Nostalgia is a B**** and the easiest Matar Paneer

 There comes a time in everyone's life when they realise  how perfect things were and we didn't value it...

The early morning commutes...

The tête-à-tête over coffee/chai at work,

Our in-person meetings that had sounded unbearably long...

My needing to dress up and wear *some* makeup...

The in-person Zumba Classes,

The hugs from my BFF...

Breathing the fresh air outside sans mask...

I will never again take life for granted....

And that's where nostalgia plays its games.

It's been a year and I am tired of the fear and the mask and the restrictions. Don't get me wrong...I am one of those rule-followers who follows rules to the tee...and yet I am tired and could use something different in my life right now...

Work will start full deluge tomorrow and grocery shopping and meal prepping were the top of mind right now. I had a margherita lying in the fridge that I was wondering whether to toss or drink and broke 2 months of "dry days" to a prickly pear margherita and the buzz was pleasant...yet the mind slowed down to snail pace...I ended up making the easiest Matar Paneer ever...

5 Minute Easy Matar Paneer

What you need?

1. 1/2 bottle Trader Joe's Marinara Sauce
2. Olive Oil
3. Spices : Turmeric, Kasturi Methi, Punjabi Garam Masala
4.  Fresh Thinly Slices Ginger, Jalapeno
5. 1 lb Paneer (cottage cheese, I used the Nanak Brand) - I airfried in parallel with some turmeric and salt in my airfryer about 10 minutes
6. 1/2 lb Peas ( Trader Joe's)
7. Trader Joes Kefir
8. Ketchup, Cinnamon  (optional but makes a difference in taste)
9. Salt to taste
10. Chopped Cilantro to drizzle on later

How to make it?

1. Cube the Paneer, sprinkle with turmeric and salt - spray with Oil and add to Air Fryer and fry at the max temp 400 degrees F for 12 minutes, till golden brown
2. Cut the Ginger and Jalapeno into thin slices...
3. Turn your instant pot to Saute
4. Add olive oil, add turmeric, punjabi garam masala,kasturi methi,  ginger and jalapeno and saute for a couple minutes
5. Add the Marinara Sauce 
6. Add in the air-fried paneer
7. Add about 1/2 cup of water
8. Turn on the pressure on manual 2 minutes, no release
9. Open and now add Salt, Ketchup and Cinnamon to taste
10. Add a little bit of Kefir and taste...it will make it creamy and give it a slight tang...
11. Add the chopped cilantro
12. Enjoy with Parathas/Brown Rice

“Nostalgia is a necessary thing, I believe, and a way for all of us to find peace in that which we have accomplished, or even failed to accomplish...

Be Kind, Don't Rewind

They say everyday is a learning day. So here’s what 2020 has taught me…

I’ve learned that I’m not the type of a person who wakes up early in the AM to do BollyX or Yoga. I am however the type of person who wakes up early in the morning to drink my ginger chai and mindlessly clear the clutter in my inbox (mostly scammers…) and scroll through social media (I am addicted to cute dog videos on  Facebook). Don’t get me wrong I do get my workout in but it’s usually in the evenings dance and yoga and if I get both in together, that’s definitely a win!

I’ve learned that I’m not the type of person who bakes delicious looking sourdough bread. I am, however, the type of person who loves loves a cheesy grilled cheese sandwich made with said sourdough bread…so grateful to the Farmer’s Market for keeping me well-stocked in that department (#go local)

I’ve learned that I’m not the type of a person that goes for a socially distanced run on the Bay trails. I am, however the type of a person who likes a leisurely stroll on the trails with the puppy taking pictures of the beautiful blue heron and the graceful leopard sharks. I am so glad my puppy has small legs and doesn’t move very fast or very far…so we get the chance to just take in the views together.

I’ve learnt that though every day might feel like “groundhog day” - mundane and monotonous BUT, I enjoy the time with family, the peace and quiet without the hustle of commute, constant parties and school activities. I don’t feel this incessant need to be outside constantly busy. I have broken my life into the bits and pieces that make sense for now : Family, Work, Working Out and building my mental resilience (it’s a marathon not a sprint!)

Let’s face it this year hasn’t exactly turned out how any of us hoped or mapped out on our vision boards in 2019. However my biggest learning in 2020 has been two things “focus on what I can control” and “don’t dwell on the months lost to this pandemic”. 

And while we are at it - here is a thing we certainly can control...our diets. So this week I made this amazing vegetable barley soup which nourished us inside out on this cold cold day!

Vegetable Barley Soup

What you need?

• 3/4 cup pearl barley
• 1 tsp  Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 2 carrot peeled and diced
• 2 small celery stalks diced
• 2 handfuls beet greens (or any other greens! I had beet greens from the Farmer's Market)
• salt and pepper
• 4 cups chicken Bone Broth
• Braggs Amino Acid (2-3 tablespoon to taste)
• 4 cups water
• Lemon/Lime Juice
• Cilantro for garnish

How to make it?

• Heat oil in Instant Pot on saute mode. Cook garlic and onion until translucent.
• Add carrot, greens, celery,  and barley. Give it a quick mix.
• Season with  salt, and pepper (and amino acid)
• Finally, add water, broth
• Put the lid and cook the soup on manual high pressure for 18 min. 
• Add Lemon juice

Remember, while you are having this delicious soup -we can do this. We ARE doing this everyday day by day…building community and compassion. It needn’t always be pretty. 

Food Memories & a recipe!

“What keeps me motivated is not the food itself but all the bonds and memories the food represents.”

I went to Trader Joe's yesterday...nowadays grocery shopping is the only time I get in the car and drive out somewhere, so my heart was already skipping a beat...there was no line at my local TJ's (sheer magic!) and the smiling person at the front  door sprayed hand sanitizer on my hands while giving me a clean cart...her eyes literally beaming over her mask (this social distancing is making me fanciful much?)...anyhow after giving her a broad grin which I am sure she missed (hello! mask)...I went into one of my favorite grocery stores. My shopping list was a boring one...till I got to the end of the list and took a detour aka the last three items 😉

• Milk ✅
• Celery ✅
• Carrots ✅
• Grapefruit ✅
•  Kefir  ✅
• Bananas ✅
• Basil Plant (Say What?) ✅
• Chocolate Croissants ✅
• Triple Ginger Cookies ✅

These Triple Ginger Cookies are amazing....I discovered them almost 20 years back and hooked my father on to it...I carried a couple tubs of these cookies for him every time I went back to India...we would have chai and 2 (ok ok 4 !!!) cookies and just chat. I stopped buying these cookies 7 years back after I lost him. I have no idea why but this time at the store...I picked up these ginger cookies and yesterday I had a few of these cookies with a strong cup of ginger chai (you can never have enough ginger !!!) and I remembered my Bapa...good memories, food memories...they made me smile!

My husband is Marathi...so his favorite dish is a  Sheera, having grown up in the south the closest I have come to enjoy Sheera is via Rava Kesari...I lived by the Siddhi Vinayak Temple and every Friday was a Rava Kesari prasadam day - guess who was first in line for the prasadam...yup! you guessed right. So today, I decided to go all out and make Rava Kesari (I have never made Rava Kesari !!!)

RAVA KESARI

Ingredients

• 1/2th   Cup  Truvia Blend or 3/4th cup sugar
• 1 Cup of  Rava or Sooji
• Ghee - 2-3 tablespoons 
• Edible Color Orange
• 2 Cups of Water ( boil in an electric kettle and keep handy!)
• Few Cashews and Raisins (just remembered we called them kismis in India 😍)
• Crushed Cardamom Powder (2-4 pods, discard the skin after crushing)
• Pinch of Bhimsen Kapur (edible camphor) - reminds me of the temple! I buy mine in India from an Ayurvedic store...please skip if you don't have it !!! I see it on Amazon but unsure of whether it's food grade.
• LOTS OF LOVE

How to make?

1. Turn the Instant Pot to Saute
2. Add the ghee 
3. Saute the Cashews and Raisins first, add the cardamom powder and the kapur
4. Add the Rava, Sugar/Truvia and the edible color and fry really well, till the smell of the Rava is toasty (4-5 minutes)
5. Add the boiling water & mix thoroughly
6. Turn the IP to High Pressure 2 minutes, Quick Release
7. When you open it check the consistency, if needed add an additional spoon of ghee  ( I feel like I will skip this step next time but didn't this time and it definitely made my Rava Kesari exactly like the temple prasadam)

For a first time, not to brag - this Rava Kesari was on point. 

Enjoy with your family. Remember to create amazing  food memories with your loved ones!

Healthy Bowls...story of a bean and a rice!

I am seriously getting "cabin fever"... there are the days when the BollyX dancing is reserved for the evening where by late morning I am ready to tear my hair out. Today was one such day...when I realized we were low on some essential staples Coffee, Beans and Daals - it was a much needed lifeline.

I decided to do a grocery run to Whole Foods...and I am so glad I did...I  have never ever been so happy grocery shopping as I was today, there was barely anyone at the stores - I think everyone was resting after the long weekend revelry  - I got the Keurig coffee pods, fresh corn (they had an amazing deal on it!), some chicken kabobs (yup! another amazing Prime Deal) and as I was walking towards the bulk section - I noticed a 25% off Bulk Items (already in containers)...unheard of at Whole Foods.  I ended up buying Garbanzo Beans (Cholle), Black Eyed Peas (Lobia) , Brown Basmati Rice,  Red Lentil (Masoor), Raw Sunflower Seeds and Muesli (all organic and honestly cheaper than what I would have paid for non-organic at my local indian store).  Thus was born my meal plan for today and we have enough Channa Masala to last us one more meal tomorrow (For the win!)

Punjabi Cholle Masala (served with brown rice pulao)

 

What's in it?

• 8 oz of my  Bhuna Masala (what you haven't made this - it's a life-saver!)
• 2 tablespoons Roopak Punjabi Cholle Masala (my sis-in-law keeps me supplied with this - Thanks Anu !!!) - key is use your favorite cholle masala
• 12 Oz Dried Cholle (soaked overnight)
• 12 Oz of Water
• Kasturi Methi, 2 Black tea bags
• Cinnamon Powder+ Ketchup (my mother adds this in all her gravy subzis and I just blindly follow ;-) ) 
• Salt to taste, Grated Ginger, Turmeric Powder

You can make it in one step where you dump everything in and just have your Cholle cook for 30 minutes, I break it into a two part process, only because I have done the dump and cook method and feel like the 2 part process somehow makes the Cholle taste spectacular !!!

How I made it?

• Turn on Saute Mode on your instant pot
• Dump in the soaked Cholle+12 Oz water+ Turmeric Powder+ Grated Ginger
• Cook on Beans adjusted to 25 minutes (which is Manual High 25 I think), QR
• Now add in the Bhuna Masala, the Cholle Masala, Kasturi Methi, Salt to Taste and the 2 black unflavored tea bags to the IP
• Cook on Manual High for 4 mins, NR
• Open and stir in the cinnamon powder and ketchup, taste & savor
• This is the time to garnish with Cilantro and Lemon, I had no Cilantro so I squeezed lemon in my bowl.

Servings

This is about 8 servings of Cholle with 140 calories, 20 grams  carbs, 10 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein

The brown rice pulao was about 6 servings with 120 calories, 20 grams carbs, 4 grams fiber and 4 grams protein (this is pretty basic but I am happy to share the recipe if there is interest 

My son was begging me for pizza for dinner but he tasted a spoon of the rice and the channa and all his complaining went silent and I felt really happy about putting a healthy meal on the table...over and out!

Going with the flow & the story of a Badam Burfi !

"Because I said so, so it must be..."

Life has an interesting way of teaching us lessons. Human beings don't like change, especially when it is imposed on them without  rhyme or reason - take for example this more than two months quarantine due to the Coronavirus. The more we feel like things are not in our control...the more we resist it and create unnecessary stress for ourselves. Wouldn't it just be easier to go with the flow...

Going with the flow leads to us making our mental health a priority. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and here are a few things that have worked for me :

1. Pause...Breathe...Check in with yourself
2. Take Breaks (sometimes take breaks from the overdose of covid 19 information)
3. Make time to sleep and exercise (I teach a free  BollyX Class on Zoom, I have lost 10 lbs in 3 months and more importantly find a lot of joy in dancing and the community we have built!)
4. Reach Out and Stay Connected (whether with my friends on zoom, a phone call or even a text, we have kept in touch...
5. Seek Help - if things get too overwhelming...understand you are not alone and reach out for support.

So while I was introspecting on "beating my Monday Blues", I also was craving a sweet something BUT I didn't really want to spend too much time in the kitchen...thus was born this easy peasy 10 minutes Badam Burfi recipe.

Badam Burfi

Ingredients

• 1  Cup of Truvia Blend
• 2 Cups of Almond Flour
• 1/3 Cup of Water
• 2 tablespoons Ghee 
• Crushed Cardamom Powder (6-7 pods, discard the skin after crushing)

How to make?

1. Turn the Instant Pot to Saute
2. Add the ghee + Truvia Blend+Crushed Cardamom+Water
3. Mix thoroughly
4. Turn the IP to High Pressure 4 minutes, Quick Release
5. Add the Almond Flour to the syrupy mixture in the IP
6. Now mix it to the consistency of atta/flour and roll into a ball
7. Lay out a silicon sheet, cover it with a parchment paper, lay the flour ball 
8. Now put another parchment paper on top and roll out the dough
9. Cut into diamond shape

Enjoy with your family. Remember to take care of both your mind and body!

Healing Cabbage Soup!

Sometimes you have to lose something to gain something better. A door has to shut before a new door can open. 

I will be lying if I tell you that this "new normal" is working out 100%...but what I will tell you is my perspective is slowly shifting towards compassion, catharsis and community thinking from one of panic and a sense of frustration and hopelessness ( remember I live in a county which is severely affected by the Corona Virus!)

I am a lot more focused on health - Can you believe it I finally stopped worrying about learning choreos and actually took the plunge last week and took my first BollyX class virtually last week and the feeling of community in that virtual space was awesome - I was helping people connect with each other and with their fitness goals. I took a plank challenge with my son and I showed him who was the #Queen 😆...I have taken countless walks with my puppy, baked brownies, bonded with my family...my mother in law is here and it's been wonderful pulling her on this healthy journey with me --- in fact she has lost 4 lbs in 2 weeks and is dancing BollyX now.

This week and for the past couple others I have been making my " Healing Cabbage Soup" ....why healing because Cabbage is such a sidelined vegetable which is so good for our bodies. It is in the same family as Kale and Cauliflower but a way milder one when you cook with it...and at Trader Joe's for some reason had cabbage heads for $1/head (and guess what I picked up 3...no one else seemed to want them...)

Healing Cabbage Soup

What you need?

• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp Avocado Oil ( you can use whatever oil you have on hand or even ghee)
• 2 tablespoons or more Braggs Liquid Amino
• 2 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar (no idea why I added it but it sure made the soup taste awesome and hello! its good for us 😆)
• 2 Cartons Vegetable Broth or even water - I like the broth just because I have quite a few in my pantry that need to get used.
• 1 cup soaked Dhuli Moong Daal (the kind without the skin) - I soaked it in boiling hot water from the kettle for 1/2 hour 
• Chopped Vegetables -  1 head of Cabbage finely chopped, 1 bunch of organic celery from my farmer's market (yup! they are open, yup! people are too scared to go even though there is social distancing and yes they will probably go bankrupt if this continues and lose their livelihood...), 4 Organic Carrots, 1 bunch Organic Mint, 1 Chopped Red Onion, Minced Garlic
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste

How to make?

1. Turn the IP to Saute and add the oil/fat
2. Add the turmeric powder  and black pepper when the oil is sufficiently hot
3. Now add the minced garlic, celery and onion - saute till lightly browned
4. Add the rest of the vegetables and herbs, Saute for 2-3 minutes
5. Add the Broth and the liquid aminos and ACV
6. Now add the soaked moong dal
7. Set on  High Pressure for 8 minutes, No Release...yes! I know that seems like a lot but trust me on this one!
8. When it's all done use an immersion blender and puree the soup
9. Add Salt and Pepper to taste

I garnished it with some fresh garlic bread  and herbs from the Farmer's Market. It was such a soul-satisfying meal.

How are you spending your days? What are you doing to stay fit? I feel like how we shape our activities over the next month will shape a lot of how we build our mental and physical resilience to fight against depression, loneliness, burn-out, weight creep etc...we are in this together...hang in there and we will fight this virus together!

Daily Routine & The 6 C Immunity Building Khichidi!

"We are what we repeatedly do and Eat. Health and Habits are not an afterthought but a result of our actions"

I started off over a decade ago a tired, overweight woman in her mid-thirties who  did have one thing going for her - she was incredibly flexible...she did regular yoga but also was overweight and lacked stamina and was constantly tired and angry. Every time I  went in to do yoga with my favorite yoga teacher Keith...I would see this gaggle of chirpy women walk into a Zumba class afterwards and always wondered why not me...then 2 years into watching these women have fun, I decided to stay back for the Zumba Class and my life has changed since then...I went from a Size 14 to a Size 4. Don't get me wrong, I still have my Yoga practice ongoing but have added in dance, mindfulness and healthy eating to the mix and it has made all the difference in my life.

Why do I share this today - especially when we have "shelter in place" instituted in my county and there is widespread panic...we are trying to keep it together at home with a meal plan and a daily schedule...keep our good habits going ( exercise, eat healthy, practice gratitude and mindfulness) and trying to slowly shave off the bad ones...

Here are some of the things my family and I are practicing to get through this 3 week in-shelter mandate :

1. Clean our counters thoroughly after every meal, moment we get up and when we go to sleep
2. Wash our hands thoroughly with warm water and soap ( hand sanitizers are a bit scarce around our house, so we are making do with hand soap and applying aloe vera gel afterwards)
3. Keep our distance (from people not cohabiting with us) 
4. We don't leave the house unless we absolutely have to (walks, hikes in the solo or with the dog don't count...but obviously if you live in a super crowded area be cautious about that one)
5. We have taken out board games, I have ear marked books I want to read, shows I want to binge watch ( Homeland, Just Add Magic (with my son), Murder She Baked...)
6. My mother in law (who is visiting from India) and I are cooking healthy, nutritious food with the food we have on hand.

I usually have a lot of grains in my pantry { think Quinoa, Barley, Farro, Steel-Cut Oats, Brown Rice, Lentils and Beans ( I counted 12 different kinds) and we went to the Farmer's market and picked up a lot of greens  (  radish, mint, bell peppers, red onions, broccoli, celery, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chili (wow...lots of stuff with C's) }. This was the inspiration for dinner (and a couple lunches this week)...anyone who knows me knows of my love for KHICHIDI...so here goes.

The 6 C- Immunity Building Khichidi

What you need

1. 1/2 Cup Quinoa + 1/2 Cup Bulgur Wheat ( use Brown Rice or any other grain you have at home that you want to use up!) (washed in cold water and soaked with  green moong dal (with the skin) 1/2 hr in hot water I boiled in my electric kettle)
2. 1 cup   Green Moong (with skin)
3. Chopped Vegetables : Celery, Cauliflower, Carrots, Cilantro, Chili, Cabbage
4. 3 cups water 
5. 2 tsp Ghee
6. 1 small knob of ginger, 1 medium chopped tomatoes
7. Liquid Aminos (for seasoning), Avocado Oil (or any other oil), cumin seeds, Hing (asafoetida), turmeric powder, black pepper powder, roasted cumin powder
8. 1 whole lemon and salt to taste

To Cook 

1. Turn on your Instant Pot to Saute. Add your ghee....add hing, cumin seeds and the roughly chopped ginger and chopped tomatoes. Add turmeric and black pepper powder.
2. Add the chopped vegetables
3. Add all the pre-soaked grains and lentils to the instant pot and give it a stir for a minute. 
4. Add Vegetable Broth/ Water (I added water)
5. Add the Liquid Aminos/Salt and any other dry spices you add to your khichidi. I usually add roasted jeera powder which gives it a smokiness.
6. Put the IP on 6 minutes, High Pressure
7. When done open, Natural Release - taste for salt. 
8. Now add fresh lemon juice and chopped cilantro. 

Enjoy with a cup of Kefir...now on to my binge watching Homeland and then practicing a few BollyX choreos on demand 😊😊