Guilt free Dessert ~ Blueberry Fool

When you think dessert, generally a calorie rich dish comes to mind. Well, think again! These blueberry fools are actually low fat and still lusciously creamy and indulgent.

I received Rachel Allen's Easy Meals as a gift this Christmas and as I was browsing the book, I came across a very simple dessert named Apple Fool. Rachel chronicles that it may be because it is so simple that any fool can make it. Then she adds on that the word fool is derived from the word fouler, meaning to crush or press. While the original recipe from the book had double cream in it, I substituted it with low fat hung curd and instead of apples, I used blueberries.

A very healthy and simple dessert which any one can make. Linking it to my event Healthy and Hearty

 and to Any One Can Cook Series by Taste of Pearl City

 

Ingredients:
500gm low fat yogurt.
2-3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence.
2/3 cup fresh or frozen bluberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp sugar.
Click here for the printable version

 Process:

1. Line a muslin cloth over a sieve and place it over a large bowl. Pour the yogurt over the muslin cloth and let it hang in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or over night. The yogurt will reduce into half its original volume.

2. Add blueberries, sugar , lemon juice and zest in a pan and heat it till it bubbles and blueberries and soft and leaves out it juice. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. Our blueberry compote is ready.

3. In another bowl mix the hung yogurt, vanilla and sugar. In 2 serving glasses pour the yogurt mixture and blueberry mixture alternately till used. The layers need not be perfect, rather it should give a zigzag pattern.
Keep it in refrigerator till needed. Serve cold. Enjoy!

Note: You can substitute the blueberry with any kind of berries, cherries or even substitute the berry compote with pureed fruit like mango, pear etc.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

London Trip in Pictures ~ For Saturday Snapshots

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. It’s easy to participate – just post a picture that was taken by you, a friend, or a family member and add your link on Alyce’s site.

 I have already written here that I had been to London for new year. This trip was memorable. I have been there before and have been to all the popular sightseeing place the city has to offer. So this time, we planned our trip differently. We spent a good amount of time enjoying Indian food at Indian joints in Wembley and Southall. Southall had been on top of our list to visit and we really enjoyed 'the desi' experience.

Indian style market at Southall!

Of Course, I had to eat here!

By 4 pm on new year's eve, we were in the fireworks show viewing area near the Big Ben and London Eye. The crowed swelled by the hour and we were only glad to have reserved our spots early.

It only at 10 pm things go started there with music and the lovely changing hues of the London Eye. In simple words it was just gorgeous!

The fire works that happened at sharp 12.00 am and lasted for about 11 minutes. It was one of the most spectacular show and something I will cherish forever. It left me dazed, stupefied and dumbfounded and I did not dare to click a picture, least I would miss something. Also, I knew my camera would not be able to capture even 1% of it. Thanks to BBC for the high definition video on youtube. I have watched it several times again and it still leaves me speechless.

 

 Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Lucky Library Picks#5

Ever since I started this meme, I go to the library with renewed interest, enthusiasm and hope and have been picking up interesting titles. This week for 'Lucky Library Picks' I have 2 books to share.

Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel:

I read Life of Pi by the author last year and after a difficult start, that book has been one of those enlightening reads that I cherish.  To pick Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel seems to be a natural progression to me.

The blurb says, "This is the story of a donkey named Beatrice and a monkey named Virgil. It is the story of an extraordinary journey undertaken by a man named Henry".

Isn't that intriguing? Well after the tiger in Life of Pi, I am in for a donkey and monkey in this novel!;-P!

Animal's People by Indra Sinha

I had not heard about this author or the book before. The cover of the book says - shortlisted for the 2007 Man Booker Prize. Well, my knowledge about these things had never been very good. What caught my attention is the excerpt from the back of the book:

"I used to be human once. So I'm told. I don't remember it myself, but people who knew me when I was small say I walked on two feet just like a human being".

That sounds crude but it was enough to stir up my interest.

If the same thought is crossing your mind as mine then let me reassure you, I will pick some books without any animals in them next time.:-)! Do you have anything to share about Lucky Library Picks, so share your link! You can check my other Lucky Library Picks post here.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers

Banoffee Pots ~ For Sweet Punch

For January Sweet Punch Divya chose a gorgeous, sinful, decadent 'Banoffee Pie' recipe from Swapna's Cuisine. I was in a dilemma, whether to go for it or not. There were a couple of reasons. Banoffee Pie is anything but healthy, it is loaded with calories and calories and calories! But, it is definitely outrageously DELICIOUS, so much so that all your resolutions to eat healthy will go behind closed doors. Another reason was my DH loves banana as a fruit but not anything with bananas in it. So, cooking this only for myself didn't seem to be a very good idea (I nearly fainted when I stood on my bathroom scale last time. Sigh! Old story!).

Still, I went ahead and made it as making dulce de leche had been high on my 'to make list' and to justify it to myself I made them as trifles (small serving, so less calories). I made only 2 servings and the rest of dulce de leche is making something else. I will come up with that later.

First thing first: How to make dulce de leche?

It is nothing but cooked condensed milk. I went for the conventional method as suggested in the recipe. 

Put the can of condensed milk, unopened, in a large pan, cover with water, bring to boiling point and boil for 2 hours on medium heat. Top it with boiling water from a kettle as needed. The can SHOULD remain covered in water, otherwise there is a risk of the can bursting open. Remove and leave to cool completely. If you cook it for longer, it will have a darker color than that shown in the picture below.

 

This is how I made the Banoffee Pots/Trifles:

Click here for printable version

Ingredients:

3-4 rich tea biscuits powdered

1 tbsp butter

80 ml dulce de leche

1 banana, peeled and sliced

80 ml whipped cream sweetened to taste

Cocoa powder for dusting.

Process:

1. Mix the butter and the powdered biscuit and divide it into the two serving glass. Press it to form a layer. 

2. Pour dulce de leche into each glass equally forming a layer followed by banana slices and them top it up with whipped cream. Dust it with cocoa powder. Keep it in the fridge for an hour before serving.

Quick and Crunchy Masala Peanuts ~ In Microwave ~ For Blog Hop Wednesdays

If you want a quick snack, hassle free to make, then you have hit the right space. These crunchy masala peanuts just takes a few minutes to prepare and you will have only a couple to utensils to wash after you make them. This week for the new edition of Blog Hop Wednesdays, I was paired with Nirmala's Kitchen. Her space has a variety of dishes and I have bookmarked a number of her dosa recipes. But the moment, I saw this, I knew this is what I need to try right away. Needless to say, I love peanuts! I have used half the quantity as given in the original recipe. This is a healthy snack which uses little oil and can be prepared in a jiffy.

I know this post comes a day late but as the saying goes, 'Better late than never'. Do check out what other Blog Hoppers are up with. Lets check the recipe of Crunchy Munchy Masala Peanuts.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peanuts
1 tbsp gram flour/besan.
1tsp rice flour
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
11/2 tsp oil
1/3 tsp salt or to taste
Click here for the printable version
Process:
1. Soak the peanuts in water for 10-15 minutes.
2. In a bowl add rest of the ingredients and mix. Drain the water and add the peanuts to the masala mixture.
3. Use your hands to lather the masala mixture onto the peanuts and then arrange it on a microwave safe plate in single layer.
4. Microwave it on a high for 1 minute and check. Remove any lumps. Repeat the process until they are crisp. I did it 4 times, 1 minutes each. Be careful when handling the plate as it will become hotter with each minute.
5. Let it rest for 10 minutes before munching as they will become crisp as they cool down. Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, it is even good on its own. Just keep an eye on the portion size as too much of anything isn't good.

Note: The time of making these can vary from microwave to microwave. I have a simple one which I use only for re heating food.

Also linking it to Healthy & Hearty hosted here & New Year - New Dish hosted by Nupur.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

PS: I have a number of things to write about in my coming posts, both books and food and also about my New Year London visit. I will post the January Sweet Punch Challenge next. (Gosh! I am already a week late for that). Stay tuned.