Carrot side-dish

Sometimes, we get so busy in our lives and everyday tensions from work that we forget the basics of a good dinner. It was much easy growing up when parents used to worry about making sure that dinner consists of the right amount of fresh veggies, proteins, healthy carbs and calcium from yogurt. And don't forget the fruits!

For me, it takes a lot of conscious effort to include a balanced diet and to make sure that I am not repeating the same recipes with staple vegetables in my kitchen (potato, onion, tomato, cauliflower) every week. 

I would like to include more colorful veggies in my diet and recipes that are easy and tasty and healthy - Like this colorful carrot salad that Aai makes. I can eat this everyday!

All you need is:

• Four carrots (grated)
• Two green chillies (split length-wise)
• Juice from one lime
• Some finely chopped coriander
• Half teaspoon sugar
• Salt to taste
• Mustard seeds
• Hing/ asafoetida powder
• One teaspoon of oil

Heat the oil and add hing powder and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, take it off the stove and mix with rest of the ingredients.

It goes very well as a side-dish with Indian daal and roti. Enjoy!

Happy Weekend!

I got this BHG issue in mail, right in time for some garden inspiration :)

Spring/ Summer Projects

Positive Lifestyle Changes in 2014

I tried meditating a few weeks back and was immediately sold to the idea of making it a habit. My mind felt really calm and quite creating an inner peace and I felt physically energized as well. In this ever-racing world, it is really important to calm the mind and take a complete break for a few minutes from constant thinking/ worrying/ planning/ working/ reading /checking the smart phone....

I only meditate on weekends and have been very sporadic about practicing it. Am yet to develop the discipline to do it consistently. Hopefully, I will make a habit of it over the next 4-6 months and get into the routine of doing it everyday, even if it just for a few minutes.