Oatmeal and almond meal pancakes

Oatmeal and almond pancakes?  Sounds blah?  Hardly. This is a perfect breakfast meal especially for gluten free dieters.

The taste can easily be enhanced with a topping of fruits, roasted walnuts, honey or any other fruit of your choice. Or, all of the above.
Check out the recipe from vidyaswamys kitchen.com.

Bhatura, a fried Indian bread

This easily is one of our family's favorite Indian bread. The only downside is that it is fried.  So, indulging in Chole Bhatura is very rare.  However, the nutritional value is not all that bad. Here are links to both recipes, Chole and Bhatura.

Try it from vidyaskitchen.com.

Neem flower pacchadi (pickle), a New Year tradition

This dish is a tradition in some southern Indian homes and is made only on New Year day.  It is a combination of five distinct tastes -- sweet, sour, salt, bitter, spice and symbolizes one's life as a mixed bag of emotions; trials, tribulations, happiness, ups and downs, highs and lows.

Try it out from Vidya Swamy's kitchen.com.

Green Peppers Masala

This recipe has a unique taste because of the poppy seed and coconut mixture. A mix of green and red peppers makes the dish look attractive.

Green Pepper Masala from Vidya's kitchen.

Ginger Kuzhambu (broth)

Ginger is quite a common ingredient in our southern Indian dishes. We use them in soups, rasams, the several side dishes that go with the Indian breads, vegetable dishes and many of our home made ayurvedic remedies. The best known use is for digestion. I use them in green juices almost all the time. The spicy, juicy kick that you experience from chewing a raw piece of ginger is heavenly.

Here's a delicious ginger Kuzhambu recipe. Perfect when you have a cold or a sore throat. Test it from vidyaswamyskitchen.com.

Scalloped Potatoes with Quattro Formaggio - great side dish for Thanksgiving

Try this happy dish for Thanksgiving this year. Will be a sumptuous addition. Something new, something cheesy.

Thanksgiving dinners are very traditional but a new addition will always get extra attention.This was a heat and serve dish promoted by Trader Joe's and I have given you the recipe to make it at home.  Quite easy using the never-can-go-wrong ingredients such as potatoes, butter, cheese...!  Find it on Vidya's Kitchen site.

Roasted Potatoes with fresh Fenugreek

This recipe originated from northern India; you will not find them in Indian restaurants though. Despite having potatoes in this recipe, it is quite healthy due to the ingredient, fenugreek. Fenugreek leaves, seeds and sprouted seeds are used in various Indian recipes. They are also used to treat several ailments.

An interesting fact is that many of the overpowering, spiced up oily foods that list Indian restaurant menus taste quite different when prepared at home, especially the healthy southern Indian dishes.

Try this potato with fresh fenugreek recipe from vidyaswamy's kitchen. 

Make canned soup healthier, tastier

We all reach out for that quick food soup for an easy, filling meal especially when we are out of ideas, or need that satisfying something to keep the day going.

Here's a recipe I think you'll love. Need not be made from scratch and hardly takes any time. Prep times is about 7 minutes, stove to table is about 20 minutes. Now that's hard to beat!  Check out this recipe from vidyaswamy's kitchen.com.

A yummy bengali dessert called Chum Chum

One of the best Indian desserts I've had. It is made of milk and light sugar syrup. Try this recipe from Vidya's kitchen.

Bengalis have a way with their desserts and somehow they never taste as good if people from other parts of India make it. I would say mine comes close.

Try this nutritious vegetarian recipe called Bisi Bela Bhath

The origin of this Kannada dish is Karnataka. It has unique, likable taste. The main spice ingredients are coriander, cumin, red chilies and cinnamon. What makes it nutritious are the vegetables and lentils.

Try this recipe from Vidya's kitchen.