This is an old fashioned apple preserve which works well on toast or pancakes or in pies.

Things you will need:

(yields 500 grams worth)

• Apples- 3 large (peeled, core removed and cut into small pieces)
• Cinnamon- 2 inch stick powdered or 1.5 teaspoon
• Sugar- 1.5 cups
• Juice of 1 lime

How to go about it:

1. In a dry, large, deep and heavy bottomed pot, place the cut apples and add the sugar. Mix well. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
2. Place the pot on a medium heat and keep stirring while you wait for the sugar to melt.
3. Once the sugar begins to melt, add the cinnamon and lime juice and keep mixing it all well. The apples will now begin to release water.
4. Keep stirring the contents for another 25-30 minutes or until the apple pieces soften up. Break down the larger pieces with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon.
5. Aim to get the preserve to a nice jam like consistency with little chunks of well cooked apples here and there. Don’t allow it to get completely smooth.
6. Cool down completely before storing away in dry, glass jars. Keeps well for 3 weeks in the fridge.

This recipe brings back a whole load of memories for me. Memories form the days I have spent with my family in Munnar. The first time I tasted strawberries preserved in sugar and lime was in Munnar and I have always wanted to recreate the same taste in my kitchen. I got a lovely batch of strawberries a couple of days back and I had to do just that. So, here goes.

Things you will need:

• Strawberries- about 20-25, the green bits cut and hulled. Halve the bigger ones (I used a regular box full)
• Juice of one lime
• Sugar- 3 cups

How to go about it:

• Mix the cleaned and cut strawberries with sugar in a large bowl and let it rest for half an hour.
• Place a large pot or saucepan on the stove (on medium heat) and add the strawberry and sugar mixture. Keep stirring it all around till the sugar begins to melt.
• Add the lime juice at this point and mix well. The strawberries will start releasing water . Keep stirring the contents for another 25-30 minutes, breaking the larger strawberry bits down with the back of the spoon, until the strawberries are nice and mushy and the the water content begins to reduce. You must aim at a nice, thick, syrup like consistency. Make sure you don’t go all the way till the mixture resembles jam because you must bear in mind that the mixture will thicken up further once cool.
• Once you reach a thick syrupy consistency, allow the preserve to cool down before transferring it into clean and dry glass bottles. Pop it into fridge. Keeps well for a month in the fridge. Or you can freeze it if you’d like the preserve to last longer.

Not going to waste your time with my storytelling. If you like the stories, check me out on Instagram @mydigitalverandah 😛 Let’s get down to business.

Things you will need:
(For about 12-14 half cup servings)
Whole grain, old fashioned oats- 4 cups
Nuts (I used cashews for this batch but feel free to mix it all up with pecans, almonds, walnuts, whatever catches your fancy)- 1 cup
Sea salt flakes- 1 tsp (switch with regular salt but make it 1/2 tsp)
Honey- 1/2 cup
Extra virgin olive oil- 1/2 cup
Dried fruits- 3/4 cup (I used raisins and dried apricots for this batch but feel free to use whatever you prefer)
Cinnamon powder- 1 tsp

How to go about it:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 C/ 350 F. Line a half sheet pan with baking paper and keep aside.
2. In a large bowl, add the oats, the salt, the nuts and cinnamon powder and mix well. The salt is what brings out the beauty of the granola. Keep the dried fruits aside.
3. Now add the olive oil and honey and mix well to make sure everything is coated nice and well.
4. Empty contents into the tray and bake for 20-22 minutes. Make sure you take it out half way to give it a quick stir.
5. When done, the granola will be a nice golden brown but may not look completely crispy but it gets firmer as it cools down. Once out of the oven, leave it to cool down completely at least for an hour without stirring it all up. Once cool, top with the dried fruits, break up the granola with your hands and store away in air tight containers.
6. Stays put for a good 2-3 weeks and can be had for breakfast with milk or vegan milk options or yogurt or just as it is.