Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Granola + Biscotti Mayhem + Stuffed Paratha: 5-11 December 2015.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

{via}
how's your Sunday going?
mine has been so cold - it's freezing here. I'm about to warm up with hot coffee, a catch-up with the cousins and chocolate dipped shortbread.

{via}
last Saturday, I baked a crispy Chinese pie and slathered it in a fragrant butter. dipped in soy chilli sauce, it was so good. on Sunday, I baked a sea salt dark chocolate granola (recipe below!) and my mum made a delicious minced lamb, green bean and jalapeno curry. on Monday, I made my favourite honey vanilla yoghurt granola bowls. that recipe also follows below!

{via}
this week, I baked a batch of these roasted almond chocolate dipped biscotti. so good dunked in hot coffee. (can you tell I haven't had my morning coffee today? I keep talking about coffee!!) we also shot two curry recipes this week - one involving bitter gourd and the other? that classic combo - lamb and potato. 

{via}
also this week, stuffed keema parathas, a glazed lemon loaf and I added extra veggies to my salmon salad!

here's more from my week:

 Saturday: a good start to the weekend with coffee and Scottish shortbread.

then, I spent the morning kneading the stickiest dough ever.

it was left to rest whilst I cooked lunch.

I roasted a butternut squash and grabbed the sumac and zaatar.

and, cooked up this soup with extra chilli.

and, a little sumac sprinkled on top.

for dinner, there were plenty of spring onions.

and, two types of soy sauce. the light is saltier than the dark.

chicken mince mixed.

dough rolled and stuffed.

cooked until crispy!

on the side? soy chilli garlic dipping sauce + white pepper + spring onion ginger butter.

the fragrant butter was spread over the hot pie.

and, dinner was ready!

you guys, this was so good. my new favourite!

 Sunday: the second pie for lunch.

on goes the butter.

this pie has all my favourites - chicken mince, soy sauce, white pepper, spring onions, butter, ginger and crispy edges. I need to cook it again for all of you.

here's something else that I know you guys will love.

this minced lamb, green bean and jalapeno curry. so good with a hot roti spread with leftover spring onion ginger butter.

I put salt into my granola today.

in one bowl, place 270 grams Rolled Oats and 1 teaspoon Sea Salt. 
in a smaller bowl, melt 50 grams Dark Chocolate and mix with 65 ml Hot Milk.

to the chocolate mixture, stir in 2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder.

along with 100 ml Maple Syrup.

wet into dry.

mix!

pop in a lined baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 C / Gas Mark 4 for 25-30 minutes ---> stir every 10 minutes.

in the last 5 minutes, stir in 110 grams chopped Almonds. hazelnuts would also be really good here especially if you're a Nutella fan.

Monday: the granola cooled completely overnight.

and, that is how easy this no-butter and no-oil sea salt dark chocolate granola is.

store in airtight jars!

this granola makes a great sweet snack but I love it over honey vanilla yoghurt as you'll see in a bit.

winter always means plenty of tangerines. 

or are these clementines?

I can never tell the difference.

so, here's how I like to make my granola yoghurt bowls. the Nutella whipped cream does not usually appear. it was a fridge leftover today.

I use plain yoghurt. if I have the time, I place the yoghurt in a paper-towel lined sieve over a bowl. then I leave it in the fridge overnight. the water comes out of the yoghurt into the bowl.

I empty the creamy yoghurt into a separate bowl.

look how thick and creamy the yoghurt gets when the water is sieved out! like whipped cream.

I added honey and vanilla, to taste. and, also a little (completely optional) Nutella whipped cream.

now for some fruit. fresh fruit is great but lately, I've been loving frozen fruit.

here we have blackberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and raspberries. I leave the box to defrost overnight in the fridge.

in a bowl, goes the honey vanilla yoghurt and the berries. ooh, be sure to drizzle over any of the berry juices. they're the best.

to finish, I top the bowls with a good handful of my sea salt dark chocolate granola.

snack, breakfast or even dessert - how do you eat your granola?

later, a little biscotti baking. here are my wet and dry ingredients.

I would have loved to have taken photos here but getting the biscotti onto the trays was the stickiest thing ever!

the logs were baked.

sliced.

and baked again!

before being dipped in milk chocolate and sprinkled with roasted, chopped almonds.

ooh also today, we tested an amazing spicy chicken dish.

with noodles!

 Tuesday: biscotti in the morning light.

this biscotti was super sticky to make but so good to eat - it's converted me to the joy of roasted almonds.

especially when dipped in hot coffee!

tackling the bitter gourd today!

recipe coming your way soon, Insha Allah.

finally, for dinner, a stuffed keema paratha. the best.

Wednesday: blending my curry sauce.

adding chunks of potato.

to make lamb and potato curry! recipe coming soon, insha Allah.

also today, putting lemon into my loaf cake.

baked.

drowned in a zingy lemon glaze.

out of the tin and ready to slice!

Thursday: another day, another granola fruit bowl.

leftovers from the fridge today --> lamb potato curry + boiled rice + salad + smoky chicken tikka thighs.

I am on a mission to recreate these chicken thighs asap!

 Friday: poached eggs at breakfast today! I show you how to here.

for lunch, I made my salmon potato radish salad. I added extras this times - grated carrot + sliced spring onion + diced jalapeno.

and baby corn! I boiled it in water for a few minutes.

in went boiled potatoes, roasted salmon and a Dijon mustard dressing - such a good lunch!

this time one year ago:

snow + bread pudding + chocolate bark

lately, on the blog:

double cookies + custard slice week + Nutella pastries

cheddar and caramelised onion flan

sour cream + yoghurt triple chocolate coffee cake



Keep me in your duas please,

Wasalaam!