Neha the Foodie

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Strawberry Coconut Banana Bread

Here's another healthy banana bread recipe for you all to try! This is such a unique twist on classic banana bread. I came across this recipe on Ambitious Kitchen's website and at first, was quite skeptical about it because, although I love both strawberries and coconut, I was curious to see how those two flavours work together and, more importantly, how they work in a banana bread. I made a few adjustments to the recipe according to the ingredients I had at hand and to make it healthier and the rest was a moist, fluffy, delicious slice of heaven with the perfect amount of sweetness, hint of banana flavour, chunks of juicy strawberries, and flakes of coconut speckled throughout. One of the most genius creations EVER! This banana bread is so flavourful on its own that it doesn't even need a topping, as the strawberries, once baked, are like little pockets of jam in the bread. However, if you'd like to make this a more wholesome breakfast or more filling snack, sprea

One Pot Spaghetti Bolognese

You know those days when you're craving a bowl of warm, comforting spaghetti but don't want to stand for hours in the kitchen stirring the sauce and boiling the pasta? Well, this is the perfect recipe for those type of days! It does not get easier than this. The pasta is cooked in the sauce so it saves you time AND makes clean up easier as there are less dirty pots to wash. Another reason I love one pot pastas is because the pasta actually soaks up the flavours of the sauce as it cooks, taking the dish to another level of deliciousness. What's more? This particular recipe requires minimal ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, making it your go to busy week night dinner! So next time you're feeling lazy, why order in when you can have comfort food ready in less than 30 minutes? (Recipe adapted from: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a53058/one-pot-spaghetti-recipe/) INGREDIENTS: 1 lb lean ground beef 1/4 cup diced onion 4

Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Now before you start to think of the dry, dense baked goods that come to your mind when you think of the word "gluten-free", let me tell you, this banana bread defies all the norms! It's moist, fluffy, lightly sweetened with honey and PACKED with flavour and nutrients! The secret? CHICKPEA FLOUR (commonly known as "besan" in urdu)! This adds a ton of protein and fibre to the banana bread making it the perfect nutritious and filling breakfast. You can customise it to your liking by throwing in your favourite add ins (I chose walnuts but chocolate chips would be divine!). Special thank you to Monique from Ambitious Kitchen for giving me the idea. I have adapted her recipe, making a few tweaks, to adjust it to my liking. INGREDIENTS: 4 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 heaping cup) 1/4 cup honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1 1/2 cups chickpea flour (b

Cookie Dough Oreo Nutella Brownies

Layers of chocolate chip cookie dough, Oreos and Nutella brownie are the ultimate form of decadence! If you're in the mood to indulge, I highly suggest you make these for yourself (and a few friends if you're feeling generous). Fair warning: these are NOT for the faint hearted! Ooey gooey, melt in your mouth and filthy rich, these brownies are absolutely out of this world. Have I convinced you enough to go make these ASAP? INGREDIENTS: COOKIE DOUGH LAYER: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 1/4 cup white sugar 1/2 cup soft light brown sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup plus 2 tbsp flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips OREO LAYER 25 Oreo cookies (or similar chocolate sandwich cookies of your choice) NUTELLA BROWNIE: 1 cup Nutella (slightly microwaved to make it more runny) 2 eggs 10 tbsp all purpose flour METHOD: Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease a 9x9 inch baking tin and line with baking paper for easy removal l

Peach Crisp

One of the reasons I love the summer season is because of ALL the amazing fruits! My favourite fruit to use in desserts this time of the year are peaches; theres just something about the juicy, tart flavour that screams summer. Usually, I would be making my classic peach tart and save the crumbles and crisps for apples in the winter, but this year I decided to try something new. The minute I opened the oven door to check whether it was done, I was surrounded by the mouth watering, buttery aroma of the topping and the fruity scent of the peaches and asked myself: why have I never tried this before? The crunch crisp pairs beautifully with the soft peach filling and the velvety vanilla ice cream creates the perfect hot and cold combo for a melt in your mouth dessert! Do give this a go! INGREDIENTS: Filling: 6 medium peaches, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices 2 tbsp flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar Topping: 3/4 cup flour 1 cup oats (rolled or quick cooking) 1/4 cup light brow

Banana Nut Muffins

After trying out many recipes for banana breads, this is the one I've stuck to! Seriously, you will not go back to any other recipe ones you try these. They are fluffy, moist, super flavourful and the chopped nuts and oats add a nice little crunch factor. And the best part: they're free of refined flour and sugar, so i wouldn't judge you for having more than one at a time! One of my top tips for getting the best banana bread is using super ripe bananas. They should preferably be super spotty, a little brown and slightly mushy. This will ensure that the banana flavour shines through. You will barely achieve any banana flavour if you use yellow ones. Roasting them is optional but it really amps up that banana flavour and increases the moistness. I would also like to talk about the brown butter. This is the real game changer. It adds this beautiful, nutty undertone which compliments both the banana and walnut. Of course, the walnuts are optional (but then they would just