tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-243617662009-12-18T10:52:24.030-06:00Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-54208081985956055352009-08-25T13:06:00.003-05:002009-08-25T13:13:10.813-05:00

Nostalgia is a strange play-mate.. you never know when it is going to accost you and insist on taking you down memory lane...Most of the times you can anticipate its arrival -* When its festival time in India (almost every month, you might say ! ) and you are at work, in a different country , in a different time zone, yearning to be with friends and family who are merrily celebrating* When you

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-6635144700509218672009-08-07T15:17:00.001-05:002009-08-07T15:19:51.345-05:00

Chanced upon this tag at the Punarjanman blog (Thanks!).For all fellow book lovers out there, consider yourselves tagged.This is supposed to be a BBC generated list. There are quite a few books in there which have interested me in the past and I have been meaning to read them !Now that I have seen this list, I shall have to make sure and get them from the library (if only to have more x's on my

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-11396731085529108202009-07-27T13:59:00.001-05:002009-07-27T14:02:03.454-05:00

Education is not the answer to the question. Education is the means to the answer to all questions."-- William Allin"An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life."-- Source UnknownRecently, while randomly browsing through Barnes and Noble, I chanced upon a book with a very interesting title.It was called '

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-90760466651005333862009-06-13T10:15:00.004-05:002009-06-13T10:25:45.574-05:00

I made this as an entry for a Breakfast items contest in my orkut community.The only thing that differentiates this from a normal upma / uppittu recipe is the grain used.Quinoa (pronounced as "keenwa" ) is a grain like seed of the plant.It is a complete protein with very less fat. ( This is very good news for vegetarians ! )Its high in fiber and provides a good source of iron and magnesium.Its

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-46271718307610933582009-01-08T15:25:00.001-06:002009-01-08T15:28:02.193-06:00

Seems like a very strange title for a post, right ? Outside the Indian community, I am not sure how many people are aware of what a bindi is and what its significance is ...A short explanation seems to be in order then...A Bindi (from the Sanskrit word 'bindu' meaning a dot ) is a forehead decoration worn traditionally by women from India..It used to signify the married status for women, but

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-22898114636009550092008-12-03T13:22:00.004-06:002008-12-03T13:26:03.039-06:00

Every once in a while, I get tired of cooking dishes that are rich with spices or laden with a whole lot of vegetables. My palate craves for simple meals that soothe the stomach as well as fill it up without burdening it with too many calories..That is when I dish up a simple lentil soup which is the basic recipe that almost every Indian has savoured. Its known simply as Daal in Hindi , consumed

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-3310834209926341132008-11-07T16:36:00.003-06:002008-11-07T16:41:55.614-06:00

When I have time to indulge in , all I like to do is hop , from one fabulous blog to another.In doing so, I have come to one conclusion - food bloggers out there are extremely talented !!!To get fussy kids to eat and more importantly like what they eat, takes creativity of an entirely new level.Each blog that I visit, adds so many more recipes to my repertoire and more importantly stretches my

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-53227244407221249212008-11-07T15:59:00.007-06:002008-11-07T16:11:22.540-06:00

This is a continuation of my previous post in the same series.This year being our first attempt at gardening, TH and I tentatively began with only a few flowering shrubs. One of the first ones that we purchased was a hibiscus plant (actually two). Hibiscus shrubs are very common in India and almost every backyard is home to at least one plant, if not more. The hibiscus flowers come in various

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-32798458981071120452008-11-02T19:05:00.006-06:002008-11-02T19:16:38.979-06:00

As the growing season here in Texas comes to an end, I realize that I have not posted any updates on mygardening ventures lately. Now that I am done with the vegetable bed for the year, its time I have a few pictures in my blog !The most successfully grown plant this season was the bottle gourd...aka sorekaayi (in Kannada), dudhi bhopLa (Marathi), lauki (Hindi)..A mere three plants provided me

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-53938314797385757352008-10-17T11:29:00.016-05:002009-07-30T12:39:30.118-05:00

Dear Readers, you might have noticed that the blog has a section titled 'Quote of the Week' on the left side bar. I try and add all such quotes that have caught my attention. They either make me laugh, make me think ! I have been meaning to consolidate those quotes that have already appeared on the site.This post is just that - a place to visit if you are looking for wise words :-)Enjoy browsing!

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-2651908877561245512008-10-09T15:31:00.003-05:002008-10-09T15:37:51.532-05:00

With all the information available at their fingertips, people are getting amazingly conscious about what they put into their bodies.Food pyramids, weight charts, food labels are good reference sources for people who want to watch what they eat. I am also realizing that vegetarian and vegan diets are becoming more and more common even in the densest meat eating populations, which is heartening

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-7748943901123304312008-09-24T16:08:00.005-05:002008-11-02T18:36:06.680-06:00

In an effort to eat healthy and not tear out my hair in the decision making process on a hectic weekday, my husband and I have come up with a technique that we have begun implementing from last week. It remains to be seen if it will be effective enough to continue.Every weekend, we go through the refrigerator and pantry shelves, check what is available and then make a list of what we would like

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-57898626639601370292008-09-24T14:27:00.003-05:002008-09-24T15:18:04.304-05:00

Time - The one thing that is the epitome of constantly moving forward and never looking backwards. The only dimension that surges ahead no matter what - come summer or winter, rain or frost, peace or war, happiness or dejection - it doesnt stop for anyone or anything. The passing of time brings along with it many changes. Nations advance, societies change, cities replace towns and villages,

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-5721979654875562422008-09-05T12:34:00.004-05:002008-11-02T18:43:40.181-06:00

The first time I ever heard the word 'Tiramisu' was in front of the erstwhile Holiday Inn, in Pune (I believe its now the Sun and Sands). It was a cool night, my friends and I were returning home after a movie and my room mate S exclaimed that the Tiramisu at the Holiday Inn cafe was absolutely delicious ! Now I don't exactly remember the sequence of events ( this was some 7-8 years ago ), all I

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-36273437528924550292008-09-03T09:06:00.006-05:002008-09-08T13:29:26.245-05:00

Wishing all readers a very Happy Vinayak Chaturthi ! This is the day when scores of people celebrate the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the elephant headed son of Shiva and Parvati.Ganesha is revered as the God of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. In any religious ceremony, the first offerings are always made to Ganapati*. Ekadanta* (One who has a single tooth) is

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-31308758977278848092008-08-15T08:49:00.004-05:002008-08-15T08:53:29.681-05:00

Wishing Indians across the globea very very Happy 61st Independence Day !

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-39728025733667284142008-07-15T12:46:00.001-05:002008-07-15T12:48:00.199-05:00

It was a few weeks ago when I was driving along a long stretch of empty road early in the morning, with my soon-to-be-two toddler P strapped in his car seat, making our way to his Montessori school. Little P was happily prattling to himself, sometimes pointing out wondrous creations like a firetruck or a school bus or even a digger, to his apparently ignorant Mummy..I was acknowledging his

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-16185902381898143732008-06-19T23:14:00.003-05:002008-06-20T11:55:28.303-05:00

I had never known the simple pleasure of harvesting my own vegatables and herbs until a few weeks back ! I had planted methi seeds in my vegetable bed, by just sprinkling a handful of the seeds in a small area. Soon, I watched and gloated as the seeds sprouted and the shoots reared their heads skywards ! How I waited for them to grow so that I could pick the leaves and take them into the kitchen

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-1037028335796591652008-05-31T18:25:00.004-05:002008-12-13T04:27:11.251-06:00

Fruits were a big part of our meals growing up. More often than not, my father would come bearing some or the other seasonal fruit when he returned from office. Exotic fruits were not available then as they seem to be now, so apples, oranges, grapes , et all were familiar on the kitchen table. Come summer and the two oft seen fruits in our hands would be the cool, sweet watermelon and the

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-39048214922793701882008-05-06T16:04:00.003-05:002008-05-07T10:39:15.956-05:00

.....That is the question...A working mom, that is. Thats the question thats been bouncing up and down in my head ever since I decided to start looking for work after a 2 year hiatus. I am sure that this question has been pondered upon by scores and scores of women, I am not the first and I certainly will not be the last...Why the dilemma, you ask ?? Well lets see...Being at home, having the

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-79542292597966779602008-04-05T14:07:00.002-05:002008-04-05T14:11:19.361-05:00

Generally when we plan for any major meal, we select a main dish, an entree, something that will be the star of the show, something to dazzle the senses of the guests, a dish that will set the theme for the table. If the menu is Indian, the entree could be one of several tantalizing rice dishes, or a wonderful korma or a finger licking-good makhanwala dish. You could have wonderful pasta dishes

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-50820460122127448342008-03-21T17:19:00.006-05:002008-12-13T04:27:12.077-06:00

Its Springtime and you can tell ! Longer days, kids and parents alike, enjoying the outdoors, garden centers doing brisk business and gardeners giddy with the prospect of another season of puttering about in the soil, with thoughts of perennials, herb and vegetable gardens and such !!Although I have been late in climbing aboard this wagon, the bug has definitely bitten me. Don't get me wrong...I

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-20726666073377058892008-03-18T17:19:00.004-05:002008-12-13T04:27:12.364-06:00

It wouldn't be a surprise if I say that while growing up, my family consumed a whole lot of rice in the form of different kinds of bhaaths (spicy rice preparations), idlis and dosas.My mother made delicious dosas and idlis. Whether crisp masala dosas with spicy potato filling or soft fluffy urad- rice dosas, enjoyed with a savoury chutney, she had a variety of recipes at hand and could whip up

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-23943893849505455992008-02-27T15:59:00.004-06:002008-12-13T04:27:12.850-06:00

The romantics of the world celebrated Valentine's Day a couple of weeks ago. The cynics would rather call it Hallmarks Day or Flowershop Day or even Hershey's Day because of the volume of sales for cards, flowers and chocolates on this particular day !But cynicism aside, no woman that I know would refuse a gift of flowers (or chocolates for that matter :P). There is something about the freshness

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24361766.post-85011381310217393092008-02-10T16:42:00.006-06:002008-12-13T04:27:13.262-06:00

As evenings went, there wasn't anything extra special about this one..It had been an ordinary day replete with the usual chores and toddler management experiences at my end :D ..Nothing worth celebrating or making a fuss about, really..But if you get down to it,almost every day is like that, isn't it ? Except for the occasional birthday or a festival..But why wait for a day circled on a calendar

Chhayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719891709276328799noreply@blogger.com2