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Posts Tagged ‘food’

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Nothing can stop you!

In Field Notes on 21 June 2014 at 1:30 am

Dancer, Writer, Yogi and Mama, Mirabelle D’Cruz from Mumbai shares the secrets of her backpack, her sling, and getting back to “plurk” with baby in tow.

They tell you that once you have a decent job and get married, you will be “settled.”  Then they tell you you will only be really settled once you have kids. I was always critical of the settled business, though I can see value in the concern of those who talk about it. Even if you have a child, like my husband and I, when you truly feel ready, have been a party-holic, travel –holic and how can I forget work-a-holic and know you’ll have no regrets because you lived your life fully and don’t feel an ambitious desire for position, lifestyle or keeping up with the Joneses, the roller-coaster will only start after the LO arrives. This is not a complaint or judgment on parenting,  its an observation on learning, growing and most of all on integrating.

I’m sharing a little of my journey, as one of the possibilities to parenting, hoping it may provoke, inspire, help or just provide an interesting read.

Mirabelle

Mirabelle leads an energizing session on West African Dance

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Sankranti Zindabad!

In Field Notes on 15 January 2014 at 8:05 pm

And perhaps in the celebration of Sankranti itself are ways for us to be the change …

Aravinda's avatarSignals in the Fog

We celebrated Sankranti yesterday.  We drew muggulu (rangolis) and topped them with gobbemmalu (decorated gobar balls).  We danced and sang traditional songs, including “Gobbiyello!” that details, verse by verse, every stage of the growth of a seed from the moment it sprouts, bears fruit to fruit till it ripens and we finish off by eating the fruit –  a జామకాయ (guava), as the song goes.  Each stage of growth is a cause for celebration and comment:

అవునాట అక్కలార?
 “Oh, really?  Is it so, sister?”

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Party Treats

In Recipes, What on 15 January 2014 at 2:30 pm

I’d have called this post “Healthy Party Treats” but in present company that goes without saying, doesn’t it?  When I was little, people used the word “healthy” pronounced hell-thee as a synonym for “fat.”  I would say “euphemism” except that it was actually kind of a compliment.  Pleasantly plump, with pleasantly understood.  Ah how times change.

Tender Coconut - fun for all ages

Tender Coconut – fun for all ages

What makes a food a party food …?  Is it merely something you don’t eat every day, eaten in the company of people you don’t meet every day?  Which if you think about it, means almost anything counts!  A plate of carrot sticks will disappear in no time amidst a lively crowd and yet who would think of carrots as party food? Read the rest of this entry »

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Pizza – Vegetarian and Vegan

In Recipes on 29 December 2013 at 4:11 am
Baked Pizza

Home-Baked Pizza

Recently I overheard a mother talk about having her children have one turn a week to plan the meals, as long as they were healthy.  As an example of what would not do, she stated,”It can’t be pizza!” Pizza is however, one of the healthiest dinners I know.    Using whole wheat dough to make the crust, and plenty of vegetables for the topping, I don’t see where you can go wrong! Read the rest of this entry »

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Vegan Delights

In Recipes on 29 December 2013 at 4:00 am

Ever since Sejal posted her recipe for Coconut-fig ice-cream, there has been a flurry of interest in vegan food.  With the new year coming, one of the resolutions some of us toy with is to try to reduce our dependence on animal products, or eliminate them from our diet altogether.  Cause we’re cool like that.

Whether for health, ethical or environmental reasons, or just to spruce up our foodie stripes, most of us could diversify our diets by bringing in some vegan items onto our menus.   Here are some fun ones to get the ball rolling.

Banana Delight
Colourful fruit sticks
Slice of vegan pizza

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Rainbow Fruit Sticks – Almost

In Recipes on 29 December 2013 at 3:56 am

Look up “rainbow fruit sticks” and you will find hundreds of photos of neatly arranged sticks of fruit impaled upon long toothpicks in exactly rainbow coloured order, perhaps even arranged in a nice semicircle, representing the rainbow.

Certainly that is what I intended when I planned to serve rainbow colored fruit sticks at my daughter’s birthday party.  I got a watermelon, papaya, pineapple, and grapes –  green and purple.  The purple would have to do for blue, indigo and violet.   Read the rest of this entry »

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How to boost immunity

In How on 30 October 2013 at 10:25 pm

Our son is falling sick often. Last week he had another virus attack and this time it was foot, hand and mouth disease. He is doing a lot better now. But has lost some weight.  We feel it is certainly to do with his immunity, that he is falling sick so often.  How can we boost his immunity?

Parents of a 1 year old near Baltimore

Immunity depends on individual as well as community factors.  The example of Roseto* suggests that in a close-knit community, one is less prone to illness.  Although most discussions of health and immunity focus on tangibles, such as food, exercise, sleep, hygiene, environment and safety, intangibles play as much a role or more in keeping our immune system strong.   Read the rest of this entry »

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Coconut-fig ice-cream

In Recipes on 19 September 2013 at 3:59 pm
coconut fig ice cream

coconut fig ice cream

Ever imagine that ice cream could be good for you? In your dreams? … well your dreams are about to come true. Sejal Amma from Bangalore sends a recipe for a vegan delight that is raw and sugar-free as well!

Raw, sugar-free coconut-fig ice-cream

Ever heard of an ice cream that contains no harmful ingredients such as dairy products, added sugar & preservatives, emulsifiers or other artificial additives, and yet is sweet, creamy & super simple to make? Read the rest of this entry »


Breakfast!

In Recipes on 19 September 2013 at 2:06 pm

We are all about breakfast!    Lunch often has to be pack-able and dinner  comes with its own expectations, but breakfast allows for great variety, not to mention decoration.

Next question … what’s for breakfast?  Below is a visual menu of simple, delicious breakfast options – click on a picture for details.  Guess what, they are all vegan as well.

Blend tofu, basil, mint, roasted red chilli, almonds (pine nuts or any other nuts), olive oil , salt. Spread over toasted bread and slice tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes). Coutesy Chetana, Bangalore.
Steel cut oats, soaked and cooked. Topped with almond and date and surrounded with sliced apple.
Under those sliced bananas is a slice of toast with peanut butter. We’ve surrounded this with sliced peaches. Peanut-butter-peach-banana. Who needs J when you can have PB&PB?
Slice ripe mangos and place on toasted bread.
Savoury Oatmeal with vegetables
Bread quarters with hummous and sliced tomato
Idli made of rice and urad
Mix 1 part sprouted ragi flour and 2 parts water, bring to a boil while stirring continuously. Video
We started with 18 cups of oats and now have 27 cups of granola!

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Simple Snacks 2

In Recipes on 9 August 2013 at 6:39 pm

After the runaway popularity of simple snacks, here is a second set of simple snacks.   The first set of snacks used raw ingredients.

The snacks pictured below involve some cooking or include ingredients that aren’t raw, such as puffed rice (in the bhel) or bread (in the mango toast).   You can adjust the proportions to your taste.   For those who want more guidance, I have posted recipes for some of these such as Ragi and Hummous.

Slice ripe mangos and place on toasted bread.
Mix up grated carrots, chopped onions, corriander, roasted peanuts, lot of lime juice with puffed rice. Chetana K, Bangalore.
Mix 1 part sprouted ragi flour and 2 parts water, bring to a boil while stirring continuously. Video
Boil kabuli chana (garbanzo beans). Sprinkle salt to taste and serve. Good with a dash of lemon juice too!
Blend boiled chickpeas, garlic, salt, lemon juice and olive oil.