February DB Challenge: Healthier Apple & Pear Walnut Loaf

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Thank god for the Daring Bakers’ monthly challenges. Thanks to them I have been forced out of my no-blogging rut.

It has been more than a week since my last blog post. So what had been keeping me so busy?

Nothing.

Nothing of importance actually.

If you remember, I swore I won’t take any of my cooking pictures till I get my pending posts up (which obviously are still pending). And since I have not been taking pictures, I decided to take a break from blogging. It can be like a full time job sometimes- cooking, composing, photographing, cleaning up, post processing, writing, posting and then spreading the blog love. Blogging can be like a full time job (an unpaid full time job). Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy it. It keeps me busy. It gets good food on the table. And it teaches me so much. And thanks to it, I have met some really, really talented people.

But sometimes, you need a break from your job no matter how much you love it. And I needed a break.

I thought I would get my pending posts up, but for four straight days I did not feel like opening my laptop. And that is unprecedented (I can’t live without my laptop- so not feeling like working on it was a very welcomed feeling). I really needed that break. But, now I am back! Thanks to the Daring Bakers’ :)!

The Daring Bakers’ February 2012 host was – Lis! Lisa stepped in last minute and challenged us to create a quick bread we could call our own. She supplied us with a base recipe and shared some recipes she loves from various websites and encouraged us to build upon them and create new flavor profiles.

Quick bread is any bread that is quick to make because it doesn’t require kneading or rising time. That’s because the leavener in such a bread is usually baking powder or baking soda, which, when combined with moisture, starts the rising process immediately. In the case of double-acting baking powder, oven heat causes a second burst of rising power. Eggs can also be used to leaven quick breads. This genre includes most biscuits, muffins, popovers and a wide variety of sweet and savory loaf breads.

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Black Bean Burgers/Patties

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Black Bean Burger

Update: While the original black bean burger recipe post went live in February 2012, the pictures and parts of the recipe were updated in July 2016. Below is the original post.

There are plenty of reasons why I chose to not post for GMT (again) this week.

One, I had my hands on the last of The Hunger Games Trilogy, Mockingjay, and could not put it down till I finished it.

Two, it snowed in our little mining town and it never snows here. Well, almost never. I just did not feel like spending time on the laptop while looking at the snow fall.

Three, I had decided last Sunday that I am taking no more pictures of my food, till I do not post the pile of recipes in my folders on my comp. (Actually I had decided, sometime last week, but broke that resolve to click the Mascarpone Meringue Cake and the Browned Butter cookies). My blogger’s block hasn’t been helping me in getting rid of the backlog, but till the pending recipes aren’t posted I am not clicking any more pictures.

Four, because it was V-day. Not that I celebrate Valentine’s day, but since V day is a play on what I call my husband (V) on the blog, I just found it amusing and thought would take a break for “V”day! And what would you know, on V day, V is the one who gets flowers and a card for me! You would think it would be the other way round. But, no- not in our household. V is the more romantic one. I’m the banal one. But, I can be nice too. I did make his favorite Baingan ka Bharta (roasted and mashed eggplant) for lunch. For dinner, we went out. 🙂

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Garam Masala Tuesdays: Split Green Gram Pancakes

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…and a lesson in knowing your “Moong” dal.

When I was in India this time, somebody asked me, why is your blog called the “Novice” Housewife? Going on further to explain that from the pictures and the food I make, it didn’t look like I was a novice.

At that time I took it as a compliment and smiled (reminding myself that when someone pays you a compliment you should always accept it and never protest).

In my mind though, I was saying- of course I am a novice, there is so much I do not know.

This post is a reflection of just that.

How little I know. And how much I need to learn.

(I know this doesn’t sound like a strong case for me giving my “expert” advice on Indian food at GMT!   Yikes!   Anywho….)

The other day, I downloaded a food recipe app- a Nita Mehta iPhone app.

Nita Mehta is like the Ina Garten of Indian food, if I could say so, without offending fans of either of the mentioned parties. Her recipes are quick and mostly great. Like Ina’s.

So anyway, I downloaded the app- its a breakfast recipes app. And looked good. I decided to try her version of Rajasthani Chilla.

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