Next up in our Dips and Spreads series is my utter favorite, sweet spread, Strawberry Butter. Before we bid the seasonal strawberries adieu, you definitely should be trying this extremely rich, creamy, fluffy and super fancy butter that tastes exactly like strawberry shortcake, requires minimal time and minimal effort
To enjoy this fancy, delicious spread I also made some Buttermilk Biscuits using @gemma_stafford ‘s biscuits recipe. The biscuits were fresh out of the oven and the strawberry butter freshly whipped. Can you smell and taste the deliciousness already???
I cannot rave enough about how great this spread is and why you need it in your life right now but in very short,
This spread is amazing because:
– Pantry Friendly – Needs only 3 ingredients – Needs under 10 mins – Dreamy – Super Fancy and delicious
So without further ado, Let’s get Dippin or should I say, spreadin?
For a small jar of Strawberry Butter, You’ll need:
½ Cup unsalted softened Butter – at room temp
¼ th Cup Powdered Sugar/sugar substitute
8-10 Strawberries chopped
Instructions:
In a big bowl add butter and with your electric whisker, whisk it on low for about a minute till the butter gets fluffy
Now add the sugar and whisk for another minute to combine
Now add the chopped strawberries and using a spatula mix well
Whisk it again with your whisker on medium speed to get the strawberries and butter incorporated
Viola, easy peasy yet fancy!!!
You can also make this spread using your hand whisk instead of the electric whisker 🙂
To see this process in short, check out the reels on my Instagram page @the.kari.tales
I have been a fan of Satay sauce since my trip to Thailand in 2018 and I feel I can eat that sauce with almost anything, Salads, Skewers, Wraps & Rolls, Sandwiches etc.
So this is my version of a quick under 5 mins Satay sauce that is sweet, spicy and has Peanut Butter!! Yes, now you know what I’m saying…..
Served it with some Vietnamese Veg Wraps and made myself a delightful, no cooking, healthy lunch
This dip is great because:
– Needs only 5 mins – Pantry Friendly – Stores well – Goes with almost anything – Incredibly delicious
To make a medium bowl of this lush, flavourful dip
You’ll need:
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4th tsp each of salt, pepper and sugar and extra to taste
1/4th cup unsweetened peanut butter (smooth or crunchy your choice)
1 tbsp chilli garlic sauce or Sriracha sauce
½ tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive/sesame oil
½ tsp sesame seeds – optional
Instructions:
Mix together minced garlic, soy sauce, salt, pepper and sugar with a whisk
Now add chilli garlic sauce, peanut butter, lemon juice and whisk vigorously to combine
Now add oil and whisk together to form a homogeneous mixture
(If your sauce feels too thick, you can add a few tbsps of hot water, one tbsp at a time)
Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy with Spring rolls, sandwiches or top your favorite salad!
To see a quick video of this recipe, check out the reels on my Instagram handle, @the.kari.tales
As the weather is changing, my snack cravings have been at their all time high and as much as I’d love to grab a bag of Lays Barbeque Potato chips, it is not the healthiest form of snacking 😦
But I have been eyeing this gorgeous, creamy white bean dip with roasted tomatoes recipe from Sasha Marx on Serious Eats and I thought it was the perfect time to give it a try
I wasn’t surprised with how great it turned out, coz afterall it is a Serious Eats feature and those never disappoint
This dip is great because:
Pantry friendly
Almost no chopping
Protein rich
Too Delicious
Quick and Easy
To make this highly addictive creamy white bean dip, you’ll need:
1 can of white beans – drained and washed
4-5 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 tbsp lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp hot water
To make the Roasted Tomatoes you’ll need:
10-12 Cherry Tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Fresh herbs – Parsley/Basil
Kalamata olives – pitted and sliced (I did not have olives so I replaced them with finely sliced jalapenos but I highly recommend you use olives if you have)
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 425F/220C
Let’s start by roasting our tomatoes. In a baking tray lined with parchment paper, place your tomatoes and dress them with ½ tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20-25 mins and once out let cool for atleast 10 mins
For the dip, in a small bowl add the minced garlic and lime juice. Let it rest for 10 mins so as to tone down the harshness of Garlic
In a food processor, add the lime juice and garlic liquid, add the beans, salt and pepper and grind for about a minute
Then add 2 tbsp hot water and continue grinding for 2 more mins. During these 2 mins, stream the olive oil into the dip and grind for another min till you see a smooth creamy consistency
Transfer to a bowl
For the tomato salad, mix the roasted tomatoes, fresh herbs, olive oil and the olives in a bowl
Top the bean dip with the tomato salad and serve with Toasties
This is going to be your favorite snack so make sure to stock your pantry with enough white beans
To see a quick video of this process check out the reels section on my Instagram page @the.kari.tales
Who doesn’t like Tomato Salsa that is fresh, tangy, super quick and hassle free?
Who likes going through the pain of fine chopping all the ingredients? Not me!!!
This salsa is great because
Delicious and Super Fresh
Needs basic pantry ingredients
Ready in 5 mins
Stores well
Almost No Chopping
I am a strong woman who is capable of many things, but resisting a fresh homemade salsa with chips is not one of them!
I do not like store bought salsa and always prefer making my own at home and why not if it only takes 5 mins and just a few pulses of your food processor. So, without further ado, let’s get Dippin!!
Makes 1 medium bowl of Salsa
You’ll need:
1 medium yellow onion, peeled halved
2 cloves garlic peeled
1 large tomato – Quartered
1/2 Jalapeno – deseeded (keep the seeds if you like very spicy salsa)
½ tsp salt and pepper or to taste
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp cumin powder – optional but recommended
Handful coriander leaves – keep the stems, they have a great flavour of freshness
Instructions:
In a food processor on grind setting throw in the onion, jalapeno, garlic cloves and salt. Pulse repeatedly till it gets fine, takes about 5-9 pulses
Now add, lime juice, tomato, coriander, paprika, cumin, pepper and blitz again on pulse setting till nice and fine (not too fine, we don’t want a puree)
Scrape the sides and now add 1 tbsp tomato ketchup and pulse twice to mix well
Transfer to your bowl and enjoy with your fav chips
Delicious, laid back, easy, healthy snacking. Store in a small jar for 4-5 days in the refrigerator
Head to our instagram page @the.kari.tales to follow the recipe in my reels
I looovveee Bounty and love it more when it is just 4gms net carbs per bar for a nice chunky bar (I usually just eat half at a time, coz honey, they’re addictive and can mess your macros)
Incredibly easy and satisfying, this bounty bars’ recipe is sure to sweep you off your feet and you’ll be seen replenishing your pantry with a lot of these ingredients:
For the coconut filling:
½ Cup Heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract – really optional
1 tbsp Erythritol (use Sugar if you’re making regular and not low carb bars)
3/4th cup unsweetened desiccated Coconut – May vary a couple tbsp here and there
For the chocolate coating:
6 squares of Lindt Dark Chocolate
3/4th tbsp coconut oil/butter
1 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions:
Let’s start with preparing the filling
In a sauce pan, on medium heat, add butter and let it melt, now add in the heavy cream, erythritol sweetener (I use Swerve) or Sugar and stirring continuously with a light hand, reduce it to almost 3/4th as it thickens. Takes about 5-6 mins
Thickened heavy cream mixture
Bring it off the heat and add in the desiccated coconut and vanilla extract. Mix well to bring everything together. If your mixture feels a bit wet, add in a couple more tbsp of coconut, one at a time. I used ¾ th cup and 1 tbsp over it but this may vary
Cool it slightly and place it down evenly to 1.5 inch thickness, in a bread loaf tin/small container lined with parchment sheet. Refrigerate for 30-60 mins till it hardens a bit
Now bring the coconut slab out and using your parchment remove it from the tin. Using a sharp knife cut bar size pieces. Set in the fridge again for 10 mins
Bar sized pieces
In the meantime, in a small microwaveable bowl, add the Lindt chocolate squares (break them to little pieces) and add the coconut oil/ or use butter if you don’t have coconut oil
Ready to be microwaved
Microwave for 50 -60 secs or till the chocolate melts. Now mix it thoroughly using a spoon to combine. Add 1 tbsp heavy cream to bring it to a ganache consistency
Ganache Consistency
Now using a fork, add the coconut bars to the chocolate ganache and coat it evenly on all sides and place it on a tray lined with parchment paper gently. This whole process is important so coat one bar at a time and use a fork very gently to roll for ease
Ready to go in the refrigerator
Repeat for all bars and refrigerate for 40-50 mins
After 40 mins your delicious, satisfying and highly addictive bounty bars are ready. Store in an airtight box in the fridge and remove whenever you want to eat
This entire process remains the same if you want to make regular bars and not the low carb version. Just replace the low carb sweetener with regular sugar
If you end up trying this recipe let us know and tag us on our Instagram handle @the.kari.tales
I love authentic Indian food and this recipe is one of my favorites. But I often find myself struggling to source these unique speciality ingredients that I need, to prepare my favorite Indian food
Then I came across @tasteport which is a one stop online shopping app, to source all the speciality & local groceries from stores located near you and have them delivered the same day, That’s right, the same day. I ordered some frequently used ingredients in my Indian recipes like Ghee, Paneer, Masalas, Frozen Flatbreads, Nuts and so much more, which was very efficiently delivered by Tasteport hassle free from touch of an app to my door step
Created this delicious, nutritious and one of a kind main course dish, which is inspired by my mother’s recipe. Spinach and Paneer Koftas in a smooth, rich cashew-based gravy, enjoyed with a side of Flatbreads/Parathas and some cucumber salad. Ahh, so satisfying and divine
So, without further ado, let’s dive into making this recipe that will leave you asking for more!!
Makes 3 servings
For Koftas/dumplings you’ll need:
½ medium onion roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic roughly sliced
1 inch piece of ginger
1 green chilli
1 bunch of spinach roughly chopped
½ cup shredded paneer
½ cup boiled mashed potato
1/3rd cup gram flour (besan)
Fistful of cashews
1 tbsp ghee
Spices – ½ tsp each of salt, pepper, turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder or to taste
Oil to fry the dumplings/kofta
For the gravy you’ll need:
2 tbsp ghee
½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1 large onion roughly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1/4th cup tomato puree
7-8 cashews (soaked in hot water for atleast 1 hour)
Spices: ½ tsp each of salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala or to taste
1 tbsp of dry fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi – optional but recommended
3 tbsp chopped coriander for garnish
Instructions:
Let’s start by preparing our dumplings/koftas
In a pan, add 1 tbsp ghee, onion, garlic, ginger and green chilli. Sautee it on medium flame for a min and then add the spinach, a pinch of salt. Sautee for another two mins or till the spinach wilts down
Now cool this mixture slightly and add it to your blender to make a smooth paste
Now empty this paste in a big bowl and add shredded paneer, mashed potato, gram flour, spices, cashews and mix thoroughly to create a dough. Sprinkle extra gram flour till you don’t reach doughish consistency
Now in a pan, heat some oil to fry and in the meantime take equal portions of the dough and using greased palms make some round/flat round dumplings and place them on a parchment paper in a plate
Once the oil is hot, slide in your dumplings/koftas and deep fry them on medium heat for approximately 2 mins on each side till golden brown. Remove in a plate lined with kitchen tissue to soak up extra oil. Set aside
Now for the gravy, in a pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee on medium heat and add the cumin seeds, let them splutter
Now add the roughly sliced onion, garlic cloves, cashews and salt. Sautee it for 3-5 mins till the onions get tender and translucent
Take it off the heat and add the sautéed mixture into a blender (leave the extra ghee behind in the pan). Blend to a smooth paste
Transfer the puree back to the pan on medium heat, stir continuously to cook it for about a minute. Then add tomato puree and spices to the gravy
Cook the spices into the gravy for 3-4 mins on medium low flame till the ghee surfaces, Now add 1/3rd cup warm water and cover cook on low flame for 4-5 mins
Remove it from your cooktop and add dry fenugreek leaves and coriander. Mix thoroughly and serve on a large plate. Top it up with fried dumplings/koftas and serve hot with a side of flatbreads
Restaurant style koftas in rich creamy gravy are ready to be devoured!
Came across this amazing recipe by @sarahjampel on @nytcooking and couldn’t resist making a pot full of this one for my unending love for Corn
Creamed corn muddled with coconut milk, stir cooked with ginger, garlic, shallots and serrano chillies, with a handful of little potatoes, this bowl is a Soup Lovers Dream!!
Try it to believe it! Makes 2 servings:
You’ll need:
2.5 cups fresh/frozen corn kernels – I used cream style corn from Giant green – 270 ml
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves – minced
1/2 Inch ginger – minced
½ Serrano chilly/Green chilly – minced
2 small potatoes – diced
1 cup vegetable broth
½ can (200 ml) coconut milk
½ tbsp lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Coriander and roasted peanuts to garnish
Instructions:
In a pan on medium heat, add olive oil. Then add minced, ginger, garlic, chilly and shallots. Sautee for 2-3 mins till nice and aromatic
Now add corn kernels or I used creamed corn (half can/270 ml), sautee for 3-4 mins on medium heat till it gets softer and brighter
Season with salt and pepper and throw in the potatoes, veg stock and coconut milk. Cover cook for 5-7 mins on medium low
Now transfer half the mixture in a blender (cool it down before blending) and blend to a smooth puree (I skipped this step as I used cream style corn which are already smooshed)
Add the blended puree back to the soup pan/pot, add lime juice, mix well for 1-2 mins on medium heat
Garnish with extra chillies, roasted peanuts, coriander etc – Optional
Busy workdays call for quick lunches and today was one such crazy day (actually make it a week) But then its also a Friyay!! So I wanted to create something that’s quick, easy and yet perfect to kick start the weekend
Here I made this super easy and super quick recipe, which only requires throwing in whatever veggies you have in your pantry in a pot with olive oil and butter. I used shallots, celery, carrots, garlic and sauteed them until soft and brown, dumped in some chicken stock with S&P, basic seasonings, forgot about it while it simmers for 30 mins and then added some frozen Chicken Dumplings to steam in the soup for another 10 and Viola!
I used my favorite frozen chicken dumplings from Sensations brand by @sobeys
Lazy, crazy, easy Spicy Dumpling Soup, that is perfect for the upcoming weather. Sllluurrpppp!!!
Are you a fan of Dumpling soups? Yes? this recipe if for you. No? this recipe is for you
Youll need: Makes 2 bowls
½ cup finely chopped onion/shallots
½ cup finely chopped celery
¼ th cup chopped carrots
¼ th cup chopped coriander
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
3-4 finely chopped garlic cloves
2 cups chicken/veg stock
5-6 frozen dumplings of choice – I used chicken
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ tsp chilly flakes
Seasoning blend/Dried or fresh Rosemary
Sesame seeds and spring onion for garnish
Instructions:
In a pot/pan, on medium flame, add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, add onions and garlic
Add salt and sautee on medium heat for 4-5 mins or till the edges of onions get a browning
Now add celery, carrots and mix well. Season with more salt, pepper, chilly flakes, coriander and seasoning blend/dried rosemary
Sautee for about 3-4 mins and add 2 cups of stock
Bring it to a boil and reduce the flame to very low. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 mins. Do not rush this process as it heavily affects the flavour
After 30 mins, add frozen dumplings, increase the flame to medium and cover steam the dumplings in soup for about 10 mins
Remove off the heat and using a ladle serve in a bowl. Garnish with sesame seeds and spring onions. At this point you could also add a wee bit of soy sauce and sriracha for extra kick!
Hope you enjoy this easy peasy recipe as much as we did!
Hear the sound of that? Delishhhhhh!! And it was exactly that. Perfectly roasted, caramelized Red Peppers, Tomatoes and Shallots, pureed, cooked in basic ingredients of butter, S&P. Served with spiced roasted chickpeas and a generous drizzle of Cashew Cream
Also I made some pita bread last night, so paired it up with this bowl and it turned out to be a Heavenly meal! Make it and it’ll surely leave you asking for more and more
What are you waiting for? Let’s Get Souping!!!!
You’ll need: Makes 2 servings
1 large Tomato thick slices – I used Roma
1 medium Red bell pepper thick slices
3-4 Shallots halved
1 cup chicken/veg stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
½ cup canned drained chickpeas
Spices for chickpeas: 1/4th tsp each of salt, pepper, paprika, cumin powder
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
Cashew cream – 10-12 cashews soaked for atleast 1 hour in hot water and then blitzed in the blender with 2 tbsp warm water – Optional and can be replaced with regular table cream
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 425F
In a baking tray lined with parchment paper place sliced tomatoes, peppers and shallots. Drizzle with oil and season with S&P
Using your hands, toss it together making sure all the slices are covered in oil, just covered, not drenched
Veggies tossed in olive oil and S&P
Toss it in the oven for 30 mins to roast
Bring it out after 30 mins and cool completely
Roasted and caramelized
Transfer the roasted veggies into the blender. Add ½ cup chicken/veg stock and blitz to a smooth puree
Strain it using a strainer into a pan to make it smoother (absolutely NOT necessary but suit your preference)
Now on medium flame, add 2 tbsp butter, pureed veggies and ½ cup chicken/veg stock
Add pinch of S&P and cover cook on medium low for 10 mins
As the soup cooks through, in a separate pan, add 1 tsp olive oil on medium high heat and toss in the chickpeas with the spices and coriander
Roast the chickpeas for 3-4 mins till nice and crusty
In a soup bowl, pour your soup, place your spiced chickpeas and drizzle with cashew cream
Viola, a warm, delicious bowl full of goodness is all yours to devour!
We’re getting ready for the fall and I’ve decided to put together a bunch of soup recipes that will come in handy as the weather changes and gets cooler
On a chilly night, nothing comforts me more than a bowl of warm soup. This Brocolli Cheddar Soup is our family favorite, and fills you up like a meal!
It is easy, delicious, rich, filling and low carb. What else could you ask for?
Let’s make it, shall we? Makes 3 servings
You’ll need:
1 medium broccoli – cut into small florets and stock pieces chopped (aim is to not waste any part of the broccoli)
1 medium yellow onion roughly chopped
3-4 garlic cloves halved
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper as per taste
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp dried rosemary – optional
1.5 cups chicken/vegetable stock
1/4th cup cold water
1/4th cup table cream
¾ th cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions:
In a big pan/dutch oven, add 1 tbsp each of olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, toss in the broccoli stock pieces (not the florets, you’ll know later why), onion and garlic cloves
Add pinch of salt and pepper. On a medium high heat sautee till everything in the pan lightly caramelises and changes color
Browned/Caramelized lightly
Now add ½ cup of chicken stock to deglaze the pan. Add Rosemary and stir for about 1 min. Remove it from the heat and cool it down
Transfer to a blender, add 1/4th cup cold water and blitz it to a creamy mixture. Set aside in a bowl
Now in the same pan, on medium high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil. Now add the Broccoli florets and get them charred tossing continuously. We will not be adding salt here as salt makes the broccoli release water and we want crispy broccoli, not mushy
Charred Broccoli
Once the broccoli has a nice crispy golden texture, set it aside in a bowl
In the same pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter on medium heat
Now add the creamy broccoli mixture and 1 cup of chicken/veg stock. Add salt, pepper and paprika to taste and cover cook for 3-4 mins
Now add 1/4th cup cream, 3/4th cup shredded cheddar and mix well
Once the cheese melts, add in your charred broccoli, mix
Garnish with more cheese and serve hot!
Deliciousness in a bowl that will keep you full for hours!! Enjoy
