Idli with peanut and tomato chutney

Idli with chutney is my comfort food. I can have it anytime:breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner time. It's oil free, light and nutritious, delicious all at the same time. To steam a plate of perfect idli with varied accompaniments calls for a healthy retreat. It relaxes me to have a plate of a sumptuous delight!




Served with piping hot idlis'

               

I tried two out of the three chutneys given in the recipe:

Here is the recipe link

keep the actress in you alive

                                    

Let you be the chandni (moonlight) that never faded, which casts its radiance to millions beneath. Don't look up to someone, look inside you. Fight to never let the heroine in you die, fight to let her glow with aplomb. For to cut through tinted glasses who brand, judge, label you, needs an unapologetic you. Nothing great was ever achieved by sticking to rules. Let the dreams not dwindle from your eyes, fly higher and higher. Be gone with the winds! 

How to read more

Hi guys,

I have been engrossed with three books simultaneously. So, thought I will write about how to increase your reading time in this post.

                                       
                                                                                                                          (Google images)


Yes, there are ways to accelerate the reading process. Needless to mention, how important it is to read if you plan to be a full-time writer. It's a catalyst to imagination and boosts your creativity.

1. Resist urge to see phone-In today's time, smartphones have become suicidal for creativity to bloom. Merely looking at unwanted information, that too, quantum of information, you invite and absorb stress unknowingly. Next time you feel the urge to look at your phone to check updates, put it off, disable mobile data during your reading time. When you feel addicted to pick a phone, pick a book. Trust me, number of pages that you read will certainly go up.

2. Utilise waiting time-While you wait for your cheque to be cleared up, or waiting for someone in the mall, waiting for the bus or train to arrive, time after booking your cab all can be utilised if you have a book right in your purse.

3. Remind the purpose-The purpose is to train yourself to be an effective writer. Reading is in-person training from the writing legends. Those who have written the unforgettable, read to pick up from their verses and then mould it to your style. It's a powerful exercise which every aspiring writer must do. Analyse what the immortals wrote, think, rewrite it in your style, evolve your own take. But all of this will come if and only if you read. 

4. Invest a little every month in books-  Can you defer buying cinema tickets for next month? Try it, after all, reading experience is way more powerful than a movie of three hours. Not saying watching movies isn't a learning experience but smart budgeting will help you strike a balance.  

5. Skim, skip-When the narrative languishes into vapid storyline, skip a few pages, skim for important parts so as not to loose touch with the plot. And then resume reading at length. This way you'll cover up a good number of pages yet the quality of your reading won't deflate.  

6. Guard your reading time-There will be people, outside calls, engagements, meetings, obligations waiting for your attention, you must guard the time pulled out from your busy schedule. Even, if that means being a bit stern with yourself. 

7. Read before sleep-Usually, we do get few minutes before sleep which are spent doing nothing but flipping through phone, staring blankly on walls. Better, keep a book under your bed and read a few pages before you drool.

Happy reading!

Just me

   

                        

Let no one define you. You'are special, one of a kind, universe's divine gift. Rise above mediocrity and materialism, discover who you really are, let your spirit soak in joy, peace and bliss. That's all that matters!

Turn left over cake into lollypops

I had baked a basic sponge vanilla cake for my son. He simply loves what I bake. The left over portions I decided to serve it differently. So, here I came up with Cake lollypops. My son loves lollpops, so I thought why not make one at home?

Picture 1

Ingredients-

Basic sponge cake 

Melted chocolate 

Ice cream sticks 

Decoration- sprinklers

Method- 

• Reduce the cake into crumbles and knead with two big scoops of melted chocolate and make laddoos out of the dough as shown in pic 1.
• Set the round balls into refrigerator for ten minutes. 
• Insert Ice cream sticks into each ball
• Dip each lollypop into melted chocolate and sprinkle decorations on top of it. 
• Refrigerate for two hours

Happy Baking! Kids would simply devour this recipe. 

Ask often what makes you happy

This is an underrated question: seldom asked, rarely answered. In the whirlwind of chasing materialistic goals, people sideline this important facet which can bring fulfillment. I ask this question 'What makes me happy?' often and over the years, gathered inputs through experiments and experiences, carefully noticing my responses viz-a-viz innumerable things I do. The inputs which I got, I immersed more in, and getting closer and closer to living a complete life.

I will list down things which make super happy:

1. Writing- The craft of pen is my passion. Nothing in this world makes me  happier than being with my laptop and writing down stories about people, places and varied experiences. Being an alumni of India's premier and often ranked No 1 college by media polls, Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), I always wrote with elan. I also wrote for Press Trust of India when I was recruited on campus in the capacity of a Journalist. I did features for PTI as a cub reporter and they were picked up by newspapers and electronic media. If you are doing a feature for news agency, chances are less to get a byline . Often, news agency gets credited.

With time my writing evolved and I began writing for The Times of India, The Hindu, Woman's Era magazine, many online magazines and journals. 

Enclosing few links below: 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/soul-curry/No-fence-can-be-built-around-a-good-heart/articleshow/54690374.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/soul-curry/my-sons-smile-brings-my-world-back/articleshow/57769872.cms

Check out my previous blogposts for more on my writing. In short, writing necessitates my survival. I am alive because I can write, I want to write and I will die if I don't.

2. Exercise-I am a fitness freak. I exercise an hour a day. It keeps me away from daily stress and reorients my system to act productively. I have learnt over the years that it's important to add variety to one's workout sessions. I do yoga, gym, pilates, morning walk depending upon my routine and mood. An hour is a must. It releases oxytocin called a happy hormone. 

                            

3. Meditation: Barring yoga, all other exercises restrict only to body. Meditation brings back my center. It reinforces calmness in my life. It makes me content with what I have versus what I desire. And that contentment brings happiness. I feel closer to God. He becomes like my best friend who in my darkest hour is there to guide me, nourish my soul. No one can click while I am sitting for meditation as it's at 3 am. Best time to wake up is when everyone else is asleep. Try it to feel the divine connection.

4. Dressing right: I always dress right whether I am out or inside my home. It intantly alleviates negativity and puts me in a happy space.  It makes me confident of presenting myself to the world, my interactions become smooth and easy. When you care to look your best, it adds grace to overall appearence, people notice your personality. It's a part of who you really are. I had done a post on this subject. CLICK here to read.

5. Singing-Whenever I am not doing any of the above things, I take a short break and listen to songs sung by legends Rafi, Lata, Asha, Sonu and practice on my own. I don't how I fare on performance count  that you can tell me better. I am not trained in any vocal art. I take training from our rich legacy. I feel really happy recording each of my compositions. Sharing a recording dedicated to my son. This video has a picture of my son when he was three months old and I had dressed him as Shri Krishna on his first Janamasthami. 

6. Baking-I always wanted to bake. Somewhere in my mind it was registered that it would make me feel better about myself. I began baking when my son was born. He has a sweet tooth. So my aim was to bake cakes, pastries, muffins, chocolates all at home and serve him to avoid any dental carnage in his mouth. I have done a  recent post on baking. Click here to read.

7. Watching interviews- If I am exhausted, I turn to watching interviews conducted with precision of legends, luminaries who can add a dose of inspiration to my life.

Posting an interview of writer Salim Khan. Really loved it....

Interview of veteran singer Sonu Nigam

There are many more....

So, my friend, what makes you happy? If you find it, shouldn't you do more of it?