Posts by Swati Bansal Rao

Icy Citrusy Grapefruit Margarita and a Blog Giveaway

Swati Bansal Rao

Posted on May 16th, 2013

Pin It I absolutely love everything Mexican..the vibrant colors, friendly people, spicy food, guatemalan avocados, beautiful pottery, stunning beaches etc. Mexican cuisines is one of my favorite. I love going to Mexican restaurants where the atmosphere is fun, energetic and vibrant with mariachi music playing in the background. I can gorge on the freshly made guacamole with some extra lime and chillies topped over corn chips for hours. It is an ideal way to spend an evening and catch up with friends over some great Mexican food served with lots of horchata and margaritas. Pin It I have been meaning to host a Mexican theme party for long and would love to recreate that fun atmosphere with some vibrant decor. I recently…

Homemade Nutella: A healthy indulgence

Swati Bansal Rao

Posted on May 10th, 2013

Pin It I have been looking for a good trustworthy Nutella recipe for a long time. My better half absolutely loves Nutella. However, we never end up buying it because of the calories it comes with. He is a very healthy eater and tries to avoid anything which could be called as indulgence. Few years back, when he moved to Dubai and I was still in India, he ate store bought Nutella almost everyday for breakfast. One could imagine what happened after a month..he could not fit into his pants.! He still gets horrified thinking about it and since then, he has been off it. Recently, he went to a friend’s house for breakfast and was served Nutella toast which he could not refuse.…

Shot of the Day: Mexican Horchata

Swati Bansal Rao

Posted on May 9th, 2013

Pin It The horchata originally came to Mexico via the Spaniards, who called it Agua— or horchata. I am making this for a Mexican themed party and can’t wait to serve this with the spicy mexican food to cool down the heat. This recipe is inspired from the Saveur’s magazine’s Horchata six ways. You could find 6 more variation of horchata there! Shopping list Serves 4-6 ⅓ cup long grain rice 1 1-inch piece Mexican cinnamon 2 1-inch strips lime or lemon zest plus grated lime zest, for garnish 1 cup whole blanched almonds, lightly toasted 1 cup sugar ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract 1. Put the rice in a blender or spice grinder and process until it’s completely pulverized, with…

Shot of the Day: Pomegranates

Swati Bansal Rao

Posted on May 7th, 2013

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Udaipur: ‘City of Lakes’ or call it ‘Venice of the East’

Swati Bansal Rao

Posted on May 5th, 2013

Pin It Udaipur will always have a special place in my heart. This is where I grew up and spent most of my childhood. It is a small town but oh my, what a pretty small town. I never appreciated the beauty and the calmness of the city till the time I moved to a different place. I miss the leisurely evening stroll around the lakes, fateh sagar in particular, the beautiful hotels, which has made Udaipur internationally famous, the heritage, the colors, the festivals etc. Time just seem to slow down in Udaipur. It is where Rajasthan is at its most romantic and peaceful. Pin It Udaipur has been put on the international tourist map because of the various luxury resorts like Udaivilas and Lake…

Grilled Portobello and Peach Sandwich

Swati Bansal Rao

Posted on May 1st, 2013

Pin It Time spent back home was somehow different this time. Simply put, it was plain awesomeness. Days were relaxed, meals were cooked at leisure in the kitchen, walks with granny in the evenings, some window shopping during the day, few outings to explore the heart of the city and nights spent chit chatting and playing cards. There was no agenda or a checklist which needed to be adhered to, which normally is the case when I visit home. Days always fly by when I go to India, but this time it was different. This time, the only agenda was to spend time with family and I am so so happy I did..after ages! I don’t remember the last time I was so relaxed after I joined…

Rice Pudding: A family recipe

Swati Bansal Rao

Posted on April 19th, 2013

Pin It I love visiting home. Some of my most endearing memories surround summer holidays whereby we would wait for the exams to get over and the very next day, we are off to our grandparents house. It was always so much fun. All the cousins of literally all ‘shapes and sizes’, from all parts of the country, would get together for almost a month. I can only imagine how our grandparents managed all of us together..must have been hell of a job! However, they spoilt and pampered us thoroughly. Every day entailed eating some mouth watering food cooked by nani (grandmother). All meals would be around the big dining table where everyone would sit together and enjoy the hot Indian curries, daal, pickles and roti freshly…

Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino and Spring Greens

Swati Bansal Rao

Posted on April 14th, 2013

Pin It This has to be my favorite and loveliest pasta in the whole world. What could be better than spaghetti with some spice, garlic, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese! Add some fresh lemon zest and juice and you have a perfect combination. I had not planned for this post and is a very spontaneous one. I had to share the love and goodness of this pasta..especially if you love spicy or have Indian taste buds like me. Pin It Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino which means spaghetti with garlic, oil and chill in Italian is a traditional Italian pasta dish. Fresh garlic, good olive oil and great parmesan are key for great flavors. Because we are working with minimum ingredients, the quality…

Gluten-free Fennel and Coconut Tart with Wild Rice Salad

Swati Bansal Rao

Posted on April 12th, 2013

After my recent indulgent trip to Sicily, I had to get back to healthy eating as soon as possible. Though, I would have loved a crispy cannoli filled with creamy ricotta for breakfast every morning, I could not have fitted into my jeans if I continued for even one more week. A leisurely visit to the supermarket is what I needed. Looking at beautiful fresh vegetables and fruits make me crave for healthy meals..very strange, I know. Got these amazing blood oranges, fresh bulbs of fennel, yellow and red cherry tomatoes, crispy chard leaves, some beautiful tunisian artichokes and stocked my fridge with lots of colorful food. Nature is amazing and provides us with an abundance of colorful food, and cooking with these gorgeous colorful produce…

Road Trip in Sicily

Swati Bansal Rao

Posted on April 6th, 2013

When Sicilians consider themselves Sicilians first and Italians a very firm second, I see a point. I have been to Italy before, more towards the north side, and I didn’t expect Sicily to be so different with only 3 km of water separating the island from the Italian mainland. It is like another country located at the heart of the Mediterranean sea with diverse landscapes, from stunning coasts to high mountain passes, from spectacular ancient Greek temples to beautiful Baroque architecture, from luxurious resort towns to tiny coastal villages. Some of the world’s richest civilizations from the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Spanish, Normans , Greeks have been here and have left their mark contributing to the diverse landscape. The same diversity could be seen in…