Tentative Parenting : Building Resilience

"Success is not final, Failure is not fatal : it is the courage to continue that counts"

               K2 with his Robotics team, they qualified for State already 💪

K2 has been driving himself hard - from full days at theater where he played the lead (we finished the season to rapturous applauses and a massively sold out show...so to say I am proud is an understatement!), to basketball, violin, robotics and national geographic tournaments...I keep reminding him to pace himself yet I see him on the go at all times at school and activities...and then he comes home and it's zombie time. So a lot of our arguments and discussions have been around - it's ok to scale down...I would much rather you be happy and healthy with just the right degree of extra-curricular activities (doing your chores at home  like walking the puppy) vs. pushing yourself (yeah...not a tiger mom me)...the reality is I would rather he take the time to smell the roses, take a walk out in the bay and just live life a little bit fuller...bottom line is once you start working, get married, have kids and have some sort of a career...life automatically becomes full.

Yet, K2 seems happy with his rather full schedule and with my rather full schedule these past two months I am too scared that he will soon say - Ma, it's like the pot calling the kettle black 😧...anyhoo with all these mental travails and my lingering cough the past 5 weeks, I am exhausted and can't wait for the winter break : time for elaichi (cardamom) chai , long walks with the puppy, DVRed shows, good take-out food and warm cozy soups/stews in my Instant Pot...just one more trip to get through this week in Iowa...(yeah yeah! don't do the really Iowa thing on me...it's beautiful). I am in love with the beautiful "Women of Achievement Bridge" which honored the women in Iowa who paved the way...it's another story that I corralled my colleagues on this little adventure with me (their smiles of tolerance said a lot 😇)

        Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge 

I cooked for K1 and K2 and they have Mushroom Curry and Kheema Matar to keep them company while I am out and about in Iowa. My Kheema Matar (and I am not one for rhapsodies) is a work of art - took me less than 10 minutes to put together and there is enough to last them 3 meals ( my secret weapon - I stuff Kheema Matar in a whole wheat sourdough sandwich with some chopped onions, tomatoes and cheese...and pack a fancy panini for K2 for his lunch box, I also add it inside a puff pastry to make chicken puff...easy stuff that makes you look pretty spiffy!)

Chicken Kheema Matar

What's in it?

• 1.5 lb Ground Organic Chicken Breast (Whole Foods Pro Tip - Boneless Skinless Chicken breast was on Sale and I had them grind that for me vs. buying the pre-ground meat - saved me $4/pound)
• 1 bag of Organic Petite Peas (365 Brand)
• 4 Oz Bhuna Masala ( click the link for how to make it!)
• Whole Spices : Cumin, Red Chilli, Crushed whole cardamom, Cinnamon Stick
• Shaan Kheema Masala
• Salt, Tomato Ketchup, Cinnamon Powder (to taste)
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 tbspoon Avocado/Olive/Canola Oil

How I made it?

• Put the IP on Saute Mode, Keep the frozen peas on the side to thaw
• Add the Olive Oil, till there is a shimmer, add the whole spices and let them blossom in the hot oil
• Now add the bhuna masala, the Shaan Kheema Masala (I used 2 spoons) and the ground chicken- saute for 2-3 minutes
• If you need more liquid add the 1/4 cup water/ stock
• Put the IP on Manual High Pressure for 5 minutes, No Release
• When you open the IP, turn the IP to Saute and add in the peas - saute for 2-3 minutes till the peas and warmed through and mixed into the meat mixture (and some of the liquid evaporates)
• Now add Salt, tomato ketchup and Cinnamon Powder to taste 
• Garnish with Cilantro or as I did with the red chilli (we didn't eat those!) and enjoy with Roti or Pav/Bread.

I wanted to leave you with a saying my father always shared with me : I want to be that person that you look up to - the person you think of when you think of the word "Bapa" or "Integrity" and "Love". I lost him 5 years back but I sure do think of him anytime someone mentions parents or role models - he was mine.

Feeling Thankful

"Feeling Thankful and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it"

This week I wrote something that will show up in my son's theater program flyer to  support our 12 yr old in his first theatrical venture - my son took his proverbial "leap of faith" in September. Here's what I wrote for him :

Dear K2, 

Close your eyes.Soar up high.Feel the vast, cloudy skies. 
Let the fear go, Set it free.Fly your way to confidence and success.
Spread your wings.Start to sing.Dance like you were meant to...
When you are on the stage, You have already won, Our hearts, soul and happiness.
                               Love, Mumma & Daddy

We are really looking forward to his theater show next week! And we are hoping all goes well with it.

We had a quiet "Turkey Day" at home this year - I am still recovering from my laryngitis which has become a full-blown sinus infection, so I got out the big guns - Antibiotics 😟😟😟 But staying home with the boys was nice - I binge watched Flash (all done with Season 4), watched a couple movies I wanted to catch up on, went to Zumba classes and cooked some. We didn't roast a turkey but I did make a turkey dish in my Instant Pot that turned out amazing!

Kheema Cholay

What's in it?

• 1 lb Ground Organic Turkey (Whole Foods)
• 2 cans  of Organic Garbanzo Beans
• 4 Oz Bhuna Masala ( click the link for how to make it!)
• Minced Garlic
• Shaan Murg Cholay Masala (1/2 Packet)
• Salt, Cinnamon Powder, Tomato Sauce (to taste)
• Cilantro to Garnish
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 tbspoon Olive Oil

How I made it?

• Put the IP on Saute Mode 
• Add the Olive Oil, till there is a shimmer, now add the minced garlic and the ground turkey - saute for 2 minutes
• Add the 2 cans of Garbanzo beans ( washed) and the Bhuna masala. Mix and saute for another 2 minutes. If you need more liquid add the 1/4 cup water
• Put the IP on Manual High Pressure for 5 minutes, No Release
• When you open the IP, Mix and add Salt, tomato sauce and Cinnamon Powder to taste 
• Garnish with Cilantro and enjoy with Roti or Pav - super yum!

Lost my Voice...found my mind!

Northern California now has the worst air quality in the world, thanks to wildfire smoke...My heart goes out to all the families in our area with losses.

Last Friday the smoke in the air gave me the worst throat ache and I haven't been able to talk for a week. It has gotten worse due to the cold and the persisting smoke in the air. 

Yet losing my voice in the past week has been a wake up call of sorts for me - a time for me to shut up and listen (listen to others and my inner voice...no no not the critical one, the other one!) - Quieten the monkey chatter in my head and put the fears to rest...and listen to that "little" voice which is trying to make sense of all this nonsense. This article by Beth Comstock (CMO, GE) helped me at work quite a bit...I had the luxury of not talking and listening more...it gave me a different perspective which was refreshing. True that she said : My lesson: Soaking up a conversation shouldn’t be a luxury. Stop, listen, ask.

I also focused on the task of getting better and for that I turned to my handy dandy Instant Pot and made a - mixed vegetable sweet corn soup.

What's in it?

• I used pre-chopped vegetables -  1 big bag of frozen vegetables from Whole Foods (use the one you fancy...I got the one with peas, carrots, corn, beans...)
• 1 can of creamed corn
• 2 32 Oz of Chicken Bone Broth
• Grated Ginger (small knob)
• Water - 2 Quarts 
• Bragg's Liquid Amino
• Worcestershire Sauce (to taste ~ 1 tbsp)
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• Chopped Spring Onion Stalk for Garnish

How I made it?

• Put all the ingredients above in the Instant Pot (except the salt and pepper)
• Manual on 5  minutes (no release)
• Stir...add Salt & Pepper to taste
• Garnish with Chopped Spring Onion Stalk ( I had it at home almost close to wilting, so was happy to use it)
• Sit Back - Turn on the TV or pick your favorite book and ENJOY!

Servings

This is about 8 servings. 

This soup  has < 150 calories and > 6 grams of Fiber and about 10 grams of protein.  True is the saying  "Soup is Cozy"

Will not go hungry...High Protein Detox Soup

"Life will only change when you become more committed to your dreams than you are to your comfort zone."

I loved my life a month back...very set hours at work, work that I could complete in my sleep, leisurely chai breaks and gym time...and yet there was a part of me that was craving more excitement work wise...so I made the decision to move to an exciting new role in a new company. In the past month I have been thrown way out of my comfort zone...learning a few areas of work that are new to me, new product launches , customer meetings... meetings galore...sure I got the excitement I craved but with it the time I got to myself this month has shrunk to non-existence...I haven't done much with the instant pot but the quick and dirty...steel cut oats, dal, channa masala...and truthfully there have been many days when I have been so exhausted that we have survived on Pizza, Take-Out and cereal...

I am a strong proponent of "you are what you eat" -- so this weekend I told myself enough was enough and I cooked myself a huge batch of "High Protein Detox Soup" - I am having this for lunch most days of this week and I am definitely feeling a lot better about getting my greens and protein. My recipe calls for "Chicken Bone Broth" but if you are vegetarian you might consider adding peanut powder 

High Protein Detox Soup

What you need 

1. 2 Containers - Organic Earthbound Powergreens
2. 1 bag of cut cauliflower florets (Trader Joe's)
3. 1 bag of baby Carrots (Trader Joe's)
4. Chopped Onions (1 small medium red), 5 cloves of Garlic minced, chopped cilantro/mint - 2 handfuls
5. Liquid Aminos, Salt to Taste
6. 2 32 Oz Pacific Organic Chicken Bone Broth
7. Olive/Avocado Oil

To Cook 

1. Turn on your Instant Pot to Saute. Add the oil and sweat out the onion and garlic
2. Add the cauliflower, carrots and greens (cook for 2-3 minutes)
3. Add the bone broth, Liquid Aminos or Salt (I added both to taste)
4. Turn the instant pot on manual high pressure,  NPR 15 minutes
5. Add the mint and blend to a puree with an immersion mixer (taste test before serving)

For the first time I served it to the family I garnished with roasted pine-nuts and baked kale but when I took it to work I heated it straight in the mason jar and drank it. Here's a quick tally in My Fitness Pal of it's nutrition specs per serving - 100 calories, 7 gms carb, 2 grams of fat, 12 gms of protein and 5 gms of Fiber and 4 gms of Sugar

I really feel great about my lunches this week :)

How is your week playing out?

Hasta Luego Baby!

“The world is round and the place which may seem like the end, may also be the beginning.”

Seems only like yesterday...

The first foggy morning,

A warm cup of chai in Cafe 300

An awesome boss who took me into an awesome office,

A room with a view,

Commute - umm what's that?

I fell hook, line and sinker,
It wasn't just the office,

It was the people in it...

Like a warm blanket

The next boss really showed me,

The future is female,

The power of using my own voice,

Giving...

Many a lessons learnt in the last few years,

Some in the office, some with customers  

Most with these informal friends I made,

Over my blog, chai or a BollyX Class.

I will miss you,

But the world is round...

What seems like an end is really a beginning!

So I won't say Good Bye...I will say "see you later"

Hasta Luego till we meet again!

Stay in touch with me on LinkedIn, my facebook page or email

Tentative Parenting : Leap of Faith

" Sometimes all you got to do is take a deep long breath, close your eyes and  take that leap of faith... p.s : keep your fingers crossed at the back that everything works out" 
                                           ---Meenakshi

                                                                                               

                            Photo Credit : Aman Barboza, Venue : Oracle Corporation

My son taught me a lesson this week - in 7th grade at the ripe age of 11 he auditioned for a role in the school play for the first time...for a boy who never sings or dances...he showed remarkable grace and fortitude. Sometimes the toughest part about a new journey - is the beginning. There is a little inner voice telling us how comfortable we are with status quo, telling us we are not ready or capable or is the risk even worth it...so we keep grinding away living a life other than the one we dared to dream about.

So K2's audition ended with him finding his "magic lamp"...he is Aladdin in their school play...my search for the magic lamp begins next month as I take my "leap of faith".

In our current world which is "turning tides" and where women are finally beginning to move beyond "could have, should have, would have"...drop those mental shackles and take that leap of faith...at the end of it all - we end up with two life lists : All the things that we did and all the things that we "wish" we had done. 

Get cracking on that first list...I am right with you!

p.s : if you came to my blog looking for an instant pot recipe - have you tried my berry jam yet - it is delicious and takes literally 5 minutes to make :-)

Change is inevitable...

"Change is inevitable, Growth is Optional"

I love my life, am grateful for my friends and support system, love the beautiful office I work in (zero commute! yes baby!)  and just adore the lakes by my house and the beautiful walks I take around it with my two boys and puppy. My Saturday's for the past year have been pretty set - Get up, put the steel-cut oats in the Instant Pot and then rush to my BollyX class, come back home and cook lunch (or go out to eat). This Saturday, it felt like I was ready for some change from my routine of getting up just in time, throwing the oats in the instant pot, walking the puppy and coming in late for my BollyX class...so here's what I did ... (I was still late for my class 😐)

I had been stewing for a couple days over the beautiful organic berries in my fridge that weren't getting eaten (blackberries and strawberries in case you were wondering). So I got up early in the morning and in the time that it took me to chat with my Ma in India, I made a Berry Jam in my Instant Pot - it's scrumptious and very little work. I also made some protein packed muffins for the boys to have with the berry jam & then went to my BollyX class - change in my routine felt good...now let me start thinking about what other aspect of my life could use a face-lift....Hmmm!

Berrylicious Jam (3 ingredients)

What you need 

1. 1 lb Strawberries, 1 lb Blackberries (mix with the sugar/stevia blend and keep on the side for 20 minutes to let it macerate
2. 1 Lemon
3. 2-3 Tablespoons Truvia Brown Sugar/Stevia Blend Mix ( ~ 15 calories per tablespoons) 

To Cook 

1. Turn on your Instant Pot to Saute. Add the mix of the berries+sugar/stevia. Saute for 5-6 minutes. Squeeze in the Lemon Juice.
2. Now turn the Instant Pot on Manual High Pressure for 3 minutes, NR
3. After about 10 minutes, store or eat.

How is your weekend playing out?

Vote for Suvarna Bhopale...for BRSSD School Board!

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think." – Margaret Mead

My son started middle school last year at Sandpiper and I approached the school year with a lot of trepidation tinged with hope. He had spent 6 uncomplicated years at Redwood Shores Elementary and "change was always scary". My fears were laid to rest in the ensuing year : he learnt, he got stretched and he  absolutely loves being at Sandpiper - it wasn't all a smooth ride but his growth and learning has been phenomenal.

 In this entire journey, I observed the role that Suvarna played at the school - whether it was actively listening to the children on what was working and what wasn't working (my son comes back home and tells me everything still, so I got to hear of how the 6th graders met with the District Supritendent and the school board and talked about what was working and what wasn't), I saw firsthand her involvement in enrichment programs like Mock Trial (so brilliant and I see my son's growth curve there in just a year of that program...and she runs it 100% on her own with some help from volunteers), theater, Model UN and I sincerely believe she is a champion for our BRSSD public school system and has taken an active role in it's sustained growth and improvement.

I am voting for her because she has proved in her 5 year tenure on the school board that she is committed to bringing about positive change in the school system for our children and I urge you to do the same.Check out her website -

https://sites.google.com/prod/view/re-electsuvarnabhopale

Please follow & like her Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/suvarnaforschoolboard

Education is the greatest way in which you and I can contribute to our childrens betterment, so please vote for someone who will champion sustained improvement and growth.

Detox Diet...

 

I have been eating healthy for a while now,  exercising and keeping to a good routine. Then G & P come back from Chennai and I have Aavin Palkova (my absolute favorite 😍) and A comes back from Jaipur and gets me Besan Laadoo while my MIL sends Peda for her grandson from Pune...so every evening when I come back exhausted from work or the gym...there is a beautiful siren's call from the fridge and I go and grab myself a "pick-me-up"😤😥

So last night I told myself enough was enough...I needed to go on a detox. Guidelines set for myself -

1. Binge on Sleep - I went to sleep at 10.00 PM yesterday
2. Drink a glass of water the moment I get up in the morning 
3. Stretch (I had all intentions of going to a class but the busyness of life made me stretch out a mat in the bedroom and stretch out the sore muscles...after a 1.5 hrs u-jam class yesterday I think I could hear my bones creaking!)
4. Reach for bloat-busting beverages (the two I swear by are Yogi Tea and Pukka Tea )
5. Skip the sugar (so hard...)
6. Make a big batch of my Ayurvedic Detox Soup  (Dal really but soup has a distinctive ring to it)

What you need (Servings - 4)

1. 1/2 Cup Quinoa (washed in cold water and soaked with the moong dal 1/2 hr in hot water I boiled in my electric kettle)
2. 1 cup  Moong Dal (the moong dal with no cover)
3. Basic Mirepoix - blend of onion, celery, carrots (all from my local farmer's market)
4. 3 Cups Bone  Broth ( I used the Pacific Chicken Bone Broth - I will write a separate blog post about bone broth but I read this book by Kellyanne Pettruci and I was blown away by the health benefits). Vegetarians stick to a vegetable broth that is low in sodium)
5. 1 small knob of ginger (for digestion)
6. Fresh Lemon Juice to taste
7. Liquid Aminos (for seasoning), Avocado Oil (or any other oil),  turmeric powder, black pepper powder
8. Parsley (Detoxing) for garnish - I actually end up adding a lot more (later) just to get the earthy parsley flavor - yum!

To Cook 

1. Turn on your Instant Pot to Saute. Add your oil....add the roughly chopped ginger. Add the Mirepoix and sweat it. Add turmeric and black pepper powder.
2. Add the moong dal and the quinoa to the instant pot and give it a stir 
3. Add the Broth (if you eat meat, I highly recommend giving the Bone Broth a try!)
4. Put the IP on Rice Mode
5. When done open and add Liquid Aminos to taste (you can use salt instead of the liquid aminos)
6. Now add fresh lemon juice and cut parsley. 

Now if I can  avoid desserts or sugar for just 1 week I will consider my Mission Accomplished. Are you ready for the long weekend?

From Greens to Gold!

The week had been particularly hard on me and the death of a young colleague weighed heavily on the heart and head this week. It all came to a head for me on Saturday and it almost was like my system detoxed itself out of the grief and my head felt so much clearer and lighter...

I went to the Farmer's Market (as usual) on Sunday and walked by all my favorite vendors. The Lee Farms is one of my favorites because he carries some of my favorite veggies - bitter gourd , opo squash, bhindi, habanero peppers.

Today he had these strange looking greens and I went up to him and I was like - Lee, what's this?

He gave me a wide-eyed look and said - I thought all you Indians know this green - it's gongura...😉

Well I didn't but there is a first time to everything

So I got the bunch of gongura leaves home on an impulse. I googled recipes and the one that stood out to me like a healthy fit to my style of cooking was - Gongura Pappu. I also googled the health benefits of the Gongura Leaves  known as Red Sorrel Leaves. These leaves are a rich source of Iron, Vitamin C, B6, folic acid, calcium, phosphorous and magnesium. It has anti-oxidants essential for human nutrition. All for the win!

What you need

1. 1 bunch of Gongura leaves - cleaned, pluck the leaves and rough chop
2. 1 cup Toor Dal (soaked for an hour in hot water)
3. 1  small finely chopped red onion, 3 cloves Garlic, 2 Red Fresno Chillies (use dry red chilis), Curry Leaves, Cumin and Mustard Seeds for Tempering, Hing
4. Ghee
5. Imli Pichku (Maggi) or Tamarind Paste
6. 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
7. 1 tsp turmeric powder
8. Salt to taste

To Cook 

1.  Put your Instant Pot on Saute - add the ghee, then hing. Add the tadka ( Cumin and Mustard Seeds, Curry Leaves). Now add the onions, garlic and chilly and saute till the onions brown. Add the turmeric and chilly powfer
2. Add the Gongura Leaves and the Toor Dal and saute for a minute
3. Add the Imli Pichku and the Salt
4. Now turn the IP to Manual, High Pressure for 15 minutes NR (no release)
5. When you open, taste test and adjust for salt

Enjoy with a hot bowl of rice/quinoa and soon you realize this golden delight with a sour kick to it is fast to get over - it's so addictive.  A strange time to get reminded of Robert Frost but I think of his poem -

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.”

Goodbye M - See you on the other side!

"The most painful GoodByes are those that are never said and never explained"

I am tired of GoodByes...especially Good Byes, where there is really no Good Bye...one day you are laughing, dancing and talking and the next week you hear this person is no more...

          She was a girl-woman, 

          Had an air of vulnerability,

Seemed brilliant in a nerdy sort of a way (Cal-tech graduate working at Oracle) 

Painfully Young (she had just turned 21) 

A smile that covered her entire face and made it shine, 

She wore the cutest cut-up t-shirts that she watched You-Tube to make, 

She was a constant in the BollyX class, 

And confessed to liking old tamil songs and bhangra...  

While we are still in shock,   

I am sure her parents are looking for closure.  

There are so many questions unanswered, 

All I can wish for her is - that she keeps smiling & dancing where ever she is 

 We will dance in her memory on September 1st in the BollyX class on Saturday. Shruthi and the Oracle BollyX community shared some sweet memories with this gorgeous girl. We want to say good bye to her in a style she loved and adored : with bollywood dance and music. Please do come if you knew her or just want to say a Good Bye together. Shruthi (our BollyX instructor) shared this on a text with me and I think it's a good reminder to all of us

The importance of a morning routine

Following a system first thing in the morning, means you’ll have more time to reflect in a quiet atmosphere (less hustle and bustle) and it gives you the opportunity to be organized for the rest of the day. More importantly, this daily habit helps you create energy and the right “mindset” to tackle the challenges of a busy day.

My morning routine is still work in progress but here's the rough sketch -
6. 45 AM - Get up + Warm Water + Miracle Cleanse + 15 minutes of breathing (Anulom Vilom, Kapal Bhatti, Bhramari)
7.15 AM - Make Ginger Tea + Dry Roast Peanuts in the microwave (Summer)
                 Start Lunch prep for son's lunchbox (if school year)
7.30 AM - Feed Dog
8.00 AM - Walk Dog ( this 15 mins gives me time to think about my To-Do list and intent for the day)
8.15 AM - Start working (unless there are 8.00 AM calls, then I move up my schedule 15 mins)
I didn't eat much peanuts before about 5 years back.  Then I attended a Sadhguru Seminar where Peanut was about 80% of the breakfast and  he said yogis could go on a 100% peanut diet because it is a complete food.
Today I adopted an evening snack that really made me feel good about my eating. I made myself a snack of a "Chatpata Peanut Chaat"

What you need

1. 1 cup  raw shelled peanut (or kadlekai or shenga)
2. 1  small finely chopped red onion
3. 3  tbsp finely chopped coriander Leaves
4. 1 small green chili finely chopped (optional - for extra spiciness)
5. 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
6. 1/4 tsp chat masala (optional)
7. Salt to taste, Lemon Juice

To Cook 

1. In your Instant Pot - add the raw peanuts with 1 cup of water and the salt
2. Now turn the IP to Manual, High Pressure for 4 minutes NR (no release)
3. While the peanuts are cooking - chop the veggies - small red onion, chillies, coriander leaves
4. Open the IP and take the peanuts in a bowl, mix everything, taste and season some more as needed.
5. Enjoy with a cup of adrak (ginger chai)

I want to leave you with the thought : My morning routine definitely sets the tone for the rest of the day for me. If I am rushed or stressed in the morning, it tends to carry into my entire day. So I take the time to take some quiet time to myself before getting caught up in the whirlwind of activities. What's your morning routine?

I know a shortcut

So I am a little (ok a lot) schizophrenic when it comes to my comfort food choices...one day it might be me craving  Dalma + Quinoa ( Dalma Bhato - the quintessential Oriya comfort food of Dal Chawal), the next I would be absolutely craving Dahi+ Quinoa (Thayir Sadaam - the universal south indian comfort food of Yogurt and Rice with a dash of pickle)...but for me one of the hands down favorite foods that I crave at all times is Kadhi in any form - Punjabi Kadhi, Dahi Kadi Oriya Style or  Mor Kuzhambu ( better known as South Indian Kadhi). I tried making Mor Kuzhambu from scratch multiple times and honestly my end product didn't remind me of what I ate in my friend Lal's mom's kitchen. Then my friend Pri suggested the Grand Snacks Mor Kuzhambu mix and there has honestly been no looking back for me.

What you need

1. 1 Cup Thick Yogurt or 1.5 Cups Kefir ( I use Trader Joe's organic European style non-fat or 1% Plain Kefir)
2. 2 Tablespoons (or to taste) - Grand Snacks Mor Kuzhambu Mix (I found this at my local indian store)
3. 1 Cup - Peeled and Chopped Opo Squash (from the farmer's market)
4. 1 Cup Water
5. Salt or Liquid Aminos to Taste ( I used Salt today!)

To Cook 

1. In your Instant Pot - add the Chopped Opo Squash, Water and the Mor Kuzhambu Mix. Stir Well
2. Now turn the IP to Manual, High Pressure for 4 minutes NR (no release)
3. Open the IP and add in the Kefir/Yogurt and Salt to taste. 
4. I garnished my mor kuzhambu with curry leaves (from my garden) that I microwaved with a spray of coconut oil (45 seconds)

I add more water/kefir/ yogurt depending on thickness I want - I found out it's a personal preference. Some people like it thinner while others like it thicker. I enjoy my bowl of Mor Kuzhambu with cooked quinoa and some stir fried Kothavarangai Poriyal (it's the season right now for this vegetable cluster beans in our Farmer's Market but it's on the expensive side at $6/pound :-) - Ask me about the time I got almost 2 lbs of it and really messed up the recipe...now I stick to my tried and tested Poriyal recipe).

This recipe took me less than 10 minutes to execute and tastes so much better than my stove top version which takes me at least 20-25 minutes to make (might be 15 minutes if you add in chopping the Opo Squash but I do my food prep in advance to make my week easier).

So are we going to take this short cut together?

She Loves Me...She Loves me NOT....

If you can dream it,

You can do it...

Yet there are things I refuse to make in my Instant Pot,

As much as I love it...and I have owned mine for over 3 years...

Today is Sunday and I had no intentions of cooking...just watching Ready Player One with the boy and eat out. But on top of my mind were these two bananas in the fruit bowl that had reached their peak and I didn't really want to throw them away. So I ended up picking up a recipe from the trusty internet and firing up my oven (NOT my Instant Pot) and ended up baking two not one cake.

So here are things I would rather not make in my Instant Pot (or I have tried them a couple times and they were epic fails!

1. Adrak Wala Chai: I use grass-fed organic milk and organic ginger and two times out of three the milk split....so now I stick to making my chai cuppa on the stovetop with my trusty old saucepan
2. Cakes & Bakes: I usually end up getting a mush vs. the magic (like the picture above) which I have started taking for granted.
3. Dosa Batter: Honestly I see the number of cry's for help with the over-poofed up Dosa Batter and I refuse to put my Instant Pot through that abuse :-)
4. Poriyals (quick vegetable stir-fry): I  do feel the poriyals (cabbage, carrot, beans etc.) that I make in my wok on a gas flame taste so much better than what I make in the instant pot!
5. Mac & Cheese : now now I see all the wide-eyed disbelief but I have managed to muck up this recipe in the Instant Pot...I prefer making it on the old-fashioned stove top
6. Ghee: I make Ghee twice a year with grass fed organic unsalted butter and I tried making it one of those times in the Instant Pot but honestly liked the end product from my  stove-top version better!

Here are the things that I will cook every-day in my Instant Pot :

1. Steel-Cut Oats
2. Dal/Lentils/Sambar/Chana/Rajma
3. Soups & Stews
4. Wet Curries - Anda Curry, Aloo Matar, Matar Paneer
5. Pastas 
6. Grains - Quinoa, Barley
7. Kheer - Oats, Quinoa, Dalia 

So I know you love your IP but are there things you will not make in your Instant Pot?

Guru Purnima : A Day for Gratitude

Guru Purnima is the day to pause and note all that you’ve been given by the universe and celebrate with gratitude. However, feeling grateful for things we have only scratches the surface of our joyful cores. It is possible to feel grateful without an apparent reason and experience spikes of inner joy and celebration. 

                                                           ---- Art of Living 
So I had every intention of fasting till dinner today - I was attending an Art of Living Guru Purnima Celebration  in the evening where Sri Sri would be there in person, but hadn't really reckoned with the rumblings of the stomach (loud insistent complaints). So I quickly soaked some quinoa and chilka moong dal and in 20 minutes had the most nutritious lunch (all in between a bunch of calls)...some kind of magic that is!

What you need

1. 1 Cup Quinoa (washed in cold water and soaked with the moong dal 1/2 hr in hot water I boiled in my electric kettle)
2. 1 cup Chilka Moong Dal (the moong dal that still has its cover)
3. 1 /2 Cup - Frozen Vegetables (365 Whole Foods Brand is what I used)
4. 2  Cups Vegetable Broth (Saffron Road)
5. 1 small knob of ginger
6. Liquid Aminos (for seasoning), Avocado Oil (or any other oil), cumin seeds, Hing (asefoetida), turmeric powder, black pepper powder

To Cook 

1. Turn on your Instant Pot to Saute. Add your oil....add hing, cumin seeds and the roughly chopped ginger. Add turmeric and black pepper powder.
2. Add the moong dal and the quinoa (and the veggies if you added any) to the instant pot and give it a stir 
3. Add the Broth 
4. Put the IP on Rice Mode
5. When done open and add Liquid Aminos to taste (you can use salt instead of the liquid aminos)
6. Now add fresh lime juice and cut cilantro. Garnish with some raw chopped onions if you so wish.

I am grateful to get these wonderful 10 minutes to relish a bowl of khichdi with some yogurt. And yes! the complaints of the stomach kind have thankfully stopped. I am so ready for my evening session of meditation and gratitude