Oats Rava Chia seeds banana nut bread

                 
                               This  week started with the anticipation of the arrival of this unwanted guest ; Hurricane Sandy .. State of emergency was declared and everyone was at home . After a long time all of us were home and there were no activities,no errands to run and no outdoor play . We decided to make it a fun time . No fun is complete without baking in Kane's coop . So here it is indian flavored oats-rava-chia seeds banana nut bread . It's a wholesome , healthy ,filling bread and packed with protein and calcium for active kids . I got this recipe from Donna and Usha and tweaked it a little . Junior had once told me how to write recipes for cakes and breads the way he is learning at school .

Dry Ingredients :

1 cup old fashioned oats
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup fine rava/sooji/cream of wheat
3 tbsp almond powder
1/4 cup walnuts
3 tbsp flax seed powder
2 tbsp everest milk masala
5-6 cardamoms powdered
1/8 tsp nutmeg powder
couple of pinches of saffron
3/4 cup brown sugar ** you can use regular sugar also**
1 tsp baking powder


Wet Ingredients :

2 1/2 Ripe bananas
1 cup milk
4 tbsp ghee/clarified butter

To decorate :
2 tbsp sugar

To make the bread :

1) Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2) Grase the cake pan with baker's spray .
3) Powder the oats and chia seeds together .
4) Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and roast oats-chia seeds flour with rava till there is this nice aroma .
5) Keep aside and cool down completely .
6) Mix all the dry ingredients except baking powder in a big bowl .
7) Puree bananas with milk and the remaining ghee.
8) Add to the dry ingredients and mix well .
9) Add baking powder and mix well .
10) Pour in the prepared pan and bake for 30 mins or till the toothpick inserted comes out clean .
11) Invert on a plate and sprinkle sugar with the help of a strainer .


Serve warm . The kiddos like it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream .

Garden rotini in avocado sauce

         


                    Kane's Coop just loves avocados and pasta is always a hit with the kids . Diwali is approching and kids are busy with their practices in addition to regular activities . Pasta is a kind of meal I can count on when kiddos are tired . One of my friends was telling me how she would love pasta with some green sauce on red and green themed dinner for christmas and I knew what I was making for dinner tonight . Princess Pea loves beans so I try to add beans in every meal I make . I found a recipe on US Masala and tweaked it according to my family's taste . The sauce is smooth and creamy and goes well with any kind of pasta . I prefer Penne or Rotini or something that will hold more sauce than spaghetti .
      
Pasta :-
1 box of whole wheat garden rotini
*** you can use any pasta of your choice ***

Sauce :-
3 ripe avocadoes
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup cilantro
4 cloves of garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
salt to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas/chhole

Pasta :-

Boil the pasta according to the directions on the box . Drain .Reserve 1/2  pasta water and keep aside .

Sauce :
1) Blend together avocados , spinach ,cilantro,garlic ,walnuts and half of the garbanzo beans to a smooth paste .
2) Use oil instead of water to make into a smooth paste .
Add salt and lemon juice and blend again .

Assembly :

Toss the pasta in prepared avocado sauce . Adjust the consistency by using reserved pasta water . Mix with rest of the garbanzo beans . Serve with garlic bread and soup .