Strawberry Muffins

It was just supposed to be plain berry muffins, but we topped it with some cream cheese icing, and baked it in a large muffin mold to make it into a great birthday surprise.

You need:
A cup of finely chopped, or mashed, strawberries (and some more nicely sliced ones for garnishing - optional)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and stir some more. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Line muffin tray and pour about 2 tbsps of batter in each cup.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 deg C for about 15 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

If you are using the cream cheese icing, let the muffin cool completely (30 min or so) before spreading it over.

Makes about 10 medium-sized muffins

Ginger Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal is not very appetizing on its own...but with a little help from butter and sugar, it magically transforms itself as the best thing to munch on in the mornings.

Dissolve 2 tbsp flax seed powder in 1/4 cup of warm water and keep aside.

In another bowl, mix together:
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Now add the flax seed mix as well.

Also add,
1 tsp vanilla
1tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
1/4 tsp ground star anise (optional)

Sieve into this mixture the following ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt

Fold it in the wet mixture, then add 2 1/2 to 3 cups of oats and mix well.
Put this batter in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

Then, line a baking tray with paper, and put a spoonful of the batter on it. Make sure to keep a gap of 2 inches between dollops as the batter will spread when heated.

Bake for 15 minutes in an oven pre-heated at 180 deg C.

Cool on rack for 20 minutes before digging in.

Beetroot Risotto

I don't like beetroots very much, but they are very healthy so this is one way to have lots of it.

Slice the top/bottom of 4 beets, wrap in foil with some olive oil and salt, and bake at 200 deg C for 30-40 min.
Once done, peel off the skin and puree it in a blender. Keep aside.

In a saucepan, heat 2tbsps butter
Add in 3-4 chopped garlic
and 1 large onion chopped finely.
Saute till the onions are soft (not brown).

Add 1 cup of short-grain rice (arborio is not readily available so short-grains will release starch that will make it creamy) and continue to stir-fry.
Add 1 cup white wine and stir till it is absorbed.

Now add 1 cup of water (or chicken/vegetable stock) and stir till the water is absorbed. keep adding a cup of water and stirring till the rice is cooked. This helps bring out the starch that makes it creamy. If you don't have the patience, just add 2 cups of water and cover till rice is almost cooked, and stir like mad for the last few minutes. Then add the beet puree and mix well. Add salt/pepper to taste.

Add a good amount of grated Parmesan cheese in it, and also some on top while serving.