And the Winner is...........

And the Winner of 2 CSN giftcards is Ms Chitchat ..Congrats dear ,check ur mail for promotional codes..

by SANYUKTA GOUR(BAYES)

 http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/

GIVEAWAY:-)))))))))))))))

Dear Friends,

Nothing WOW,I have a small giveaway or say 2 CSN giftcards which i wont be using.

CSN has a choice of thousands of attractive products tht you can pick for yourself or your family and friends range from Dining Tables, housewares, toys, kids furniture, home decor,Kitchen gadgets,bedroom furniture,chic totes,shoes, health and fitness etc. Shop at the comfort of your own home from their 200+online stores.
I love CSN and have ordered countless items for our home over the past year. I've been collecting a variety of kitchen gadgets (I just love cooking tools!),utensils,cookwares,kitchen decor..etc.

Giveaway-
One is $10 and other is $4 which can be used separately at any of the CSN websites.

Comments close Tuesday,Aug 2nd,2011(midnight,CST) I will pick a winner by the random number generator thereafter and soon announce the lucky winner and pass him/her the promo code,which he/she can use against 2 separate orders)cannot be combined)

The giveaway is only open to residents of the US(Bloggers/Non bloggers)

Please leave a contact/email in your comment or email (creativesanyukta@gmail.com)it to me if you wish to be included in the giveaway.Keep in mind that the Two promotions cannot be used on the same order.

Good Luck!

To enter,there are NO rules:-)

by SANYUKTA GOUR(BAYES)

http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/

And the Winner of CreativeSanyukta's Bloggy Bday Giveaway is...........

I had a small giveaway for all my US readers on CreativeSanyukta's 1st Bloggy Birthday,It was just as a token to thank all my dear friends who always stop by and leave inspiring comments which is the best best reward for my work...
Thanks all for participating..But there can b just one winner,Randomly chosen, the Winner of the Giveaway of 2 Nonstick Knives with Safeguard and a Bamboo Cutting board  is Priya of MharoRajasthan'sRecipe..Congrats dear and enjoy a small gift from me...Mail me ur address at creativesanyukta@gmail.com ,so tht i can ship it to u...
More cutting n chopping for u that means more food posts Priya...Hv fun and do keep me posted...

Looks whts next @CreativeSanyukta-
A sneak peek of my upcoming post-

by SANYUKTA GOUR(BAYES)
http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/

Asparagus BellPepper Subzi and Awards

Going ahead from my Garlic Herb Asparagus Rice post,we made different variations thro years with this versatile veggie like Asparagus and Paneer lollipops,Roasted Asparagus with GG topped with sesame ,Grilled Asparagus with herbs n tahini,Creamy Asparagus Soup,Asparagus Pizza with Pesto,Lemony Asparagus-Bellpepper Pasta,Asparagus curry in nut paste,Asparagus with lentils,Kolhapuri Asparagus curry, n so on...From this u all hv come to knw how much we love Asparagus,yes so much tht as asparagus is in season we eat asparagus three times a week in different forms...Today Sharing another simple quick preparation -Asparagus Bell Pepper Subzi.

Asparagus Bell Pepper Subzi-

U need-

Asparagus-1 bunch,white hard ends trimmed off and chopped

Bellpepper-1,chopped

Shallots-2,chopped

Garlic-4,chopped

Tomatoes-1 big,chopped

Mustard Seeds-1 tsp

Curry leaves-Few

Red chilly powder-1 tsp

homemade Spice Mix(or garam masala powder)-1/4 tsp

Cuminseed powder,Fennel powder,Dry Mango powder-1/2 tsp each

Jaggery-1 tsp,grated

Salt to taste

Olive Oil-11/2 tblsp

Method-

Heat Oil add Mustards seeds,curry leaves.Allow seeds to splutter.

Add chopped garlic and shallots .As they change color add Fennel seed and cumin seed powder,Saute.

Add Tomatoes,red chilly powder,mango powder,Mix and Cover till tomatoes r soft n cooked.

Finally add Asparagus,Bellpepper,homemade spice mix,salt and jaggery saute for some more time(about 7-8 mins).

Serve hot with phulkas/chapati.

Note-the asparagus n the bellpepper should be tender and crisp, not overcooked and mushy.

Now comes the bunch of sweet awards from my loving friend JAY

I’d like to thank Jay for these wonderful Awards! Do Check out her space for mouthwatering array of recipes from around the world...
I have to pass this awards onto 15 blogger frnds…But i feel all my sweet friends deserve these awards...so sharing with u all..Pls collect it as u drop by...Thanks..

 

 

 





This entry goes to Hearth and Soul Blog Hop

  by
 SANYUKTA GOUR(BAYES)
 http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/



Happy Mothers Day,Lets Celebrate with Mango Flavored Rava Kesari/Saffron Mango Semolina Dessert

I Salute n wish a very Happy Mothers Day to my mom,mothers,grandmom,would b moms...
and would like to dedicate a song for my sweet mother-
"Ae Maa Teri Surat Se Alag,bhagwan ki surat kya hogi"
(O mom ur face and Gods statue are the same to me."
It preety much means that I respect God as much as I respect u and love u.)

As a mother,my mom was never alone in her thoughts.She always had to think twice,for us kids and for the family,for our wellbeing n good future.
She worked 24x7 to make our house a home ,a beautiful place to live with our near n dear ones.She managed everything our good Upbringing ,schooling,studies,household chores.But we never saw her scolding us,shouting @ us.
She taught some realities of life n drew distinction between achievement and success. She said that 'achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others, and that's nice, too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success,as Success is not a destination...it's a journey ,which we are following til date and now it feels how right she is.
She taught us to walk proud and tall 'as if the world was ours.At every opportunity in life she said  “Don't tell me the sky is the limit, there are footprints on the moon. Jump at de sun.' We might not land on the sun, but at least we would get off the ground.
My mother's best advice to me was: 'Whatever you decide to do in life, be sure that the joy of doing it does not depend upon the applause of others, because in the long run we are, all of us, alone.So true mom.
 
She is a very calm,pious,softspoken,patient yet strong and courageous lady.And i m very very proud n lucky to hv a loving caring mother like her...hugs n love u mom.
Mummy,For everything we shared,
The dreams, the laughter,And the tears,
I love you with a "Special Bond"
That deepens every year.
Always be with me "MA",Need u always.U are the anchor that hold me to life.
My moms birthday falls this month,so Delighted to celebrate this special day and my moms birthday with one of her favorite desserts-Kesar Aam Ka Halwa which she used to always make when fresh juicy mangoes were in season...As this halwa brightens our tastebuds ,u have brightened my life always with ur presence whenever i needed,unending love,care,affection n sweet  talks.MOM,With every bite of this heavenly Halwa remembering u and hoping to meet u soon mom..Advance Birthday Wishes.

And now as i m living in this wonderful feeling of Motherhood,enjoying every bit of my sons milestones,my fantasy turns into reality as his journey starts as a newborn and singing a lullaby to him,A crawler and being a ride on horse with him,his first steps holding his soft little fingers and now as a toddler..his mischiefs,his fussiness, his abc's tacking with this but @ the end of the day its Motherhood and i strongly believe that there is no greater creation of God in the world than motherhood. The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation.
When I pick up my son and cuddle him, all the strain and stress of life temporarily disappears. There is nothing more wonderful than motherhood and Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs since the payment is pure love n affection.Above all Being a mother has made my life complete.

A Mother understands what a child does not say....so true

 Kesar Aam Ka Halwa-
U need-
1 cup - Semolina/Suji/Rawa
1 cup- Pureed Mango Pulp from ripe mangoes/Store bought Mango Pulp
1/2  cup or more Sugar,adjust according to the sweetness of Mangoes
1 cup Water
1 cup Milk(2%)
1/4 Tsp Green Cardamom powder
1/4 tsp Saffron strands ,crushed
less than a pinch of Salt
2 Tbsp - Choice of nuts and dry fruits( I used cashew and almonds)
3 tblsp or more of Homemade Ghee/Clarified Butter

Method-
Soak Almonds and Cashews in water..Remove skin of Almonds and grind into a smooth paste adding little milk.Keep aside.
Soak saffron in water plus milk mixture for 15mins and heat up to one boil.Keep aside.
Select Ripe mangoes,remove skin ,discard the seed,chop into chunks and blend into smooth puree.
In a wide pan, melt a 2 tblsp of ghee add sooji and roast til it turns slight brown and u smell the aroma.
Now add mango pulp and nut paste slowly and mix thoroughly into the sooji.Mix till all the mango puree is incorporated into the sooji.
Add sugar,salt and saffron milk+water mixture and mixwell till sugar caramelizes and dissolves into the mango sooji mixture.Add cardamom powder.Finally add the remaining ghee and continue mixing till the kesari leaves the surface. Remove from heat.Serve warm topped with desired nuts.

Notes-
1)Store bought Mango pulp can also b added.
2)A pinch of salt brightens n enhances the flavor.
3)Chopped nuts can also b added instead of nut paste.Just roast them slightly in ghee and add.

by SANYUKTA GOUR(BAYES)
http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/

Garlic Herb Asparagus Rice with homemade Spice Mix

Thanks friends for being a part of my joyous moment celebrating CreativeSanyukta's 1st Bloggy Birthday(last post)..
Ok,now Over to the todays post.
My Parents visited us few years back...Weekends always ended up shopping groceries,farmers market and bringing colorful fruits,veggies n  flavorful herbs..

My mom was so pleased with the wonderful fresh herbs,and ended up taking big batches of dried herbs on her way back to India.My mom created innovative indian recipes with aromatic herbs n fresh veggies and pampered me with delicious food..The fusion did yummy miracles..

We were amazed that bland veggies can taste yummy too...Never to forget one secret special ingredient added-Mothers love..

There onwards my produce list was packed with Avocado,Asparagus,Artichokes,Brussel sprouts,Brocolli,(which we hated to eat)fresh n dried herbs..Amongst all,One such Veggie we fell in love with @ the very first sight n taste was Asparagus.

Mom made different recipes with Asparagus right from stirfrys,salads,curries,grilled ,in fried rice n noodles n pastas n soups adding herbs like Basil,Oregano,Rosemary,Thyme..and we enjoyed all her dishes...

Those were the beautiful,fun n fond food memories...

This tender veggie is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables -- high in folic acid and a good source of potassium, fiber, thiamin, and vitamins A, B6, and C. A 5-ounce serving provides 60% of the RDA for folic acid and is low in calories.

Sharing one of her(moms) recipes...simple n quick with her easy Spice Mix..
My husbands reaction when my mom made this Garlic Herb Asparagus Rice for the first time-wow,delicious,mouthwatering,yummy,i never tasted sumthing good like this before...in short-he had no words left prasing her...and These were copied and pasted everytime my mom cooked sumthing for us..
We love this so much tht i make this every week as i see Asparagus in season...Thanks mommy...

U need-
Asparagus -1/2 lb,trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
Cooked Rice-21/2 cups
Garlic-3-4 fat cloves, finely grated
Herbs-Rosemary/Oregano-1 tsp each,powdered
Lemon zest-1 tsp
Salt  to taste
Red Chilly powder-1 tsp
Homemade Spice Mix-1/2 tsp(see notes) or Garam Masala powder can also b added
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Dried Cranberry -1 tblsp,chopped
Raisins-2 tblsp,chopped
EV Olive Oil-2 tblsp(divided)
Notes-
Spice Mix-*
1 tblsp ground coriender
1/2 tblsp each of ground cinnamon,cumin,green cardamom
1/4 tsp each of ground black peppercorns,cloves and nutmeg
pinch of ginger powder
(dry red chillies,star anise,black cumin seeds,mace,bay leaves and black cardamom can also b added)
Dry roast all and grind it separately in a spice grinder and store in airtight container..Mix and Use accordingly.
(*We use this spice mix in dry sabjis,curries,biryanis and even pastas...)

Method-
Trim tough ends @ the bottom of Asparagus,discard ,everything else is edible and cut each stalk into 1" pieces.
Marinate cut Asparagus with a tblsp of Olive Oil,Herbs,Lemon zest,Turmeric powder.
Cover n Refrigerate for 20-25mins.
Heat remaining tblsp of Oil,Add Marinated Asparagus n saute for sometime until tender n crisp.
Add Cooked Rice,Salt n mix well..Finally add remaining ingredients,dry powders,homemade spice mix,raisins and cranberries.Stir-fry until its well incorporated.
Serve Hot with Raita..(I served with Peach-Strawberry Raita)..

by SANYUKTA GOUR(BAYES)

http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/

GIVEAWAY and Celebrating 1st Bloggy Birthday with Carrot Milk Pudding

CreativeSanyukta turned 1 (22nd April 2011)..Yes Posting it late due to some net issues..anyways better late than never..
Hurray 1st Bloggy Birthday..Celebrating this joyous moment with my inspiration, my sweet MOM n DAD,my beloved husband and naughty son,my family n my sweet blogger friends whose words ,there  bonding,chatting,sharing hv always inspired me to do the best..and also those anonymous n silent readers who wil surely write a word after reading this..Thanks to all beautiful people in my life,bcos of whom i hv reached my 1st  milestone..hugs
So friends as a token of gratitude i hv a small giveaway for my friends who are in US(Sincere apologies to everyone residing elsewhere).
Giveaway of  Nonstick Knives with safeguard and chopping board-

The package says the knives have a non-stick coating, a sharp edge, and are dishwasher safe and comes with a safe guard for easy storage and handling..I m using it for a while and loved it.Perfect with the bamboo cutting board.

(Giveaway applicable to US readers only)
1)To participate ,Let me know what you like or dislike about my blog Creative Sanyukta.(leave a comment)

The winner would be randomly chosen and announced on "13th May 2011".

To Celebrate this wonderful occasion today i m sharing  a Milk pudding i grew up eating.As a kid i was a fussy eater,would love anything colorful and my mom kept tickling her mind to feed me healthy n colorful dishes..This is one of them and the same is with my toddler,he is the fussiest n picky eater,but this has become his fav dessert til date...This is one pudding which is liked by my whole family..Handy ingredients n comes together in minutes....Whenever i make this kheer i see a big smile on my sons n  husbands  face too...
So heres easy n quick dessert-

Carrot Milk Pudding/Gajar Ki Kheer-

Oats have a higher level of soluble fiber and Carrots on the other hand provide insoluble fiber and also rich in beta carotene and Milk has 9 essential nutrients(Calcium,Protein,Potassium,Phosphorus,Vitamin D,A and B12,Riboflavin (B2) and Niacin.

U need-
Milk- 3 cups(i used 2%) or more
Organic Peeled Baby Carrots-1 cup
Rolled Oats-1/4 cup
unsalted,un roasted Almonds/Cashews-4-5 nos of each
Sugar- 1/3 cup or +/-
Cardamom powder-1tsp
Nutmeg powder-pinch
Ghee/Clarified Butter-1 tblsp(optional)

Method-
Soak almonds and cashews in hot water .
Peel off the almond skin and grind almond and cashew to a paste adding a little milk.Keep aside.
for 15-20 minutes.
Soak Oats in milk for 5-10 mins.
Pressure cook or boil the baby carrots til fully done. Cool ,chop the carrots and grind carrots and soaked oats to a smooth paste adding milk as needed.
Add sugar to the remaining milk and bring to boil. Reduce the flame and blend in the nut paste and pureed carrot n oats, stirring continuously.Simmer for 5-10 mins till the kheer is thick n creamy.
Switch off the flame, stir in Ghee,cardamom and nutmeg powder.Serve warm/cold.

Comes lets celebrate CreativeSanyukta's 1st Bloggy Birthday with a 3tier Guiltfree Fruit Cake..
Inspired by Martha Stewart

by SANYUKTA GOUR(BAYES)
http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/