Cashew Yogurt and Potato Muffins

This is a soft, delicious, vegan muffin made with cashew yogurt and potatoes. These are perfect savory muffins that can be served with a soup or salad, or even a curry! These are great for breakfast as well as for chai time!

These flavorful savory and vegan muffins remind you of the popular stuffed flatbread, aloo paratha! We love this paratha so much but postpone the requests for it to weekends as it needs a little planning and time. Sometimes, making it on weeknights may not work out. That's the basic story of how I made these savory muffins! Love of aloo paratha is the reason. If there is any chole curry leftover, I just opt to make these muffins that are easier to make for a balanced meal. These are great with soups and stews too! We love these with Tomato Soup as well as Kale and Pasta Minestrone. 

These are vegan using cashew yogurt but you can use any yogurt of your choice. The liquid ratio is very important in this muffin as the cooked potatoes will also have moisture. Even a tablespoon of extra moisture will make the muffins sink. Been there. 

I have a confession to make that I have an affair with cilantro. It is like I can't live without the aromatic herb. I add cilantro in everything, and did add in this muffin too! A quarter cup! Chives are also added. Onion or garlic chives can be used. Any herbs of your choice can be used. Dill works great too! The aroma of the herbs add the right amount of  magical touch.

Whole wheat flour can also be used. Whole wheat absorbs a little extra moisture. Different brands of whole wheat may absorb different liquid quantities according to the wheat variety used. Just play around a couple of tablespoons and enjoy a healthier version too.

The bite of Fresno pepper gives an amazing kick to the flavor while cumin gives a traditional touch. Fresno peppers are spicy and if you do not have those, use Thai chili or Serrano peppers for heat. The spices and heat can be added or adjusted according to your taste buds. The vegan parmesan is optional, but it adds a little cheese flavor. Regular cheese can also be used as per your meal preference, cheddar is a great option. Garlic and/or onion is also optional.

I bake vegan muffins that are sweet as well as savory. I love these Vegan Pear Ginger Muffins and Vegan Jackfruit Muffins equally with Vegan Chocolate Cherry Muffins. These Vegan Coconut Gingerbread Muffins are out of this world! All these sweet ones are amazing just like these savory Samosa Muffins! Try these as well as this vegan cashew yogurt and potato muffins and these are going to find a strong place in your menu.

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page. Stacy hosts this event every month. 

This muffin has the complete flavors of having aloo paratha with raita. The cashew yogurt is a little tart than the regular yogurt. The addition of this yogurt in this muffin gives the satisfaction of having a very flavorful meal. In fact a comfort meal! In our Foodie Monday Blog Hop group, we are sharing recipes where curd/yogurt and veggies are the star. Sasmita has an amazing blog and I love her recipes. I love her Sooji Poda Pitha and Chena Tarkari. Though we love traditional Gooseberry Raita, Cilantro Raita or Roasted Eggplant Raita or this amazing Garbanzo Beans and Mint Raita or this Morkuzhambu, a yogurt based soupy curry, I wanted to share something different. And my trials of making easier aloo paratha gave this tasty muffin and is a perfect share for the theme. I love this version of muffin than the liquid roti style. Less time and great taste. That's what is needed on busy weekdays when we long for comfort food. 

I am also linking this to Sundays on Silverado, Happiness is Homemade, and What's For Dinner.

Ingredients

Makes 12 muffins

All purpose flour - 1.5 cups

Baking powder - 1.5 tsp

Salt - 1.5 tsp

Garlic powder - 1/4 tsp

Vegan parmesan - 1 tbsp

Cashew yogurt - 1 cup plus 

Oil - 1/3 cup

Aquafaba - 2 tbsp

Fresno pepper - 2 tbsp, chopped

Cilantro - 4 tbsp

Cumin - 3/4 tsp

Potato - 1 cup, cooked, thin shredded

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder, vegan parmesan to a bow and mix. Set aside.

Add the cashew yogurt, oil, aquafaba, shredded potatoes, and combine well.

Add the flour quickly and mix. Fold in the Fresno peppers, cumin, chives, and cilantro. The batter will be a little thicker than regular muffins.

Scoop into lined and sprayed muffin tin. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for a few minutes. Serve as such or with some soup or curry.

Here are the quick links to the muffins we shared for March 2022 #MuffinMonday! Thanks Stacy!

• Blueberry Granola Whole Wheat Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Cashew Yogurt and Potato Muffins from Magical Ingredients
• Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins ;from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pineapple Upside Down Muffins from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Sourdough Sweet Carrot Mini Muffins from Food Lust People Love

Romano Beans Curry

This is a delicious and vegan side made with Romano beans and flavored with sesame seeds, peanuts, coconut, and black pepper. Flavor sounds amazing! This is easy to prepare too.

A few weeks back, I saw these beans in the market and they looked interesting. I have never tried these before. They were a little pricey, but grabbed some and tried them right away. They are flat green beans, one -inch wide and nearly 10-12 in long. These Romano beans tasted very similar to our traditional hyacinth beans which are very short ones. We call the shorter ones avarakai and this can be used to make a simple and delicious curry Avarakai Curry. These Romano beans tasted great and immediately grabbed some more from the market before it was all gone. They were great in soups too. This curry was one among the recipes that we loved with these beans. 

These beans are cooked in about 7 to 8 minutes, this is a plus when making a side. The faster cooking ones are always loved, right? Well, these fit in that category. Sauté  and cover and cook for a few minutes, season your way and have them.

The flavor of these beans is enhanced by the amazing combination of peanuts, sesame seeds, and coconut. These are often used in our curries and this Bhagara Baigan is a classic example. The toasted nuts and coconut mixture gives an amazing rich taste. I have used black pepper to give a kick, adjust the quantity as per your preference. Freshly grated coconut and frozen grated coconut can be used in this recipe. If you do not have that, use unsweetened desiccated coconut or a tablespoon of coconut milk. Chili flakes, or cayenne can also be used in place of black pepper and that would also taste great. 

Coconut adds amazing flavor to any dish and often I add that in a lot of veggie sides like this Asparagus and Coconut Stir-Fry, Avarakai Curry, or South-Indian Kale Stir-Fry. These are amazing and simple sides for any occasion and using the Spring produce can be used! Green Beans and Aloo Curry or Lemon Potatoes make a delicious side too!

Easter is right around the corner and it's a perfect time to plan on Easter menu. Christie is hosting an event and we are sharing delicious Spring sides to aid planning the menu. We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

Ingredients

Romano beans - 4.5 cups, 1-in pieces

Salt - 3/4 to 1 tsp

Ginger - 1 tsp, finely chopped

Garlic - 1 tsp, finely chopped

To grind

Roasted peanuts - 2 tbsp

Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp, toasted

Coconut - 2 tbsp, fresh or frozen

Whole black pepper - 1/2 tsp

To Temper

Oil - 1-2 tbsp

Dried red chili - 1, torn

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Asafetida - 1/8 tsp

Method

Heat oil on a pan over medium flame. Add the dried red chiles and mustard seeds, when it splutters add the curry leaves and asafetida, fry for 30 seconds.

Add the chopped Romano beans, combine well, cover and cook for 4 minutes.

Open the lid, give a stir, add the chopped ginger and garlic, mix well, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.

In the meantime, grind the sesame seeds, peanuts, coconut and black pepper to a coarse texture.

Add salt to the beans followed by the ground coconut mixture, mix and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve as a side.

Easy Easter Side Dish Recipes

• Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes from Jen Around the World
• Colorful Spring Salad from Art of Natural Living
• Creamed Greens Casserole from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Hash Brown Casserole from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Japanese Potato Salad with Yukon Gold Potatoes from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Mom's Investment Salad (aka Ambrosia Salad) from The Spiffy Cookie
• Romano Beans Stir Fry from Magical Ingredients
• Sweet Potatoes with Lemon from That Recipe

Easy Spring Dessert Board

This is a fun and easy dessert board that you can make even if you are super busy. With a couple of homemade desserts and store-bought goodies, this board has something for everyone across all age groups.

I received some samples and have used them in creating recipes. Opinions expressed are mine alone.

Spring has sprung! It is time to gather and enjoy! Every season calls for its own festivities and it means entertaining with food. Food is the central part which brings everyone together. Sometimes our life gets a little crazy and meeting friends and family gives the good break needed. And Nairn's oat and chocolate graham crackers come in handy. They are not loaded with sugar and taste great. They are great to have with creamy dips. Our family loves these crackers and we love them with Caramel Apple Pie Dip that I shared in this Fall Charcuterie Board. The oat crackers are great to use in savory recipes like this Vegan Butternut Squash and Chestnut Kebabs.

Moving on to the board, this easy dessert board has three elements that I made at home that are amazing with Nairn's crackers, butter cookies and thin mint cookies, some chocolates and candies, and a couple of fruits to add fresh flavors. These are arranged attractively on a board. Place the dips and start arranging around, adding elements of different colors positioned strategically to please your eyes.

Meyer Lemon Cashew Fudge/Lemon Kaju Kathli 

Meyer lemon cashew fudge is an easy and vegan fudge that can be made in under 30 minutes time. This is a perfect one that vegan as well as non vegan guests would love.

Lime Cheesecake Dip 

An easy dip that can be whipped up in a few minutes and oat crackers and butter cookies are amazing one to dip into this lime cheesecake dip.

Cannoli Dip - Amazing and easy dip that pleases any crowd. We loved these with Nairn's Chocolate oat graham crackers.

For the fun part as well for kids and the kid inside everyone, added some lovely chocolates with the season's theme. Chocolates shaped into eggs, bunnies, chicks are available in countless varieties. These make life easier, adding fun, and delicious elements to the board. I have used chocolate eggs, Cadbury's chocolate eggs, Peanut butter eggs, chocolate carrots, Lemon Kit Kat, and chocolate cocoa pebble eggs.

Charcuterie boards are always fun. They can be made for any occasion following different themes. I have featured a few vegetarian boards in this blog and check these links to make these board for your events to enjoy with family and friends.

Epic Vegan Mediterranean Dip Charcuterie Board

Summer Charcuterie Board

Fall Charcuterie Board

Diwali Sweets and Snacks Board

Sue of Palatable Pastime is hosting this event in our food blogger fun group. #Potluck Party is always the last Saturday of the month and we share amazing, fun, and delicious recipes. I am sharing the idea of making a simple and fun dessert board for this event. 

Here are the links for the March 2021 Potluck Party. Thanks, Sue!

• Keto Chaffles - Low Carb No Cheese No Sweetners from Sneha’s Recipe
• Almond Butter Chicken from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Easy Spring Dessert Board from Magical Ingredients
• Cauliflower Pizza from Patyco Candybar

Stem Ginger Mango Cheesecake Parfait #SpringSweetsWeek

This is an easy, make-ahead, no cook or bake recipe that you'll always long to have again and again! The ginger and mango pair well with the cream cheese and cream making this  luscious dessert as the most wanted one. This recipe is eggless too!

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

This recipe uses fresh mangoes from Melissa's Produce and Nairn's ginger oat graham crackers. There is no canned mangoes or pulp used. Only fresh mangoes and that gives a vibrant flavor to this dessert! Nairn's ginger oat crackers were amazing, the right amount of ginger and we loved it. 

In addition, I have added candied ginger pieces chopped and added in the mango cream cheese mixture. Bites of ginger candy here and there are lovely! The balance is perfect and not overpowering ginger flavor. Mango and ginger pair well and compliment the flavors! 

This luscious and dreamy dessert is not overly sweet. It has the perfect amount of sweetness and is perfect for us. Ripe mangoes are sweet and with a little condensed milk added, the sweetness was just right! If you have a very sweet tooth, add a little sugar to the cream cheese mixture. The right size of the serving and the right amount of sweetness makes this a purely enjoyable dessert! I would call this heaven!

This is a no cook or no bake recipe. It is easy to assemble once you gather everything together. Whip the cream cheese and fresh mango pulp with a little condensed milk. Crush the Nairn's ginger oat graham crackers and mix with melted butter. Layer these two mixtures and add whipped cream. Top with some chopped mangoes and mint for garnish. 

This is a make ahead recipe. When you have a time crunch, this recipe would be your savior. Layer these and refrigerate even overnight. When it is time to serve, just top with chopped mangoes and add mint. The layers would have set perfectly and this portioned dessert is easy to serve. The only problem is that you'll need more of this tasty dessert as you and your guests will want more. But, no problem at all! The recipe could be doubled or tripled easily.

I have a sweet confession to make. I am addicted to mangoes, I just can't stop myself! The bright and ripe sunshine colored pulp is absolutely divine to gobble as such or in any desserts too! I love the unripe mangoes in savory dishes too and here are the links to amazing savory and sweet addictive mango recipes to try.

Mango Falooda Monster Milkshake

Mango Lassi

Raw Mango Poha

Mango Lassi Muffins

Mango Icecream

Mango Kulfi

Vegan Mango Cake

Welcome to #SpringSweetsWeek 2022 hosted by Heather from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks!   Flowers are starting to bloom, the weather is getting warmer, and we're celebrating with spring sweets and a fun giveaway!   This year 22 food bloggers from around the country are sharing over 75 sweet recipes that are perfect for spring.  So say bye bye to the snow and cold weather and get ready to enjoy amazing spring treats like cupcakes, cookies, pies, dessert boards, and even a few beverages!  Our #SpringSweetsWeek sponsors are helping us give away some great prizes.  Thank you to Dixie Crystals, Melissa's Produce, Anolon, Sweets & Treats, Taylor and Colledge, and Nairn's for your generosity.  We have an incredible giveaway with six amazing prizes and would love if you would take a moment to read about it and the prizes that you can win! 

Prize #1:  A $100 gift card to Melissa’s Produce + a 3 month produce subscription.

 

One winner will receive a $100 gift card to buy the freshest produce around!  Melissa’s has everything from common apples and oranges to exotic passion fruit and rambutans.  The winner will also receive a stunning selection of the most delicious produce around once a month for 3 months.  At Melissa’s Produce, the produce is selected at their peak perfection and packed by hand to ensure a safe arrival.   A $224 value. 

Prize #2:  A candy making kit from Dixie Crystals

Perfect for the candy making novice or even the most advanced candy maker!  Dixie Crystals is providing one winner with everything they need to make candy.  The winner will receive a waterproof candy thermometer, silicone candy molds, and stainless steel double boiler.  A $50 value.

Prize #3:  A 5 piece Bakeware set from Anolon

Create dozens of bakeshop treats from gooey bar cookies to peanut butter and chocolate brownies to banana nut bread and more with all of the essentials in an expertly curated nonstick bakeware set. This bakeware is designed to stand up to the rigors of everyday baking with the convenience craved by creative bakers.  This 5 piece baking set includes Two 9-Inch Round Cake Pans, a 9-Inch Square Cake Pan, a 14-Inch x 16-Inch Cookie Sheet, and a 11-Inch x 14-Inch Cooling Rack.  A $65 value.  

Prize #4:  An assorted box of baking supplies from Sweets & Treats Sweets & Treats will provide one winner with an assorted box of baking supplies including liners, sprinkles, toppers, and other fun baking supplies.  Sweets & Treats has the best selection of cupcake liners, cupcake topper, paper straws, and molds.  

Prize #5:  A Selection of three extract pastes from Taylor and Colledge.

One winner will receive a selection of extracts to include almond, lemon, and lavender. In 1897, Taylor & Colledge won its first award for excellence in vanilla. Since then, the Taylor & Colledge commitment for unsurpassed quality has earned its reputation as one of the world’s finest producers of vanilla.

Prize #6:  A selection of three flavors of Gluten Free Grahams from Nairn’s. 

One winner will receive a box of each Nairn's Original, Chocolate Chip, Stem Ginger Oat Grahams.  Nairn's has been baking oats since 1896. They use simple, natural, and wholesome ingredients in their products.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This week was super fun and can't believe we are at the final day of our #Springsweetsweek. Baking and whipping up delicious recipes with the products from our sponsors was simply amazing and now I have so many more recipes to try! A huge thanks to our sponsors! 

Here are the links to the recipes I shared for #Springsweetsweek!

Carrot Halwa Icecream

Eggless Blood Orange Mini Bundt Cakes with Pink Glaze

Oatmeal Carrot Halwa Icecream Sandwich

Eggless Lemon Lavender Cupcakes

Ingredients

Makes 6

Nairn's ginger oat crackers - 1 cup, crushed

Butter - 2 tbsp, melted

Cream cheese - 12 oz

Mango - 1 cup, chopped

Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp

Condensed milk - 6 tbsp

Candied ginger - 2 tbsp

Heavy whipping cream - 1 cup

Powdered sugar - 4 tbsp

Vanilla - 1/4 tsp

Chopped mangoes - 1/4 cup

Mint leaves - for garnish

Method

Crush the Nairn's ginger oat crackers and add melted butter, mix thoroughly and set aside.

Add the cream cheese, mango pulp, condensed milk, and lemon juice to a bowl. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

Fold in the chopped candies ginger pieces.

Assembly: Add about one and a half table spoon of the crushed ginger crackers to the bottom of the serving glass. Add about two table spoons of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat the layering once more. Pipe the whipped cream on top. At this point this can be refrigerated for make ahead option. Garnish with chopped mangoes and a sprig of mint, if serving in a couple of hours.. If the mangoes are ripe, they might be juicy and can be drizzled on top too.

Refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.

Friday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes

• Almond Scones from Palatable Pastime
• Blood Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Carrot Cake Cookies from Eat Move Make
• Carrot Cake Poke Cake from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Cinnamon Butterscotch Pear Chips from Blogghetti
• Coconut Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Mango Coulis from The Spiffy Cookie
• Easter Bunny Cupcakes from Kathryn's Kitchen Blog
• Easter Egg Macarons from Jen Around the World
• Easy Berry Semi Naked Cake from Red Cottage Chronicles
• Ginger Pear Turnovers from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Key Lime Icebox Cake from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Key Lime Pound Cake from Devour Dinner
• Key Lime Whoopie Pies from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Lemon Lavender Fudge from That Recipe
• Mango Pear Crisp from Sweet Beginnings
• Meyer Lemon and Ginger Cookie Truffles from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Meyer Lemon Posset from Shockingly Delicious
• Ombre Cakes from Art of Natural Living
• Stem Ginger Mango Cheesecake Parfait from Magical Ingredients

We share recipes from #SpringSweetsWeek on Pinterest! Make sure you follow the board to see all the delicious recipes shared this week.

Thank you #SpringSweetsWeek Sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Anolon, Sweets & Treats,  Melissa’s Produce, Taylor and Colledge, and Nairn’s for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The #SpringSweetsWeek giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older.   All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Six (6)  winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #SpringSweetsWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #SpringSweetsWeek posts or entry.