3 cakes a day and supply to neighbouring coffee shops. I rang the shops and unfortunately was declined, but that did not discourage me from baking this cake again.

I made this cake last friday, just for my husband. It gives me immense pleasure when he returns home from work and is welcomed by the aroma of something baking in the oven.

Here goes the recipe, try it and you will know how delicious it is. There's some magic that lemon and sugar does to your taste buds.

The recipe makes 1 Loaf

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yoghurt (for even more healthier option you can use low fat yoghurt)
1 1/3 cup of sugar, divided
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil (you can use sunflower oil as well)
1/3 cup lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf tin. Whisk in a large bowl the yoghurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Slowly whisk in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt). With a spatula or a wooden spoon fold in the vegetable oil in the batter and incorporating it well. Pour the batter in the loaf tin and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the remaining sugar and lemon juice in a pan until the sugar dissolves and set aside. ( I wanted to omit this step but it really keeps the cake moist and tastes even better).

When the cake is done, cool it in the loaf pan for 10 mins and later place it on a plate and pour the lemon and sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak.

The cake tastes better warm or cold. It will send magical sensations to your tastebuds. Go for it!

Much love and Light till next time!!!

What's for dinner????

Pasta with a Kick.....

I love pasta so does my husband, so its an easy choice for supper, it has been just recently that I have been familiar with a wide variety of pasta and it has been an instant love affair with it. I have tried experimented with various types of pasta cooked in different ways.

Tonight I have been thinking of what to cook and pasta is the first thing that came in my mind. The recipe I am going to share is super easy, low fat and quick... and that's what you want when your stomach is grumbling. I call it pasta with a kick because its spicy and sweet. You'll see why exactly in the recipe below.

Here goes my first try at recipe writing....

Serves 3 - 4

400g pasta like penne, fussili or any other pasta shapes. for healthier option you can use whole wheat pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil (you can use any oil you desire but not in too much quantity)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large - medium onion, chopped
3 - 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
250g canned or frozen sweetcorn
400g canned chopped tomatoes ( if you don't have the can you can liquidise 5-6 tomatoes)
1 medium apple, chopped or grated
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chilli powder ( you can use less or more depending on your spicometer)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt or so to taste ( I recommend to use less salt and use other seasonings)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1. Cook the pasta as directed on the packet, my trick for cooking al dente pasta is boil water in a kettle when you are just about to start cooking (to save time) and cook pasta with salt and a tablespoon of olive oil to avoid it from sticking.
2. Heat a large non - stick pan. Add oil, once it is heated add cumin seeds and onions and cook until the onions have softened, than add garlic followed by the rest of the ingredients, bring it to boil and than reduce the heat.
3. Stir in the drained pasta and let it cook with the sauce for five minutes or less to let the flavours combine with the pasta.
4. Serve hot.

As the Italians would say eat to live and not live to eat!!!

That's a healthy fuss free supper. If there are any leftovers that would be your lunch the next day ( that's my husband's lunch to work tomorrow) or you can freeze it in an airtight container and have it at any other day.

The pasta recipe can be as you want, you can add mushroom or garden peas.

I hope you enjoy this one.
Keep eating healthy :)

Welcome to reality munch....

Hello readers,

Welcome to reality munch, its all about hassle free, low cost, low fat cooking and lots more.

I will be writing more about myself as I go on blogging, for starters.... I got married six months back and had no idea about cooking except that I love food. I was not given any formal or informal training on cooking or managing a household and here I was left all by myself to do it all without any help.

On reality munch I am going to share easy and delicious recipes fit for everyone and yet good for the heart. I am going to share my domestic experiences and give you tips and ideas on eating healthy and living happily.

I am open to your suggestions, tips and experiences and hope you enjoying reading my future blogs

For now
Happy living