Chocolate Oats

November 6, 2014November 6, 2014 Ms_Sood1 Comment

I never thought I would like oats. Honest. Just the idea of hot milk on my cereal and it turns me off faster than a night-light switch. But you know, it ain’t all that bad. A big bowl filled with oats, lots of dried fruits, pumpkin seeds, sprinkle of cinnamon, mixed up with hot milk to cook it and then topped off with cold milk and then spoon in a bit of honey. Actually quite the bomb. Plus super filling.

So yummy and healthy. Check and Check. Got a super-sized pack for the mister and moi.

So the food-flake I am, tried a few variations. Made oats poha. Sticky but good. It’s like the masala oats we get back in India. The healthy take on Maggi. But preservatively so bad for us. Then I also made oats pancakes. Stunningly yummy. Thought of doing a post about those but why add to the tons out there. Bah.

And then I found this recipe for Chocolate Oats. OMG. Where was this all my life? Thank you to Chocolate Covered Katie for this deliciousness in the morning.. (and what a delish name for her blog!)

It’s that sort of a breakfast which gets the brain going, Umm, oats, so good for me with all that fruit and dried seeds etc. And the heart is going… CHOCOLATE..CHOCOLATE… CHOCOLATE….. yabba delicious dooo..

Those of you, who like me, are searching for some yummier twists on traditional oats for adults and kids alike, I just couldn’t help share this simple but scrumptious recipe right away.

Chocolate Oats

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 serving rolled oats (40g) (quick-cooking or traditional)
3/4 cup milk
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 tbsp cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
extra sweetener, if desired

Method

Combine all ingredients and cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes. When it starts to bubble, stir occasionally. It would already be slightly sweetened with the ripe banana and cinnamon. But for those of you with an extra sweet tooth, sweeten as desired, with honey, or sugar.

Disfrutar

Peanut Butter and Nutella Milkshake

October 30, 2014December 3, 2014 Ms_Sood3 Comments

A peanut butter and nutella sandwich is in my top 10 breakfast options . It’s so yummy and oh-so-good for you. The good peanut butter fat, the hazelnuts in the spread, and smudge in some bananas and strawberries, and whoop-dee-doo. Fruit count for the day: check. (yeah, us foodies have all the reasons to eat all things good)

Just the combination of the nutella and peanut butter, sweeeet. I mean, Reese’s peanut butter cups are my absolute favourite chocolate. I love that salty sweet combination.

Anyhow, craving that taste and wanting to try that combination in something other than a sandwich or a pancake, I whipped up this milkshake. Super-easy and super-quick to make, you are going to love making this yummy milkshake, for yourself, and for all the PB and H fans in your family/friends. Trust me. Make it NOW :)

Ingredients:

2 cups milk (low fat, skimmed, full-cream.. your call)

1 tbsp peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

1 tbsp Nutella

Method:

Put all ingredients in a blender. Blend. Serve.

Enjoy :)

Las Chicas – Carlisle Street

August 15, 2014 Ms_Sood2 Comments

Every time the husband and I come back from a meal outing, we cross all these interesting looking cafes close to our house, and we always make a solemn vow, ‘We have got to explore our streets more often‘, yet we never do, except for the planned grocery and unplanned ATM trips. But this Sunday, after a lovely swim for me, (and a football session for him), we were hungry, I didn’t want to cook, it was a sunny day, and all the pieces just fell together. Although I have eaten at a few places behind our house, this was our first meal together in a cafe on Carlisle Street, and we visited Las Chicas. The cafe has a nice vibe, and you can choose to sit inside or outside. No big booths or large tables here. The whole seating arrangement gives off a cosy feel. The menu also has a decidedly brunch-y feel to it, with a majority of all day breakfast options; eggs in different ways, big breakfast, pancakes (am hankering after the pecan and banana pancakes the next time I visit), smashed avocado on toast, and the like. They also do alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. As always, I was crazy hungry and perused the food items on the other diners plates, and am pretty sure I kind of pissed off the girl sitting next to me. She was sipping on something that looked super delicious, and instead of asking her what it was (like any normal person would do), I kept alternating between glancing, and ogling at it. Sheesh. Continue reading “Las Chicas – Carlisle Street” →

Happy Chocolate Cake

August 1, 2014November 6, 2014 Ms_SoodLeave a comment

Today is my ma-in-law’s birthday, and it’s a Friday,

A birthday needs cake, and Friday means we bake :)

Continue reading “Happy Chocolate Cake” →

I Love Hot Chocolate and I cannot lie

July 27, 2014August 30, 2020 Ms_Sood1 Comment

Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring to you July’s Fabilicious star: the ever-warm, always-sinful, but oh-so-feel-good HOT CHOCOLATE.

deviantartcom — http://www.deviantart.com/art/I-love-Hot-Chocolate-330337882

What’s not to love about this drink, Chocolate: Good, Milk: Good, Marshmallows and Whipped Cream: oh-so-Gooooood!

Hot chocolate is the definitive go-to drink in winters. And since it’s the middle of winters out here in Melbourne, it is also the coziest companion. Snuggle up in bed with it, have it alongside a warm flaky croissant in a café, or just sip it while carousing across the city; spouses/partners have a lot to live up to :P

There are multiple schools of thought as to what makes the perfect Hot Chocolate. Home made, instant, full cream milk, light milk, soy milk, chocolate slab, chocolate shavings, cocoa powder, with milk, in water, with cinnamon, without cinnamon, some like it foamy, some like it thin. Whatever be your fancy, there’s a hot chocolate mug for everyone out there.

Sure, there are numerous ways of making this drink; one can be a hot chocolate snob and make it by melting chocolate slabs into full fat milk, and topping it off with marshmallows and whipped cream. That’s when you get that amazing thick consistency and rich chocolate taste that stays on your tongue.

Of course you can also stay true to your healthy self, and use cocoa powder with skimmed milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon to get your very own light hot cocoa.

And of course there are hot-choc gluttons like me, who will top off their melted chocolate into light milk, and then top it off with marshmallows AND Cointreau. I want it ALL!

One of the easiest ways I used to make hot chocolate back home was heat up Cadbury’s cocoa powder into milk and add cinnamon. Oh, the deliciousness! In fact the other day I had a mug of cocoa at Brunetti’s and god, it transported me back. You think they use Cadbury’s too? Hmmmmmm.

I am planning to do a series on the top spots for a Hot Chocolate in Melbourne, but until then let us all say Hallelujah and be thankful for this wonderful creation. To celebrate this love, let me leave you with some super-yummy imagery to celebrate a Fabilicious Hot Chocolate-y July.

Aaah, hot chocolate, how do I love thee, let me count the ways….

I love you Spicy!