Spiced Red Beans and Green Banana — Kaya Vanpayar Mezhukkupuratti

The morning slants of sunlight are a little sluggish. A little less dazzling. As if this is the beginning. The beginning of summer’s end.

The long summer days are leisurely falling into longer winter nights.

Fall-ing. 

Slowly. But surely.

Mango Lassi — summer in a glass

Lassi : |ˈlasē| noun; a sweet or savory Indian drink made from a yogurt or buttermilk base with water

With summer beautifully seeping into the lingering golden days and sultry arabian nights, I’m into a major cooler kick. The lure of a tall glass of chilled beverage that’s quick to mix and heavenly to quench thirst and combat heat is so wild that I’ve been going crazy shaking things up with summers bounty.

And while I’ve been cooking other serious food, it is astonishingly the drink recipes that I’m drawn to, and gets scandalously photographed and featured, again and again. Like today.

Ice Pops — Fizzy Mango Mint Popsicle, and Creamy Chocolaty Fudgesicle — hydrating summertime treats

Featured on Foodbuzz Top 9

Something about the balmy climate and fragrant flowers make me think of fluttery dresses and languid afternoons by the seaside. Happy thoughts.

Sunshine, sea, and a glass of ice cold drink, or cool dripping treat on a stick. Ooh la la.

Summer is the most glamorous of seasons to be lost in such golden daydreams.

And while there are 101 things I should be doing—most importantly get working on my email situation—all I really want to do is laze away the hours in sweet nostalgia, and fall asleep to dreams of a beautiful world filled with lots of love, laughter and happiness.

Lots. Yes, lots.

Chocolate Covered Kiwis on a Stick — boost your intake of antioxidants with this fun recipe!

Mid April. Monday. Sunny day.

It’s time for a stunningly simple, yet gourmet-looking recipe peeps. 

Don’t you love the idea of food on a stick? I do. And my kids simply adore cute little morsels on a stick. Especially sweet treats. Cake pops, popsicles, fudgesicles, lollipops, or just about anything sweet that can be popped on a stick—you name it.

No messy hands, or fuss with plates. They are so much fun to eat, and even more fun to make. 

Pineapple Passion Chiller with Curried Chickpeas Salad — Guest Post for Flavour Fiesta

This week is a flurry of excitements, beautiful inspirations, new beginnings, a delicious toast to celebrate friendship, and a peek behind the screen.

My very first guest post, featuring two recipes to enjoy outdoors during the warmer spring days, is published at this utterly beautiful and inspiring space, Flavour Fiesta (FF). Also fun was to share the moment, answering a few questions with the gorgeous author, Divya.

Chocolate Puddle Cookie — gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free too!

Pin It

I had planned to post this recipe before Christmas. But somehow, inevitably, my plans went awry. So here I am two days after the festivities, wishing you and yours a belated Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays with a batch of special cookies from my kitchen to yours to ring in the New Year.

From intricately decorated cookie varieties to beautifully frosted cakes, the holiday season inspire us to indulge in all manners of sweet treats, right? I for one have been slightly obsessed with baking sweets this month. If you remember, I started off this month with chocolate caramel slice and now I’m ending it with chocolate walnut cookie. Rightly so. Just don’t brand me a chocoholic, I really outgrew my chocolate craze a longtime back.

Watermelon Shake

Spring came and went in a blink, and the muggy summer days are here to stay. Nothing beats summer like a tall glass of ice-cold drink bursting with flavors. Yes, a hot summer’s day is the best time to plop your favorite fruit into the blender, work it overtime, and—sip, sip, sip those scorching hours away. Ahhh…bliss. Fancy more? Then pep up the mood with some good music, hug on to the coolness of the glass, close your eyes pretending to be on some exotic destination and savor every bit. Ha!

Olive Salad — a simple Middle Eastern mezedhe, aka the meze dish

Pin It

A part of me will always be a dreamer. 

Whenever I come across a stunning picture in a travel magazine, a landscape of outstanding beauty in a movie, or listen to my friends talk about far away exotic lands they visited, I am intrigued. I dream of packing my bags and crossing the miles to explore these fantastic destinations to experience their culture, meet their delightful people, enjoy shopping from their street markets to the chic boutiques, and savor the local cuisine. 

With the vastness of the world and the plethora of choices, I have a feeling that my dream would remain just that—a dream.

Strawberry Apple Cooler

It is a beautiful winter morning in Doha.

Here’s a simple recipe for a refreshing, vitamin and mineral packed breakfast in a glass. Put the ingredients in a blender, whizz it up, and enjoy your nutritious juice!