Geetha's Kitchen

I wanted to post something fabulous for the 601st recipe! Can't believe they have added up! Chadachadayam (Rice Pudding/Payasam), a favorite payasam or pudding popular in Kerala, is not only vegan, but also gluten free. It is very similar to Pal Payasam , but differs in taste because of the additions of Jaggery and Coconut Milk. Chadachadayam (Rice Pudding/Payasam) aka Sadasadayam or Idichu Pizhinja Payasam is a fabulous dessert and a favorite in Kerala. It is often called Idichu Pizhinja Payasam since the milk is squeezed (pizhinja) from pounded(idichu) fresh coconut and added to the payasam. But for ease of preparation, I have used canned coconut milk here. Variations: Alternately, cook the soaked rice in a pressure cooker. Then proceed as in the recipe above. Cashews pieces and raisins  and/or chopped almonds and pistachios may be added as a garnish. Although traditionally made with rice grains, sometimes I like to prepare it with toasted Aval aka Poha which is Rice ...

I thought all my clothes had shrunk! Could it be that the laundry was done with hot water inadvertently? But really - all of them? The realization dawned and that it was not the clothes which had shrunk but my size had expanded :D! - and well it might - with all the cooking, tasting, and.... most importantly EATING. My physician told me that the easiest way to reduce the weight would be to take a medication; the meds suppress appetite and soon the the weight would come down. So how long did I have to take them, I asked. He told me that once I stopped them, the weight would come back - albeit slowly. He then recommended that I could follow a meal replacement plan since I did not want to take any medications - there were different types of shakes available just for this purpose!  Wow, it sounded so easy to replace just one meal with a shake. But when I checked out the shake (I read labels of everything), I was appalled at what I saw on the label. I could not bring myself to ...

Here is a recipe for a delightful and rich tasting banana bread made without any eggs or dairy products. I have eliminated not only the eggs, but the butter as well :). No eggs/butter = no cholesterol! This is a tried and true recipe: Chellu loves it! A wonderful use for those overripe bananas which are past their prime and on the way to the compost bin! Also, I like baking in a shallow pan rather than in a loaf pan since it cooks in less than half the time. If you however wish to make a loaf, bake at 350 degrees F for about 60 minutes. 16 pieces; Each piece contains about: 165 Calories; 2.8 g Protein; 24 g Carbohydrates; 7.3 g fat; 2 g Fiber. Ingredients: 1/3 cup Oil 1/2 cup Sugar 3 ripe Bananas, mashed 1 tsp Vanilla Essence 1/2 cup Oatmeal or multigrain flakes 11/2 cups Unbleached Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Salt 1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped (optional) Method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat with oil or cooking spray an 8 by 8 square baking pan. Cream the oil, sugar; then mi...

Here is a lovely warm weather breakfast or afternoon snack. For best results use frozen overripe bananas -- those way past eating fresh -- with brown spots. To freeze them just peel, pop in resealable plastic bags or other container, and put in the freezer until needed to make this wonderful, cold, and satisfying meal in a glass! Vegans or those with milk allergies, use soy or other type of "milk". If using vanilla bean, slit open and scrape the pulp inside into the blender. Discard pods or use it to perfume sugar for baking, Iced Coffee Quencher , etc by placing it in an air tight container of sugar. 1 large or 2 small servings Ingredients: 2 small ripe frozen bananas a small handful of ice cubes(Optional) 1 tsp Pure Vanilla essence or 1 vanilla bean pod 1 cup Milk, any type (whole milk will give a richer result) Method: Place the bananas in a blender container with all the rest and whirl until pureed. Serve immediately in tall glasses. Bon appetit! You might...