Maple Pecan Granola | Breakfast Foods

Its so cold here that I feel we are living in the Arctic!! Every week, we see a fresh batch of snow, followed by ice rain, and then temperature drops. The ice rain freezes everything and the temperature which can be as low as -20F with wind chills of -35F keep everything beautifully frozen. This has got to be the bitterest winter I have encountered here. The upside of all this cold is that the kitchen is warm and its easier to dish out yummy recipes. I have been baking a lot and we are eating a lot of pies, gratins, macaroni bakes, and cookies. All essential to keeping up the energy and temperament while essentially being stuck indoors!! A warm kitchen does make for a warm home:)

Crunchy Maple Cinnamon Coconut Granola | Breakfast Foods

I have always loved granola and Swiss style muesli - they are the go to breakfast or even snack for me. Until some years back I would always have a box both in my pantry. Then I started making oats for breakfast and I came to love porridge with warmed milk, honey, and fruit. Cooked oats are especially great on cold winter mornings - hearty, filling, and so tasty.

Chili Tofu | Indo Chinese Kitchen

Chili Tofu is a take on the very popular Chili Paneer served in Indo Chinese establishments! I tasted Chili Paneer many years at Sakoni's - a Gujarati restaurant in Wembley, London. It was such a popular dish that Desis (colloquial for South Asians) living in London would plan special trips to Sakoni's just for a stab at the dish. I was dragged across town by just such an eager friend. Unfortunately at the time the dish I was least impressed with was, you guessed it, Chili Paneer. I am guessing that it was overshadowed by other delicacies like Chaat, Lassi, Samosa, that I focused on during the meal!!

Really Smooth Fruit and Nut Chocolate Caramel Bark

Now who doesn't like chocolate!! Its a love we all share, sometimes secretly and at other times with a passion. Yes, even adults behave like little children at its mere mention! As a child, I loved Amul chocolates, the long lost Double Decker (one of the most delicious chocolates ever, it was rarely available even in my childhood, but I heard so much about it from my parents and their siblings), Five Star Bar, Fruit and Nut Bar, and Cadbury Nutties!! Now my favourite chocolates are those made from dark chocolate, the darker the better!!

Quinoa Rajma Pulao | Quinoa Pilaf with Red Kidney Beans & Poblano Peppers

Our weekend was hot and hectic. Temperatures are once again soaring in our part of the world and the extremely unusual hot weather is back. On days like this, the kitchen almost becomes a no-entry zone for me!! Our cooking range is electric and it generates a lot of heat, much more than a gas range would. Its worse if  two or more burners are on at the same time. Even the evenings are unbearable, so I am keeping cooking to a minimum.