When I received this goodie bag from Khet se Plate, I instantly thought of pancakes – and so into the kitchen I went to potter about. The base of the recipe is pretty standard of that of an eggless pancake batter – I usually omit sugar in my batters as I know there will be a drenching of maple syrup later on, but for this recipe I did add coconut sugar, because a whole wheat batter needs a bit of sprucing and as an afterthought, I also added some cinnamon, because for me, the whole wheat thing is a bit too dense and meddles with flavour, so in my books, vanilla and cinnamon cut through that flavour well enough. When I first made this, I mentally prepared for a heavy ghee after taste, but let me assure, there is none of that. You honestly can’t tell! Cooking with ghee is a brilliant option (if you’re not vegan), as you can cook on high temperature, for longer hours, without damage and creating delicious nutritious food! Ghee is great for the gut, bowel movement, boosting immunity and also provides moisturizing properties for skin, hair and nails from within. Recipe Serves 8 pancakes Recipe Ingredients 1 cup whole wheat flour¼ tsp salt1 1/2 tsp baking powder3 tsp coconut sugar1 ½ cups milk1 tbsp ghee1 tsp vanilla extractpinch of cinnamon (optional)Extra ghee for cooking To serve: Honey, maple syrup, nut butters, fresh fruits, jam   Recipe Instructions Whisk the milk with ghee, sugar and vanilla essenceThen add the whole wheat flour and baking powder with salt and stir to a dropping consistencySet the batter aside for 5 minutesTo cook:Place a medium pan on medium heatMelt a teaspoon or so of ghee and coat the panDrop one ladle of the pancake batter and let cook – bubbles should appear on the topThen flip over and cook for a few more minutesTransfer to serving dish and serve with fresh fruits, maple syrup or honey, nut butters(note: cooking of these pancake may take longer than a maida batter, you’ll need to keep some patience)

Breakfast The morning is filled with hustle and bustle, organizing the rest of the day, calling the doctors, checking the various parameters, so breakfast, understandably, needs to be quick, easy and nutritious. Overnight oats is a great option – this can be prepped and made the night before and stored in the fridge to set overnight. If you prefer a hot breakfast, simple prepare in an oven safe bowl the night before, so you can bake it for 10 minutes or so at 180C Please do not think this has to be done in a ceramic cup and saucer! It is partly my job to make things look appealing; in all honesty, there are days we make a whole batch in a steel vaasan or glass bowl and simply scoop into individual portions are the table onto their bowls and allow each one to take on their own toppings and flavourings. But yes, if it’s just for me, I take the moment to make things look for myself #everydayluxury The Recipe Serves Ingredients 4 tbsp rolled oats ½ cup almond milk 2 tbsp Chai Masala Hot Cocoa spoon of peanut butter spoon of jam chopped nuts + seeds chocolate covered coffee beans Instructions Stir the oats into a jar with all the desired toppings Add milk or dairy free milk to cover the oats and a bit more (upto 1 cm) On top add the peanut butter and jam Shut tight and place in the fridge overnight

Breakfast There are so many rules and ways of making a good omelet. Most of these methods in my opinion, come down to a personal preference. For me, I like soft runny scrambled eggs over well-cooked bhurji style, and a soft omelet that has not browned too much. For me, this below method is the best way to make an omelet – it is soft, delicate, easy to make. The filling is the star here – pumpkin with fresh sage, some garlic and some delicious manchego cheese. The secret to a good cooked fulling is to shred/grate the raw pumpkin – helping it took cook with ease, wuicker, with less fat required and it picks up the other flavours even better. When I got my hands on some fresh sage – I had to make this asap. Another secret for the best tasting pumpkin – a pinch of cinnamon! The Recipe Serves Ingredients 2 eggs ½ tbsp cold water salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp butter 2-3 sage leaves a few shavings of your preferred cheese (manchego, parmesan, grana Padano) Filling: ½ cup shredded pumpkin 2 tsp butter ½ tsp minced garlic ½ tsp salt 3-4 sage leaves, chopped pinch of cinnamon Instructions Filling: In a small sauté pan melt the butter and add the garlic to cook until golden Then add the pumpkin, salt, sage and cinnamon and cook for 10 minutes or so until pumpkin is softened and fragrant Set aside Omelet Take a small omelet pan and place 1 tbsp butter in it – with the heat off In a small bowl, crack the two eggs and add cold water and whisk well Then turn on the heat spread the butter quickly Once the butter has coated the pan, immediately pour the eggs into the pan and spread it out Allow it set, checking the edges with a spatula – then sprinkle the salt and pepper on top Once the eggs are 70% set, place the filling in the center in a line, topping with cheese Gently fold over one side of the omelet over it, and then fasten with the other side – use two spatulas if you need the help Gently roll the omelet down with the joint side facing down to cook for a few more seconds Gently transfer the omelet into serving plate In the same pan add some more butter and fry the sage leaves until crispy and put it on top of the omelet Serve this omelet with a side salad

Breakfast Vermicelli upma is a house favourite, and when we discovered a ragi version, it came more frequent to the table each week. Ragi is full of calcium and Vitamin D and a healthy whole grain in place of a semolina vermicelli. Ragi is rich in fibre minerals and amino acids and has more polyphenols than other grains like rice, wheat, and corn, thereby helping control blood sugar levels. It is beneficial for bone strengthening as well. The making of this upma is pretty straightforward with a basic tempering and cooking with a bit of water to soften the vermicelli. You can add more veggies such as carrots, spring onions, cauliflower, finely shredded cabbage – pretty much whatever takes your fancy. Ragi vermicelli I use is: here The RecipeServes 2 Ingredients ½ cup ragi vermicelli 1-2 tsp vegetable oil or coconut oil 1 tsp mustard seeds 5-7 curry leaves 1 whole green chili, slit in half pinch of hing ¼ tsp salt ¼ onion, finely chopped ¼ green capsicum, finely chopped Instructions In a deep pan or pot, heat the oil Add the mustard seeds and wait for it to start to sizzle Then add the curry leaves, hing and green chili and allow the curry leaves to crisp up Then add the onions and capsicum and sauté for a few minutes Then add the vermicelli, stir and add just enough water to cover the vermicelli Leave the pan alone on medium heat for 5-8 minutes The water should soak into the vermicelli and get cooked through Fluff it up gently with a fork and turn off the heat If water remains, gently increase the heat and stir to cook off remaining water

Breakfast I have a very simple and basic ritual every morning. I wake up, turn on the music, open the curtains and do nothing but breathe in bed, and just think. Think about the day, pick up thoughts I had the previous day and explore them further. I drink the first cup of coffee in bed and savour every sip. The second cup is spent with the laptop or phone – these moments are precious and sets the tone for the rest of my day. I tend to achieve at least one big thing off my to-do list by 8 am. If I haven’t, I am assured the day won’t be a very fruitful one – and those are the days you stay far away from me. Now you understand the crucial-ness of the second cup of coffee. What helps, is a bit of a sugary treat along with it. Since there’s generally a baked treat in the house, a piece or two of that accompanies it. But on this one particular morning, nothing seemed to cut it. The house was craving cinnamon rolls, and Vini and I had made them a couple of times over the month – and my mind kept drifting there. The espresso glaze also kept coming to mind, that went with the Oatmeal Cake, and I started to wonder how to merge the two successfully. You see, these are what my mornings are like! So I created these rolls, which are instant, because at times, life is about instant – and has coffee in the dough, along with in the filling, and in the lovely glaze as well. The cinnamon is not as strong here, but still has the stronghold on the breakfast table. They are light and fluffy – the dough may seem delicate, but fret not. Vini claimed that she could easily eat three in one sitting without feeling heavy – hence, instant is gratifying here! Have these with a cup of coffee in the morning, and I assure you, the tone will be set for the day beautifully. The Recipe Serves 12 buns | total time: 45 mins Ingredients Buns: 1 ½ cups flour 1 tbsp castor sugar 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 2/3 cup milk ¼ cup melted butter 1 tbsp instant coffee powder 2 tsp apple cider vinegar Filling: ¼ cup melted butter ½ cup brown sugar 2 tbsp castor sugar 1 tbsp cinnamon powder 1 tbsp instant coffee Glaze: ½ - ¾ cup icing sugar 1 – 2 tbsp espresso oil for greasing flour for dusting Instructions Preheat the oven to 180C Grease a round or square 9” cake tin Start with the filling – whisk the sugars, cinnamon and instant coffee together and set aside Whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and set aside In a large mixing bowl, whisk the milk, melted butter and apple cider vinegar together Then add the dry ingredients and combine with a fork until a dough forms In a clean dry surface, dust flour out and tip over the dough Gently with your fingers and palms, flatten out to a large rectangle Spread ¼ cup melted butter all over Sprinkle the filling mix equally over Start rolling from one end, slowly and tightly, until the end and gently pinch the ends Cut into equal 12-14 pieces Gently place, face up onto the greased pan Bake for 18-22 minutes Remove from oven and allow to cool down a bit before pouring glaze over Glaze: Whisk all together until dripping consistency Pour over the slightly cooled rolls Storage: in air tight container, room temperature

Breakfast Granola is a bittersweet recipe. Hailed as healthy and a go-to for so many diets, granola is versatile. Have it for breakfast, on top of a smoothie bowl, as a dessert – you name it, but most really good tasty granola has ingredients such as: butter, refined sugar or syrup. While I love granola, I’ve always hesitated leaning towards it. In my books, if it’s gonna have butter and sugar, I might as well eat a good slice of cake. So, after many trials and in-depth research of jaggery for a project I’ve been working on, I have come up with a foolproof one. This granola has gluten free rolled oats – the only kind I like to use to make granola. These oats are sturdier, larger and have flatter surface space to absorb the flavours while maintaining its shape. I’ve also given a stovetop option – I’ve done this many times and it works wonders – I like it more than the oven simply because I get more control on how long to toast them and save the errors for burning. Now chocolate seems to be the theme of life this month, so there is a good spoonful (read: heavy dose) of unsweetened cocoa powder swirled in. I’ve not added any dried fruits, just pumpkin seeds and cashews – but I’ve given an estimate of ¾ cup mix so you can add whatever you like (read: have!). Again, like most of my recipes, this is adaptable to your liking – add whatever you like, however much you like. Many years ago, I posted the principles of granola making here – do have a read and start personalizing yours! The Recipe Serves Ingredients 2 cups rolled oats ¾ cup desiccated coconut shreds ¾ cup seeds + nuts* ½ cup coconut oil ½ cup jaggery, broken up or powdered - divided ¼ cup cocoa powder unsweetened or cacao powder ½ tsp salt 1 tbsp vanilla essence *nuts can be pre-roasted Instructions Prepare a medium baking tray with brushing vegetable oil on it and all the sides Preheat the oven to 150C In a bowl combine the coconut oil, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla essence In a separate large bowl, stir the rolled oats, seeds and nuts Take half the jaggery and combine with the dry ingredients The other half amount of jaggery stir into the coconut oil mix Then pour the liquid into the oats and mix well Transfer to the baking tray and layer out and bake for 20 minutes, stirring 3-4 times in between On the last toss, remove the tray, add the coconut shreds and combine and bake for the last 5-8 minutes (if adding dried fruits, add it in at this point) Remove from oven, stir and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight jar. Stovetop directions: Instead of putting into oven, take a large deep wok and place on medium heat Once hot, pour the mixture into the wok and keep stirring until well toasted and fragrant. Towards the end, add in the coconut shreds and toss again for a few more minutes. (if adding dried fruits, add it in at this point) Once well toasted, remove the mixture into a large tray and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight jar. Shelf life: 3 weeks

Warm, sticky, delicious and made with nothing but pure love – this is what these breakfast jam rolls signify to me. These instantly make me think of little kids running around the fields with sticky hands and jam streaked faces, giggling and playing with each other. This is adapted from a cinnamon roll recipe by Dessert for Two – a simple recipe that is made instantly, with no eggs and no yeast – perfect for instant breakfast plans, perfect for the unorganized mum or in my case, unorganized aunt! That’s the sheer beauty of this recipe – whip it up in less than 10 mins, no proofing, no rising, no slow baking – it is instant gratification of warm jammy buns, and with a layer of the nutritional Prickly Pear Jam! Check out the video tutorial: here Prickly Pear Jam: SHOP Recipe Serves Serves: 6  |  Prep Time: 10 mins  |  Cook Time: 15 mins Recipe Ingredients  ¾ cup flour1 ½ tbsp castor sugar½ tsp baking powder¼ tsp baking sodapinch of salt5 tbsp milk2 tbsp melted butter1 tsp apple cider vinegarFilling:1/3 cup Prickly Pear Jam by Kitchen Therapy Recipe Instructions Prepare the muffin tin by greasing with oil or butter and preheat the oven to 200C.In a large bowl whisk the dry ingredients for the rolls.In a smaller jug, stir the milk, melted butter and apple cider vinegar together.Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the liquid in the center.With a fork, stir the mixture to create a dough, which will be slightly sticky.Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and gently stretch out into a rectangle shape.Spread the jam over the dough.Gently roll from one end into a log shape.With a sharp knife cut into 6 pieces and carefully place each roll, swirl-side-up in the muffin tin.Bake for 12-15 minutes.Remove from oven and let rest in the tin for a few minutes before transferring onto serving dish.Serve warm

Breakfast The Portuguese spice called piri piri has taken quite the country quite well – and it’s just as well, because I quite adore the spice! This Portuguese egg dish is their take on Shakshouka, but includes peppers, ricotta, lots of chilies and jalapenos. The most unique addition is that of fresh dill – which is seasonal, so I used dried dill instead. This baked-eggs version works well for a quick dinner routine, with a fairly therapeutic cooking style and delightful aromas that could possible harass the most impatient ones. And the beauty is that it can count as a low-carb, high protein dish. If you are wary of eggs, go ahead and add in strips of tofu or paneer. Expect a ‘part deux’ recipe when fresh dill is in season! Dill = suva ni bhaji   The RecipeServes 2 Ingredients 1/2 cup Tomato Puree 1 Sliced Onion 1 Chopped Green Pepper 2 Large Sliced Jalapeno Peppers 2 tsp Minced Garlic 2 Sliced Tomatoes 2 tsp Piri Piri 1 tsp Paprika 1 tsp Cumin 1 tsp Salt 1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese 3 Eggs Fresh Dill Instructions Take a medium sized non-stick pan and place on heat with olive oil, cumin and garlic. Once the garlic starts to sizzle, add the onions, pepper, jalapeno peppers, piri piri and salt. Sauté until translucent and fragrant. Add the tomato puree and simmer the sauce for at least 5-7 minutes as the flavours combine. Stir in the ricotta cheese and break the three eggs on top. Cover the pan and let cook for 5-7 more minutes or until the eggs whites have cooked and the yolk is just set. Remove and serve

Breakfast Some mornings call for decadence. And for me, that means breakfast in bed, sun streaming through the window, a news channel on, newspapers strewn about, all while surfing lifestyle blogs. And family members walking in settling down next to me is always appreciated, as long as they stay quiet! So for such moments, that are the most precious to me, an even more precious breakfast is in order. And it cannot be just any plate of scrambled eggs! This version has creamy spinach with ricotta along with 3 eggs scrambled with butter, encased into a lovely tortilla! Making scrambled eggs is the easiest thing for me – I dirty just one pan, a spatula, and require eggs, salt and butter only! I crack my eggs directly into a warm greased pan and then swirl continuously, but gently, with a rubber spatula. Once they start to form, I add the salt and a bit of butter to add flavor and creaminess. Then I remove the eggs just before they are firmly cooked to get that pillowy-soft scrambled eggs! Serve this quesadilla with hot sauce, mustard, salsa or relish – and you’ve got a rather large meal on your bed! The Recipe Serves 1 Ingredients 1 Tortilla 1 cup Chopped Spinach 1 tsp Minced Garlic 1/2 tsp Salt 1/4 Ricotta cheese 3 Eggs 1/2 tsp Pepper 1/2 tbsp Butter 2 tbsp Olive Oil Instructions Sauté the spinach with garlic and a teaspoon of olive oil for a few minutes. Towards the end, stir in the salt and ricotta cheese and switch off the heat and set aside Warm the tortilla on a non-stick pan with no oil. In a small pan, brush olive oil with a silicone brush. Place on low heat. Crack the three eggs into the pan and swirl with a rubber spatula in the number 8 form. As the whites start to cook, add the salt and the butter and continue to swirl until the scrambled eggs have just formed. Switch off the heat before the eggs cook completely, as the heat will continue to cook them through. Add the pepper. Place the eggs onto one half side of the tortilla, followed by spinach and fold over. Give the quesadilla a few seconds on the pan on both sides. Remove, slice and take to bed!

Breakfast I’ve often refrained from sharing healthy recipes because I feel there are countless options on the world wide web… and also, it is not as becoming of me to share something so healthy – my hips give it away. But, as they say, it’s vital to mix it up every once in a while, and there’s been a recent change in my house leaning towards health and fitness (something I’m not so on board with yet). These pancakes are eggless, and have whole wheat flour instead of maida, and coconut oil in place of butter and oil. The bananas lend the sweetness factor and the subtle balance of honey and cinnamon help erase the notion of healthy and boring. Now, since this pancake is lower on grains component and is a more liquid batter, they take a bit longer to cook – which is line with most other good-for-you dishes. This is why I also recommend making mini pancakes rather than the large ones. Packed with flavor, they are an easy eat and go perfect with a few drops of honey, jam and/or maple syrup!   The Recipe Serves 4 Ingredients Instructions Whisk the bananas with honey, cinnamon and set aside. In large mixing bowl, add the milk and coconut oil. Using a wooden spoon, add the whole wheat flour and baking powder, followed with the banana puree. Take a small non stick pan and melt a little coconut oil to coat the base. Place two spoons of the batter into a round circle and let cook on one side. Small bubbles should form on top. Gently flip the pancake to the other side and cook for another few minutes. Serve these pancakes with honey, maple syrup, jam or chocolate spread.

Breakfast This was an impromptu idea that I had when I saw this delicious loaf of quinoa sourdough. This is for those mornings that you want a little bit of an extra kick in the AM, and regular eggs won’t make the cut. And may I state the obvious – it looks so darn fancy! I made an impromptu spicy paste using minced garlic, red chilies, oil, salt and pepper, pounded together – nothing too complicated. You can use something out of a jar as well and other options include a tapenade, mustard, salsa, sandwich spread and so on. The highlight of this dish is when you gently cut through the yolk and it oozes out… Quinoa Sourdough from: Le Artisan Boulangerie  

Breakfast,Sandwiches   This is the breakfast you serve in bed, with music on, and a stream of sunlight flickering through – the lusciousness of the mangoes, the whiff of cardamom and nutmeg and the pretence of labourious cooking is THE trick up your sleeve for the morning after. I served this with some leftover chocolate cardamom frosting from the Kashmiri Kahwa Cake, which really complemented the French toast. But you can also use maple syrup, honey, raspberry or chocolate sauce… whatever is it that takes your fancy! In terms of simplicity, it is almost shameful at how simple this is. It is basically a sandwich, soaked in batter and fried within minutes in lovely butter. I use chopped up mangoes, but you can use leftover mango ras, whisked with a bit of cardamom powder; this may seem a bit impossible, but if you use good bread, much of it will soak in leaving with an even better burst of flavour. For this French toast I used a quinoa sourdough bread from Le Artisan Boulangerie that worked beautifully. I would call this French toast as a strictly adults-only as most kids may not enjoy the hints of cardamom. This dish is a sort of decadent and sinful one that will leave you with dribbles of mango down your mouth! The Recipe Serves 1 Ingredients Instructions Stir the mango and cardamom powder together. Place the filling between two slices of bread and sandwich. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with milk, powdered sugar and nutmeg. Soak the sandwich into this batter. Take a small skillet and place on medium heat. Melt the butter and swirl the pan, ensuring it is coated evenly. Place the soaked sandwich on the pan and cook on both sides. Serve with whipped cream, maple syrup, honey or chocolate cardamom frosting.