O's lunch box - Chutney Sandwich roll-ups

We are off to India for a few weeks so this may or may not be my last post until we come back.  We're so excited as is kiddo - he's been looking at pictures from India and getting super fascinated. So far, his conclusion has been that we're either going to live with farm animals and not Zoo animals (I don't see any tigers on the road mommy) or that all we'll do is put colors on each others' faces (Holi) 

O's lunch box for this week: Chutney Sandwich roll-ups (Coriander chutney w/ lettuce, cucumbers & shredded carrots) with side of sweet potato fries and his usual nuts & fruits (not pictured)


Chole!!

Hubby and kiddo both love Chole (Chick peas curry) with Bhature.  Hubby & I unfortunately can't afford to eat the goodness of Bhature (getting old) so we instead devour it Parathas.  

This according to hubby was the best Chole I'd made so far - He makes damn good Chole Bhature as well but this time, I had to take a shot at it in his absence.  



Friday musings - Hubby edition

Today's edition of Friday musings is dedicated to my hubby - He's been the best guide, friend, teacher, sometimes even a parental figure, a shoulder to cry on, and whatever else an individual can be.  He's put up with a lot and that too with a huge grin on his face and I cannot thank him enough for teaching me a lot of things in life and sticking with me through it all.

All of these 'lessons' below I've learned from him - word from the wise I must say!! 






O's lunch box - Pasta

A couple of people asked me to share what I pack for O's lunchbox so thought It was a great idea to share - Hopefully, this will help me get even more creative for blog's sake ;)

I usually like to provide a bit of everything for the kiddo - I usually pack veggies, fruit, some dry fruit and a main meal.

For lunch, He had cucumbers w/ apples, strawberries & blueberries  with some walnuts & almonds and Whole grain Pasta with (carrots, kale and tofu) in Marinara sauce.





Tuesday Tip - ACV

I've decided to try out this new idea for blogging - I'd like to share and exchange tips and ideas that can help us in daily life

Our little family is very environmentally conscious or at least we try to be.  We use energy-efficient lighting throughout the house.  When we replaced our appliances, we ensured we purchased energy-efficient appliances, we recycle and we buy organic, locally grown produce for the most part and needless to say, we're Vegetarians.

Slowly but surely, I've also started switching things in the house to incorporate 'living green' philosophy as well - I'm a regular visitor of Mind Body Green for inspiration, ideas, etc...There are so many chemicals that we put in our body on daily basis that it's unreal.  I'd be oK with it still, but am NOT ok with having my chid exposed to it and will try to prevent it as much as I can, as often as I can.

Which brings me to my tip - using ACV aka. Apple Cider Vinegar.  For the record, while I was aware of benefits of using white distilled vinegar, I was completely unaware of the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar until my dad introduced me to it.

Apple Cider Vinegar (specifically raw, unpasturized and 'with the mother') is unbelievably beneficial in our day to day life.  There are million plus one uses for ACV and below listed are just a few courtesy http://www.mindbodygreen.com/- upon googling, I came up with a ton of information related to ACV.


1. Apple cider vinegar can be used as a rinse for your hair after shampooing, and will aid in increased body and shine. I recommend recycling an old shampoo bottle, then filling it with 1/2 a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a cup of cold water. Pour the solution through your hair after shampooing several times a week for dramatic results. 

2. Natural apple cider vinegar regulates the pH of your skin. Dilute apple cider vinegar with two parts water, and spread the concoction over your face with a cotton ball to replace your current toner. You can do this at night after washing, and in the morning before you apply your moisturizer. A dab of apple cider vinegar can also be left on the skin overnight to fade age spots or acne scars.

3. It is also a recommended agent for warts. For warts, soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar, then fasten the cotton ball over the wart with a Band-Aid overnight. The skin may swell some as it reacts with the solution. However, the wart will fall off. Once it falls off, the treatment should be continued for a few more days, to make sure the wart doesn't return. 

4. Add a cup of apple cider vinegar to your bath, and soak for 10 minutes to eliminate discomfort from sunburn.

5. Apple Cider vinegar can be used as a natural aftershave. Fill a bottle with equal parts apple cider vinegar and water, and shake before applying to the face. 

6. Rubbing apple cider vinegar on your hands and feet will give massage-like benefits and relief to tired hands and feet. 

7. Apple cider vinegar can aid in weight loss. For daily weight management, add 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to 16 ounces of water. This concoction can be sipped throughout the day. Data shows some limited, yet significant, weight loss benefits from sustained daily intake of acetic acid (which is a main ingredient in apple cider vinegar).

8.  In a 2009 study published in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, it was found that subjects that consumed acetic acid for 12 weeks experienced significant declines in body weight, abdominal fat, waist circumference and triglycerides. Triglycerides contribute to the bad cholesterol that we want to avoid.

9. Apple cider Vinegar will balance your entire inner body system. The body constantly strives to achieve a state of equilibrium. Apple cider vinegar helps the body maintain a healthy alkaline pH level. Research shows that higher acid levels (lower pH level) leads to a lack of energy and higher incidences of infection. Hence, my desire to sip some a few times a day for a natural boost of energy. 

10. As part of balancing the body's pH, apple cider vinegar creates an overall detoxification of the body. Research shows that it can help stimulate cardiovascular circulation and help detoxify the liver. 

11. This miracle vinegar helps to break up mucous throughout the body and cleanse the lymph nodes. Believe it or not, research suggests that apple cider vinegar can help with allergies because of its ability to reduce mucous and sinus congestion. When reducing the effects of allergies, it can also help stave off sinus infections and their related symptoms (sore throats and headaches).

12. This vinegar is rich in natural enzymes that can help rid your body of candida -- yeasts that are attributed to thrush in humans. Candida also is blamed for creating symptoms of fatigue, poor memory, sugar cravings, and yeast infections.

13. Though it might seem like an oxymoron to treat stomach acid with an acid-containing vinegar, there is research suggesting that apple cider vinegar works by correcting low acid, hence reducing heartburn. Natural remedy experts say you should begin to feel relief very shortly after taking a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar followed by a glass of water. Note that apple cider vinegar will not give relief if you have an ulcer.  

14. The use of apple cider vinegar is effective in repelling fleas on your pets. One part vinegar and one part water can be sprayed on your pets fur and rubbed in generously to the skin. Saturate the entire coat, and continue every day for a few days to a week. Any flea infestation will surely be gone. 

15. Apple cider vinegar will clean your toilets and have your bathroom smelling like apples! Just pour apple cider vinegar into the toilet, and allow it to sit overnight. It can also be used in dishwashers as a substitute for dish detergent. Mix 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup water, and you can use this solution to clean microwaves, kitchen surfaces, windows, glasses and mirrors, too.  
As you can see, apple cider vinegar is a miracle product that cab be used in a multitude of ways. I highly recommend its use!

Our lunch - Salad & well, Naked Salad..

Today being MLK day,  kiddo and I are both home and chilling..literally as it's super cold and snowing out. O woke up late had a hearty breakfast of Raab.  We therefore, decided to have a nice & light lunch at home not too long ago.

I helped myself to a light, easy, delicious and beautiful salad of greens, strawberries & blueberries with a sprinkle of homemade dressing (ACV, honey, s&p)



Kiddo helped me make a healthy and beautiful lunch for him - he was craving it since we had made it for the hubby's lunchbox - a Qdoba style 'Naked salad' so to speak.  We chopped up 1/2 avocado, tomato, couple tbsp of black beans, heaping serving of cheese (he loves cheese), taco seasoning, s&p - we also crushed the chips in the salad itself.  It was a super yummy salad with just the right crunch :)

O's meal - Green beans

I haven't posted a meal that's been served to O in a while - when in reality, that was one of my purpose to start blogging again.

Few days ago, I served O his favorite - Green beans!! He loves to munch on green beans when steamed; this time however, I made a subji of green beans sprinkled with coconut flakes, served with a Roti and a side of cucumbers & apples (not pictured).


Tortilla Roll-ups

Around Christmas time, we were invited to someones holiday party and decided to bring these as an appetizer.  We made several different types of Roll-ups using various ingredients.

Tortilla roll-ups are so much fun because one can make them using absolutely any ingredients of their choice and if there are kids around, they would certainly enjoy helping the adults out :)


First attempt at Pie..

A friend of mine had posted a recipe of Apple Pie on her blog The Rich Vegetarian a while back and I had tried it out around Christmas - The recipe is absolutely healthy and delicious - the only thing I did different was used a homemade pie crust which she did not.  




Quick side dish - Crunchy cabbage

This here a side dish often used with meals - a lightly sautéed' cabbage with green bell peppers and carrots - used s&p and turmeric powder for spices.  


Happy Uttrayan


Happy Uttrayan everyone! January 14th is referred to a the new, good, healthy and wealthy beginnings. 



Meal in pictures - Homemade Indo-chinese

The other night, we made a meal of 'Indo-chinese' cuisine at home - It pretty much means that we had Chinese food with an Indian twist (a bit of spice kick)  

Fried dumplings with Honey-Cilantro dipping sauce

 Hakka Noodles

Veggie Fried Rice

vegetarianism

What is vegetarianism? There are gazillions of opinions about vegetarianism and everyone has their own perspective and comfort zone as far as what to eat and what not to eat is concerned.

I'm a huge animal lover and while I did eat everything in the past, don't see myself making the same mistake again - I would certainly look at it from a perspective of being a mother.  It would break my heart in a million pieces to even think about the possibility of my baby being snatched away from me; so just because an animal doesn't talk, does not necessarily mean they don't feel the same emotions.

I had 'discussion' with someone in regards to what one considers Vegetarianism and while I had my point of view, so did the other individual.  According to them, if eating animals is considered wrong, so should eating plants be because technically speaking they're living, breathing things.

I've come a long way in life and while it's important for me to communicate my point of view to someone, I also take it in stride and ensure that I look at the other person's point of view.  What he mentioned definitely intrigued me and I ended up researching on the topic - Am I really doing something wrong by eating plants??

I read up tons and tons of information overnight and was happily relieved to read that I in fact was right! while technically, plants are 'living' and 'breathing' things, they are still that - THINGS since they don't have a central nervous system built in like all mammals do!! above all, common sense needs to be used when differentiating and this article perfectly explains it all.

Why it's OK to eat plants but not Animals!

Happy New Year!!!!

Wishing everyone out there a very happy new year and happy, joyous and peaceful beginnings to the year 2013.  May this New Year bring newly found prosperity, love, Peace, happiness and delight in your life, And Your Beloved.

"Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page. Take up one hole more in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances; but on the first of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past." ~ Henry Ward Beecher

I've been enjoying my time with my family and making the most of it :o) Great start to the year for me :)