Healthy Energy Bars

Lately I have been trying to eat clean, early and on time. Alhamdulilah, so far so good! I have cut sugar from my diet, and I cover it up with little bites of fruits, but suddenly out of no where, I have been craving chocolate dream cake and I just cake take my head off it! And that’s when I came up with these healthy energy bars..mind you, eating more than one bar a day May result in weight gain! So have it sparingly if you want to lose weight but craving for chocolate. Once in a while, giving up with a little keeps you sane, keep in mind not be harsh on yourself.

These can be called Energy bars/ protein bars, instead of adding protein powder, I have replaced it with powdered flax and chia seeds. And make sure the texture is a bit more jammy than mine by adding a little bit more dates, though I have used dark chocolate and a bit of semi sweet chocolate chips, you may completely avoid it (I ran out dark chocolate)

I have also added a tsp of coconut oil when melting the chocolate making it even more delicious, glossy and helps to harden the chocolate. Sooo Yumm!! I have been guilty of giving my little girl with grocery bought snacks in her tiffin, finally I have prepped a batch and it’s ready for the week, Alhamdulilah! (Hope it lasts that long lol) 😄

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Rolled Oats
1 cup Dates (pitted) preferably the wet types like khalas, sukkari etc
3 + 3 tbsp Chia seeds and Flax seeds (powdered)
1/3 cups Almond
1/3 cups Cashew
1/3 cups Pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp Peanut Butter
1 tbsp Honey, optional
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
50 gms Dark Chocolate
50 gms Semi sweet Chocolate Chips, optional
1 tsp Coconut Oil
Freeze dried Strawberries, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

In a pan, slightly roast rolled oats, almond, cashew, pumpkin seeds.
Next in a food processor, add your pitted dates the roasted oats and nuts, and the rest of the ingredients and pulse well until desired consistency.
Next, in a tray, line it with a parchment paper and add in the oats mix and flatten using a spatula and allow to freeze for half an hour.
Whilst at that, prepare the chocolate ganache, by mixing the chocolates and coconut oil by double boiling and pour over the mix and add in the freeze dried strawberries (optional) and place in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes.
Enjoy once the chocolate ganache harden and slice them into bars and wrap them up separately using the butter papers and store in the freezer for months! The energy bars stays fresh in room temperature upto 3-4 days. Enjoy!

Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡

Pizza Bombs

It’s not easy to impress little kids that are fasting. So this little pizza bomb is here to their rescue. Kids love pizza! And this has to be the perfect snack for the little ones to open their fast.

The dough is made using the Caesar style pizza dough (recipe already in my blog) and stuffed with a saucy filling and mozzarella cheese.

If you make the dough ahead of time, it’s an easy snack to prepare. Without further a do, let’s get started!

Ingredients:

150 gms Boneless Chicken
1 tsp White pepper
1 tsp Paprika powder/ Red Chilli powder
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
Salt
Olive oil- to shallow fry the chicken
1 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp Flour
1/4-1/2 cup Milk
1/4 tsp Red Chilli Flakes
1/4 tsp Oregano
1/4 cup Capsicum, chopped finely (optional)
1 tbsp Black Olives, sliced (optional)
2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
Mozzarella Cheese
Egg whites
Bread Crumbs
Vegetable Oil for frying

Instructions :

Marinate the chicken pieces with white pepper, garlic powder, paprika powder and salt and shallow fry in olive oil no more than 5 minutes and set aside and chop with finely once cooled.
In to the same pan, add a butter slice, sauté the flour and switch off the flame and pour the milk little by little, whilst stirring constantly.
Into the bechamel/ white sauce, add your chilli flakes, Oregano, White pepper powder and salt.
Chop up the chicken pieces and add the chicken to the prepared sauce.
Next add in your capsicum, olives and tomato ketchup.
Onto a clean counter top, place your risen dough and make small balls from it and flatten using a rolling pin and add in the thickened filling and Mozzarella Cheese and roll into balls and remove the excess dough if necessary.
Finally dip and roll the ball in egg whites and coat in bread crumbs.
Fry in a deep curved wok (to get the pizza bombs cooked thoroughly). - Make sure the flame is not too high or too low.
Enjoy with some ketchup!

Braided Bread Chicken Arayes

I loveee Arayes, and incorporating Arayes into a snack has been such an amazing idea! I am so glad this idea dawned on me. These braided chicken Arayes is not only oil free, it’s soo easy to prepare if you have basic ingredients in the kitchen along with bread and boneless chicken.

Raw boneless chicken is minced along with other ingredients and spices and spread onto a bread slice with trimmed edges, after which we give small slits on both sides and braid the bread over the chicken filling.

The first time I tried this braided chicken Arayes, I was hesitant as I was worried if the chicken would cook well, but to my surprise adding raw chicken just adds to the flavor as the juices from the chicken makes the Arayes even more delicious and the dip is the cherry on the cake.

Make this snack and enjoy along with the special tahini dip and impress your loved ones!! 😍

Ingredients:

10 Bread slices
150 gms Boneless Chicken
1/2 Onion
1/2 Tomato
Coriander leaves
1/2 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Black pepper, crushed
1/4 tsp Red Chilli Flakes
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
Salt, as required
1 tsp Tomato paste
1 tbsp Olive oil
Water to flatten the bread
Oil, to spray

Dip:

1 tsp Tahini
1 tbsp Yogurt
1 tbsp Mayo
1/4 tsp Garlic paste
Salt, a pinch

Instructions:

Into a mixer grinder, add the chicken, veggies and spices, olive oil and salt and grind to a paste.
Trim the edges of your bread, dampen the bread slices with water and flatten using a rod, and place the chicken filling of Arayes onto the middle of the bread.
Next, make 3-4 slits on both sides of the bread and braid the slits, one after the other ( the minced chicken acts as a sticking agent)
Place the prepared braided Arayes on a baking sheet and spray a bit of oil and air fry on 180 deg for 20 minutes and golden.
Combine all the ingredients under the dip and serve hot alongside the dip. Enjoy!!

Ps: You May oil fry the braided Arayes, but I prefer the air fried ones as the have little to no oil.

Cheesy Chicken Drumsticks

Are you concerned about your intake of veggies during Ramadan? Well, it's a bit tricky to convince kids to eat veggies during Iftar. So I thought of making these cute little drumsticks (that look like chicken drumsticks but aren't haha), whose inspiration I got from some random reel I saw of Thalassery street snacks I saw as a forward. I immediately wanted to try my version.

So I came up with the idea of adding finely minced fibrous cauliflower to make the snack, you may totally skip this step if you dislike the flavor of cauliflower. These are a different version of Chicken Cutlet, where potato sticks acts as the bone of the drumstick. I also stuffed the drumstick with Mozzarella cheese cubes, that makes it extra delicious, especially for the kids. The original Thalassery: Malabar Snack actually includes covering the drumstick shaped cutlets with a sheet of flour (which I omitted as I didnt want to complicate it any further :D)

Enjoy this yummy snack hot with a cup of chai! Without further a do, let's check the ingredients !

Ingredients :

2 medium sized potatoes, cubed, boiled with salt and mashed
1 Potato (sliced to make sticks)/ Frozen French fries
200 gms Boneless Chicken, boiled with salt, pepper and Turmeric powder
Few florets of Cauliflower, chopped finely
1/2 Onion, minced
2 Garlic, small, minced
1 very small piece Ginger, minced
Green chillies (optional)
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Kashmir Chilli powder
1 tsp Ghee/ clarified butter
1/4 tsp Garam masala
Mozzarella Cheese, cubes/ shredded

Coating:

Egg, whisked with salt and pepper
Bread crumbs+Oats+Corn flakes *

Instructions:

In a pan pour some oil and add in the finely chopped/ minced Onion, ginger garlic and saute until translucent and aromatic.
Next add in the finely chopped Cauliflower and add salt as required.
Next add in the shredded chicken and the spices mentioned above.
Finish off with ghee and garam masala.
Add in the Mashed potatoes and combine well.
Sprinkle salt on the potato sticks.
Once the potato chicken mix has slightly cooled, make small balls out of it, using your index finger , make a small dent and add the small cheese cube and make a ball.
Next push in a potato stick and press well to form a shape of drumstick.
Next, coat the drumsticks in the egg wash and coat in the bread crumbs mix.
Fry on high, until golden (be careful not to burn them).
Enjoy warm (for the cheesy texture) with a hot cup of chai!

Notes:

*You may simply use bread crumbs only.

These are freezer friendly, you can make ahead and store them too!

* I have used potato sticks as I ran out of frozen French fries.

Chicken Priyazo

How many of y'all remember this nostalgic snack from lulu? Perfect for iftar, simple yet fun to make and the best part, it is oven baked which means no need to stand near the hot oil and stare at it. I am a big fan of Puff pastry since childhood. Whenever I see anything using Puff pastry being served, I had to try it. And most of the time never disappointed.

And this snack indeed is a childhood favorite snack that I used to love munching when my parents used to take us shopping to Lulu Hypermarket. This is my interpretation of the snack. Do try and let me know how you liked it.

This is one of my first recipes I shared in the internet, was such a success at home, wanted to share the success with everyone, Alhamdulilah! Then, the recipe of chicken Priyazo was not even there on the internet , now there are variety of recipes of chicken Priyazo :D

The filling is so delicious. You may use it for any snack item as a filling. You may also make the same with Maida/All purpose flour dough and fill them like rolls and dip in the egg mixture and fry them. 😋

Without further ado, let’s check out the recipe!

Ingredients:

1 pack Puff Pastry sheet squares (preferably whole wheat)
250 gms Boneless Chicken
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
1 Garlic clove, minced
2-3 tbsp Thick Cream
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
2 tbsp Mayonnaise
Handful of Coriander Leaves
Olive oil
1 egg for Egg wash
Sesame seeds

Spices :

2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
Salt, as required

Instructions :

Marinate the chicken with spices mentioned above and set aside.
In a pan, pour some olive oil and Sautee finely chopped onions, and minced garlic until fragrant and onions become translucent.
Now add in the marinated chicken pieces, slightly sear the chicken and pour in a dash of water, add in the tomato paste, and handful of chopped coriander leaves and cook covered for 10 minutes on medium low flame.
Transfer the cooked chicken with the masala/ gravy into a bowl allow to cool slightly.
Next, add the chicken to a food processor and slightly pulse to shred the chicken.
Add the shredded chicken back to the bowl with the thick gravy (onion masala) and add the thick cream.
Flatten the puff pastry sheets slightly and fill in the chicken masala.
Crack open an egg into a bowl and whisk it well.
Now seal the puff pastry by brushing the egg wash at the end of the sheet and rolling it up completely.
Place the rolls on a oven tray lined with parchment paper and similarly line up all the rolls on the tray.
Give an egg wash to the pastries and sprinkle sesame seeds and Bake/ air fry in a pre heated oven at 190-200 deg C for 20 minutes or until golden and flaky.
Now spread mayo and both ends of the roll and dab the finely chopped coriander leaves onto the mayo.
Serve warm!