November 1, 2019November 1, 2019 3min readBy Ann Ittoop
It’s pumpkin season, y’all! Normally I join the crowd of those who are sick of seeing pumpkin infused into everything from Spotify playlists to laundry detergent. But, how could I resist making these Pumpkin Brown Sugar Oat Muffins?
If pumpkin wasn’t so overused, I think we’d love it more. It’s such a versatile ingredient and be made both sweet and savory. I personally LOVE a good pumpkin erissery (any South Indians in the house?!) When I made the first batch of these soft and fluffy Pumpkin Brown Sugar Oat Muffins, they only lasted in our house about half a day. I’ll admit, they don’t look like much. Usually when I hear “oat muffins” I think it will be dry and bland. But, I promise, these are anything but that!
This recipe uses simple spices to make it extra warm and cozy. I’ve included some notes in the recipe if you want to add even more flavor, too. I personally think cardamom and ginger powder would be excellent in this. Also, some chopped up pecans and drizzle of maple syrup? Better yet, a maple pecan frosting! Ok, I’m getting carried away.
Anyway, I hope you love this Pumpkin Brown Sugar Oat Muffins recipe! It’s so easy to make. It’s literally just mixing a few ingredients in a bowl and baking. Easy as…muffins!
If you end up making my Pumpkin Brown Sugar Oat Muffins, tag me @thefamiliarkitchen on instagram. I’d LOVE to see how it turns out for you and answer any questions you might have!
Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 25 mins Total Time: 35 mins
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
Jaggery/Brown Sugar, 1 cup
Eggs, 2
Vanilla Extract/Paste, 1 tbsp
Pumpkin Puree, 1 cup
Just Pom (Pomegranate) Syrup, 1/4 cup (substitute with honey or maple syrup)
Coconut Oil, 1/4 cup
Dry Ingredients
Rolled Oats, 1 cup + some for topping
Almond Flour, 2 cups
AP Flour, 1/2 cup
Baking Powder, 2 tsp
Baking Soda, 1 tsp
Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Add in green cardamom and ginger powder for additional warmth and flavor
Salt, 1/2 tsp
Optional Garnishes
Chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts
Pepitas
Chocolate Shavings
Instructions
Mix wet ingredients.
Use a spatula or whisk to combine the brown sugar and eggs. Once creamy and the sugar dissolves, and in the remaining ingredients and mix. Sert aside.
Add in dry ingredients.
In another mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Little by little, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined to form a thick batter. Let batter rest for about 5 minutes before baking.
*Optionally, you can skip step 1 and just add all ingredients to a bowl at once and mix together until combined.
Prep and Bake.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prep your muffin pan with liners. Scoop in enough batter so the cup is about three-fourths full. Sprinkle rolled oats on top. Once the oven is at 400 degrees, bake for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are lightly golden on top.
Let cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
I used Just Pom (Date & Pomegranate) Syrup, but you can substitute with honey or maple syrup. I personally like the tanginess that comes from this flavor.
Because the pumpkin puree makes this batter slightly wetter and softer, it’s best to let the muffins completely cool before enjoying. They can break apart easily if they don’t fully cool.
January 3, 2023January 10, 2023 3min readBy Subrina Singh
Curried Chicken with Roti Parata or Roti, popular Middle Eastern/Indian cuisine
It is officially that time of year—the holiday season. There’s nothing like Christmas and New Year’s in the West Indies. Between the pepperpot in Guyana and the palm trees decorated in lights in Trinidad, the home food, warm weather and laid-back ambiance makes us wish we could escape the cold and head back to the Caribbean. Most of us, however, cannot “take holiday” and find ourselves hungry for fresh dhal puri and doubles. But, thanks to these Indo-Caribbean food bloggers, we can bring the motherland to our kitchens.
From Diwali mithai specialties to curry chicken, Matthew is creating a name for himself as a young Guyanese food blogger. He makes a great effort to incorporate Hindu holidays and traditions on his Instagram account, in conjunction with the customary foods and sweets associated with these religious events. However, his expertise does not end there, with new and alternative recipes for classic dishes such as curry chicken and bhara, Matthew takes center stage sharing both traditional Guyanese dishes as well as specific religious dishes made for festivals. His most popular YouTube video, with 1.4 million views, features his grandmother and focuses on the best tips to make the softest Guyanese paratha roti. In addition, his YouTube account is home to many videos offering guidance to Indo Caribbean cooking. Find recipes at @mattews.guyanese.cooking
Natasha Laggan of Trini Cooking with Natasha is wildly popular throughout the Caribbean and the U.S. With humble beginnings, Natasha credits her love of food to her family’s business. She speaks of the nostalgia home food provides her as she reminisces memories of her grandmother’s cooking and helping her mother make sandwiches early in the morning. Featured by Forbes, Natasha grew her Facebook following quickly throughout the pandemic by posting old YouTube videos. Today, she has more than 1 million followers on Facebook and over 200K followers on YouTube. She uses her passion for cooking and Trinidadian culture to bring easy-to-follow recipes to viewers. Her following has now reached the West Indian diaspora globally as she has also become a brand ambassador to two well-known food companies. Follow the food expert @trinicookingwithnatasha.
With over 100K followers on YouTube, Ria is quite the expert when it comes to making roti. Her dhal puri, sada roti and paratha roti tutorials have over 1M views! However, her expertise does not stop there. Of the 180 YouTube tutorials, her recipes vary from curry to other Trinidadian favorites like macaroni pie and pigtail soup. Just scrolling through her YouTube page makes your mouth water. From doubles to classic Trinidad bakes like pound cake and sweet bread, she provides precision and anecdotal commentary while guiding you through the familiarity of home food. Check out Ria’s page at @cookingwithria.
Known as Chef Devan, Devan Rajkumar embraces his Guyanese Canadian heritage by creating recipes combining flavors of both the East and West Indies. His love of food has allowed him to expand his role to judge in a popular Canadian cooking show: Food Network Canada’s Fire Masters. His cooking often blends the flavors of multiple cultures but also creates the classic recipes of his motherland. With a multitude of interests, Chef Dev uses his social media platform to connect with followers by sharing various aspects of his life that go beyond cooking. His most recent YouTube video provides a trailer for an upcoming video “Tastes Guyana” which shows him exploring Guyana from the inside, specifically deep parts of the inner country. To learn more about Chef Devan follow @chefdevan.
Reshmi is the chef behind the growing blog, Taste of Trinbago. A Trinidadian native who now resides in Texas, she uses her love of food and Trinidadian culture to share hacks, tips and easy recipes with West Indians throughout the globe. She finds a way to simplify traditional West Indian meals, that we once watched our elders make with curiosity. From holiday specialties like black cake to Diwali delicacies, Reshmi has brought vegetarian and non-veg recipes to followers in an extremely accessible way. She even posts recipe cards on her IG highlights for followers who may need written instructions. Her IG profile is a mix of various West Indian foods while also sharing bits of her life and even her secrets to baby food. Follow her @tasteoftrinbago.
These are just five Indo Caribbean food bloggers sharing their secrets to easy cooking. The once very daunting recipes and food instructions our parents gave have been simplified by most of these bloggers through video, voice over and modernized recipes. We no longer have to estimate a “dash, pinch or tuk” of any masala. We are just days away from Christmas and this is the perfect time to find the best-suited recipe to make that paratha for Santa.
