A Beetroot, Feta & Quinoa Salad

I have a tremendously healthy salad recipe for today. One that we had last night and has left me vitalised! Low fat, high in protein and fibre and so very tasty. I felt so good eating it and I still have some left over for lunch.

Perfect for a summer’s evening with a cheeky glass of crisp white wine if you want 😉 I’ll be experimenting and creating more salads this season. Can’t wait to share them with you all.

I will be serving some @ Angie’s Fiesta Friday Party

Have a terrific day! Much love D x

INGREDIENTS

1 cup quinoa
1 raw peeled and grated beetroot
3 spring onions finely sliced
1 big tomato roughly chopped
1 tin roseca/borlotti beans rinsed & drained
Feta cheese crumbled (low fat)
Handful of sunflower seeds
1tbsp olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 tsp garlic granules
Salt to taste

METHOD

Put the quinoa to in a small saucepan and cook upon instruction. I tend to cook it like pasta. Bring the water to a boil and then simmer for 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and set aside

In a large bowl add the rest of the ingredients in order according to the pictures. Leaving the beetroot til the end..ish. This way you cab minimize the addition of the deep pink colour to the salad

Crumble in the feta last and fold in

Serve alone or with some buttered whole grain pitta bread

I will be serving some @

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7000 & Growing strong!!!

We are now up to 7,000 members/friends in our “SHARING FOOD WITH SHIVAAY DELIGHTS” food group over on Facebook

I am trying to get round to as many bloggers as possible and personally invite them to post their links of amazing baking treats and vegetarian dishes and recipes I see everyday here on WordPress.

If you wish to join please add yourself here @ https://m.facebook.com/groups/1433687623575418?ref=bookmark

With over 7000 new foodie friends I’m sure you will pick up some more lovely visitors to your individual blogs.  They will be able to see all the delightful food that I am privileged to view on a daily basis. It’s also another platform to share your food blog on!

You need to be on Facebook to join.  Please add yourself and your own family and friends.  I will join you all as soon as!

See you there too friends! Much love, D x

A Baked Broccoli Kofta Curry….

I absolutely love to find new recipes to try and am able to get a variety everyday on the Facebook interactive food group. With over 6000 members, I have made many friends and you can imagine the amount of vegetarian food dishes, recipes and ideas that are flying around.

I see so many that I wish to make, that now I have started to bookmark them. The first one I couldn’t wait to cook was The Baked Broccoli Kofta Curry by Swathi Pareek @ Cooking wid joy and what an outstanding recipe. Firstly what stood out at me was that the koftas were baked rather than fried and the ingredients were really healthy with hardly any use of oil.

What resulted was a superb curry with an intense broccoli hit of kofta in the most delectable tomato based curry. Swati! What a fantastic recipe!! One I know I will be making over and over again. Thank you so much!

It’s a must make…Do visit Swati and check out more tasty vegetarian recipes. Hope you all enjoy it. Have a relaxing, stress free Sunday! Much love D x

I followed the recipe with one acception.  I added a handful of cheddar cheese to the broccoli mash!  You know me and cheese! Lol!

Spicy Spinach & Cheese Omelette

How lovely is it that the tables have turned and you are able to cook for your parents now. It was so lovely when my mum came to spend time with me last Friday and requested me to make her a spicy spinach and cheese omelette! She loves loves chilli, don’t know where I  get that from? 😉

So to heat up the flavours, I decided to shallow fry off the 2 chillies in the oil base.  This way the oil started to infuse the spicy heat and this then transferred itself to the whole yummy omelette!  Such a simple and tasty dish yet so satisfying.  Mum was happy and so was I!
Here’s to more foodie requests from our families for us to make for them!

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded spinach
1/3 cup grated mature cheddar cheese
1 green chilli finely chopped
1 tbsp milk
Salt to taste
1/3 tsp ground cumin powder
Pinch of turmeric powder
1 tbsp olive oil

METHOD

Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan on a low heat. Beat the eggs and milk with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine well

Pour into the frying pan and still on a low heat let it set. Once set, place a lid or plate onto the pan so that the top of the omelette cooks in its own steam

Wait a few minutes, making sure all of it is cooked through

Serve with some buttered toast and savour the spiciness!

Baked Potato Wedges with Italian Herbs

Originally posted on CafeGarima:
Craving potato chips? Well, we all do at some point. But refrain and hold back for the calories within! Thanks to Dimple Makani’s excellent recipe here, we can now indulge in these with no ensuing guilt. And…

A Roasted Garlic & Lemon Dressing On A Super Salad

My husband decided to go on a diet to lose a little weight which is good news for him and his health but not for my cooking passion!
All this food and he will only be sampling?!! So to accommodate this change I decided that I would cook him super healthy food and I too would join him. Though I’m not giving up my love of sweet things, everything in moderation for me! Lol 😉

No carbs, more protein, more fruit and vegetables! So I raided my fridge for all the fresh veg I had and teamed it up with chickpeas. I must say I was delighted by the result and though he had most of it, I secretly wish I had made more for myself too!

I roast vegetables occasionally for pasta and various curries but this was the first time where I made a salad. This inspiration has come from Elaine@Foodbod. I often see her colourful pictures of succulent roasted vegetables! Drenched in mouth watering dressings so I too couldn’t resist. The addition of chickpeas provides this dish with more nuttiness and makes it more satisfying.

I think I will have to go and buy some more exciting fruit and vegetables to explore and create new recipes with! Have a fantastic day! Much love D x

INGREDIENTS

1 medium aubergine sliced finely and then quartered
1 red bell pepper chopped into chunks
1 large fresh tomato in segments
3 garlic cloves in skin
1 tin of chickpeas
3-4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Pinch of sugar

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 180°c, place all the prepared veg into a lined roasting tin. Drizzle a little olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and massage the oil into the vegetables

• Roast for 25-35 minutes until everything is tender and soft. Peel the roasted garlic cloves and set aside in a small bowl

• With a fork smash the roasted garlic, add salt to taste. Pour in the olive oil and lemon juice and then mix in the paparika, dried coriander and sugar. Combine well

• Serve up the roasted vegetables in a large bowl, rinse the chickpeas and throw in. Drench the salad with the dressing and coat all the ingredients well

Shivaay Delights Sharing Super Blogs

This week I have gone Egg crazy! I love to eat eggs and what better way than to showcase them off in a variety of dishes and include them in my Fab Four blogs of the week!

I start off with the super talented Karinna from “Cheesy Biscuit”, her wonderful array of recipes and dishes will have you mesmerized! Especially her love for Rhubarb! which I am yet to try in my recipes and I’m always inspired when I see many of Karinna’s gorgeous and vibrant pink coloured treats. Thank you for all your support honey! I’m putting rhubarb on my shopping list now!

Such an elegant dish, as is everything Karinna makes… http://cheesybiscuit.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/safffron-smoked-garlic-risotto-with-wilted-spinach-and-poached-egg/

One dish I have to try this weekend for Sunday Brunch is “Italian baked eggs”. Seriously Italian my favourite cuisine and you know about my love of eggs! This recipe is to die for! By “Happiness and Hominy”. A bright, clear and perfect blog with mouthwatering recipes, go by have a look, stay a while and spread the word! Enjoy!

http://happinessandhominy.wordpress.com/2014/05/10/italian-baked-eggs/

Here comes Amber @ “Om nom nom, eats and treats” don’t you just love that title! A funky foodie blog, one that cheers me up, everytime I visit. In her own words, “I am one of the horrific people still left in this world who cooks based on “ooo, that sounds tasty!” and not on calorie counts.  I think you will find that my diet is horrible, but delicious.”

Lets eat tasty food and you’ll be sure to find that at Amber’s blog! http://omnomnomtreats.wordpress.com/2014/05/10/eggchiladas/

Natalie over @ F yea, I’m a chef is a skilled baker and I totally loved the simplicity of her quick rice bowl recipe, of course with a glowing egg seated on top!
Simple, concise and lovely food and drink. Her simple caramel syrup for cold coffee is just too gooood! I can’t wait to make a whole pitcher full!

http://fyeaimachef.wordpress.com/2014/05/03/easiest-rice-bowl-updated-college-classic/

I hope you all enjoy these brilliant blogs…as I do! But for now have a gorgeous weekend and I’ll see you soon @ Shivaay Delights with more food, food ,food! Much love D x

Peri-peri spicy masala chips

A really lip smacking chips masala that I think allows the ordinary though much loved potato chip come to life!

A masala so moreish that you won’t be able to stop once you’ve started! For all those “Nando’s” lovers out there this peri peri mix likens itself to their famous seasoning! And the best thing is you can have as much as you want as you can mix up some more!

I’m bringing this super duper spice mix to Angie’s awesome party over @ The Novice Gardener!…let’s all sprinkle and shake those chips to the music being played! 🙂

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic granules
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dried coriander
Fresh lemon juice
(Cayenne pepper optional)

2 plates ready made hot crispy chips ~ I oven bake mine so that they are more healthy!

METHOD

• Throw in all the seasoning ingredients into a non stick plate

• Mix well, add the chips and coat well with the masala and finally squeeze a little lemon juice. You can skip the lemon if you want the chips to remain crisp! But I love how it lifts the spices!

My Writing Process Blog Tour

I am so excited that Ada @ More Food Please invited me to be a part of the My Writing Process blog tour! I have followed Ada’s blog from when I started to blog. She is an inspiration to me and also has become a dear friend on Facebook via WordPress. Ada’s recipes are soooo yummy and you’ll be wanting More food always as you look through her posts!

For those who are unfamiliar with how the blog tour works, I answer a set of questions about my writing process and then introduce three other bloggers who will answer the same set of questions next week. Each of them would also introduce a set of three bloggers for the following week, and so on.

Recently I am finding that I am writing a lot more for my blog but my favourite Baking element has been put on hold…that and I’m trying to lose weight for my cousin’s wedding in August! So I’m trying not to tempt fate and bake any goodies lol!

My blog covers a range of vegetarian recipes that I either write up or adapt, mainly dependent upon the ingredients I have in the fridge. I have also written about Ayurveda which I have been interested in since I was a teenager. It is now that my passion for cooking that was stirred by the encouragement from my Aunt, allows me to explore this fascination even more.

The main reason for me starting the blog last year in July 2013 is because of my Aunt, who passed over of Cancer and who I have dedicated my blog Shivaay Delights to. I write to keep the passion of cooking which she ignited in me and to keep her memory alive! Recently I made a dish that I had made with her and it brought back such wonderful memories.

I write about my day to day experiences with food, be it cooking or eating or even pictures or thoughts I may have come across that insires me. I also write a weekly “Sharing super blogs” post, where I choose my Fab Four Bloggers off the week. I’m hoping to get round to all of my stunning blogging friends and their amazing blogs…

So without further ado let me introduce you to 3 more brilliant bloggers, who are close to my heart…and who will carry on the writing tour next week….

Firstly Sonal over @ Simply Vegetarian 777. A creative vegetarian blogger, a friend and most importantly has taken on the roll of my surrogate chilli sister as we both can’t get enough of it! She has always encouraged me and welcomed me into her blogging world and friends. Her recipes are divine, bursting full of flavour and you’ll always find something different to experience on a daily basis.

Now comes my incredible Italian friend Michaela who explores her love of Italian food and from whom I have learnt to make authentic Italian dishes. Her tiramisu is to die for! I can’t wait to meet her one day and cook with her. Holiday in Italy…friends and food what more could you ask for! But for now go have yourself an Italian journey via Easy Italian Cuisine

Prudy, Prudy, Prudy…my stunning friend over @ Butter, Basil & Breadcrumbs . She is a gorgeous person, never forgets to leave beautiful words after every recipe I write but must importantly I am inspired by her loveable energy and beyond original recipe ideas. Her logo is soooo cool and so is she…so please had over to and see for yourself…

Thank you so much Ada , for allowing me to be a part of this tour! I am looking forward to reading the posts for next week’s blog tour!

See you all soon…much love D x

 

Tropical Train Muffins

I couldn’t resist the train muffin tray I saw in a vibrant flourescent green sitting up on the top shelf by itself! My little one loves trains and loves me baking for him so this would be a double whammy of excitement!

I decided to make these muffins for children/toddlers so the sugar has been reduced drastically. But still sweet especially with the juicy pineapple chunks. I wanted to add banana for more of a tropical feel but had run out, so maybe next time!

The train came out really well and it was so exciting to line it up and see the excitement on my 3 year old’s face! He insisted that he wanted to give some to his cousin brother..so I wrapped three compartments up and he was ecstatic sharing!

The flavours have been dimmed down a little for the kids and I will be making some more muffins for us adults very soon, so you don’t feel left out! Have a beautiful Sunday, much love D x

INGREDIENTS

250g plain flour
120g small pineapple chunks
40g dessicated coconut
55g soft brown sugar
25g caster sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 large free range egg beaten
170ml milk
80ml sunflower/vegetable oil

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180°c/gas mark 4

• Add all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl apart from the pineapple chunks and combine with a wooden spoon or in a mixer

• Fold the pineapple in and then fill the train moulded muffin tray

• Put the silicon tray on a metal baking tray and place into the oven to bake for 30-35 minutes. Until the tops are crisp and golden

• Let the train muffins cool down and then slowly ease them out of the tray. You will have to slice off the raised muffin tops in order for the train to sit properly on a surface

Arrange the muffin train and we’re off on our tropical adventure!