Yes, my recipe for these energy balls is my 200th recipe!! Surprising isn’t it? My family went ‘It’s time to publish a cookbook!’ I have been trying to publish one but somehow something comes up and it never gets underway. The cost of publishing any book is quite high and me being so busy with my docent training now, I don’t have time to even doll up myself of when I go out like I used to in the past!

These no bake energy balls are Super easy to roll up and were made for those with a gluten-free diet and for those who need a quick energy pick me up. They are made with natural ingredients and with no added sugar or hidden sugars. My Husband has started on this gluten free diet in an attempt to lose weight. He has successfully lost 7 kgs in the last 6 months! He is quite a lean machine now. :))

These balls can be kept for a week, if refrigerated.

Ingredients ( makes 20 small balls)
1cup instant oats
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
6-8 prunes chopped small
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tbsps Chia seeds
2tbsps coconut oil
​
1/2 cup honey ( if you want slightly sweeter energy balls)
Some desiccated coconut ( optional)

Method
​1) Put every ingredient except the desiccated coconut in a mixing bowl.

2) Mix everything up.

3) Place them in the refrigerator for 30 mins and then roll them up into balls.

4) You can decorate them with a little desiccated coconut or eat them just like that.

Black eyed peas like any other beans or pulses are packed with protein. I had not made a curry using these black eyed peas for quite some time. I had just bought a packet at a neighbourhood fresh food market yesterday morning with plans to cook it one of these days and by chance I was able to have these peas for lunch at my fellow docent trainee and friend's house. Urvashi is from Washington DC but she should be a mascot for Singapore. She loves the different cultures, the amazing weather, the wide variety of food and the ease of getting around so easily in Singapore because of our excellent public transport system. No wonder she plans to get her own place soon.

Upon entering her museum like apartment on the 17th floor of her condominium in the east of Singapore, the jaw dropping fabulous view of the sea blew me away! 

She served us pink lemonade and vegetable pakoras in skewers dipped in mint coriander chutney. Then, it was followed by a scrumptious lunch all home made. Dry spiced cauliflowers, Cottage cheese curry, black eyed peas curry and a unique lemongrass eggplant dish. She had also prepared butter chicken for the non vegetarians.  We finished our lunch with cold strawberries dipped in melted chocolate and a rose flavored ice cream garnished with betel leaf strips and dried rose petals. Such ingenious ideas for dessert! I should have taken photos. Then, you'll know what I mean. 

​Urvashi was kind enough to share her recipes. I decided to post the recipe of the  black eyed peas curry here because it was quite simple and so straightforward. 

Ingredients (for 4) 
​1 cup of dried black eyed peas soaked overnight.
​2 tbsp canola oil
​for tempering the oil - 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamoms and 1 bay leaf
1 large onion, chopped small
​1 tsp ginger garlic paste
​1/2 green chilli, sliced
1 tsp garam masala
​1 tsp curry powder ( Everest or Kitchen King brand)
​1/2 cup tomato paste
​some coriander leaves, chopped

Method
​1) Wash and boil the black eyed peas with some salt for 5 minutes in pressure cooker. Otherwise, you can boil in a small pot but it might take longer. Drain and set aside.
2)  Pour 2 tbsp canola oil in a medium saucepan, then temper the dry spices. Remove these spices and discard. Keep the oil.
​3) In the same pot, fry the chopped onion, ginger garlic paste and sliced green chilli. 
​4) Upon turning translucent, not brown, add in the spice powders and fry till oil separates.
​5) Then add the tomato paste and fry further. After 5 minutes , switch off the flame and then add a tbsp of this delicious curry paste into the cooked black eyed peas. Add some water and then check for salt.