how true!

Heart is such a thing that goes behind things that hurt it the most! 

My first ever running experience!

Yes, I completed a half marathon well within the time limit.. 13.1 miles!!

Repeating this twice I still can't remember how i convinced myself to train for running. Forget the fact that I had no other choice :P I didn't want my dear husband to get upset with me!apart from these reasons there was also one adventurous woman inside me that really wanted to do something different in life - to try out something new, to do something totally different than what i used to. More than all I wanted to break the stereotypical me. Though all these were nice to listen running does not come without a price. Training meant spending 90 minutes +60 minutes of getting ready & commuting four times a week. Weekend runs involved more than that. All this when your MIL stays with you - my husband's mom was quite understanding that way! The most important twist comes when you are hunting for houses, mortgages & finalizing a deal, shifting places, setting up your new home, arranging a house warming party ..phew it was tiring! Oh remember work can be hard on you at times... there are always the peaks that happen in work criticality especially when you feel you need to be at home more. I thought i was making a big sacrifice & hardest investment of my time in going for the training.

Only when I entered the training did i notice that there were ppl of all age groups there. moms with strollers trained as well as those first timers at 60+ ages!! the funny part was when I couldn't run better than any of them.. I was panting & almost at the end of the group. There were hardly anyone in front or behind me. I felt quite embarrassed & even thought i should  not continue this until I develop the basic strength necessary. but everything starts somewhere! I tried to face the fact that I am not good...I hardly spoke to anyone in the group as i was feeling very low & incompetent. There were ppl who were much thinner & more fat than me...some where first timers & many were running a repeat season. Worst case I wouldn't run the marathon but atleast I would train myself to get little physical fitness was what convinced me to stick to the course. Above all the fact that my husband stuck to the training as he had someone to accompany him  & was totally enjoying every bit of the run.

I injured my knees during the long runs & limped walking - my muscles tightened! Learning to live past the injuries I did improve a lot & when I finished the training there were hardly a third of the ppl who started training with me. I was happy i didn't stop training in-spite of missing a few sessions.

Sports or physical training was never my kind of thing was my idea...It took me 3 months of hard training, dedicated coaches & a loving husband's support to realize that physical activity is something your body requires just like eating & sleeping everyday.

I do have some other stuff lined up for the rest of the year but looking forward to run the next season :)

brocolli stuffed chapathi

Hi

Am back to the blogging world after a long break & with a new cooking idea :) 

Making chapathis from the scratch have always been a taboo for me & on top of it having something stuffed inside sounds like a scary idea! THis was my first thought when my MIL decided to make cauliflower stuffed chapathis for dinner. The idea sounded good because instead of spending some time on cooking the sabji you just need to have the vegetable chopped & make rotis as usual. Raita is the best side dish along with pickle! 

So here's what I wanted to try since we almost emptied our refrigerator - brocolli stuffed chapathis. Brocollis look similar to cauliflower right ;)

Make the dough for chapathi as usual(add lesser salt say 50%) & keep it aside. For the stuffing, grate the brocollis & add salt (remanining 50%), chilli powder, garam masala(less). You can saute these if in a hurry or let the mixture undisturbed for 3-4 hrs. 

Now flatten the roti, stuff some portion of the vegetable & wrap the dough around it & flatten it again. Cook it on the stove & hot brocolli rotis are all ready!

My husband really liked it with cucumber raita & andhra mango pickles :) 

5 min pulao :)

I have been posting back to back cooking recipes in my blog now! This is something that my husband initiated but I have taken credit  by posting it :) The origin of the idea is that we ran out of fresh vegetables & forgot to buy groceries but we didn't end up eating at a restaurant atleast! ;)

Pressure cook rice & mixed vegetables. At the end add salt & pepper...your pulao is ready. Pickle or raita is a great combination :)

Brocolli carrot curry

This is the first time I tried to cook something new & it happened to be a great dish :)

Ingredients:
Brocolli, carrot, moong dhal - 1:2:1 proportion
salt
coriander/cuimin powder
Chillies as much as you need
optional: I added mizhaga bajjji chillies(the big chillies) to make it even more hot :)

To grind:
coconut
chillies
jeera

Tadka:
mustard seeds
split urad dhal
hing

Pressure cook brocolli, carrot & moong dhal along with some salt. You can add a portion of the chillies here to get the hot flavor.
Meanwhile, grind the coconut, jeera & chillies & keep aside.
Then, do the tadka with the above ingredients in oil in a kadai. Now, add the cooked vegetables & ground paste & coriander cuimin powder. After 10 minutes, once everything seems well cooked  remove it from the flame.

The curry goes well with rice or roti. Enjoy :)

The unforgettable Navrathri of 2010

It's been 4 years since I missed  Golu/Navrathri. Having been in Mylapore, this festival is something that is dear to my heart for various seasons. I remember those days when I used to put kolam everyday for the Golu, take arati, plaiting my hair long & visiting ppl around. The fun part was to see what were the newly added dolls for the year & more importantly what was the spl gift given.

Once I came to U.S, I really missed this festival. This year after marriage I was given all the freedom to keep my own golu :) Thanks to my husband, we got considerably good amt of clay dolls.

It was a crazy week with lots of work at office, lots of ppl visiting us during the evening, making sundal everyday. I remember I had to make 3 times as there were more & more ppl coming :)

It was a day before the Saraswathi puja - and to add the icing to the cake was born my nephew. Those tiny hands & tiny legs - that's the first time am seeing a  new-born. I was too afraid to carry him. But, it was a really really eventful Navrathri for me with too many firsts :)

the best cake ever!

This was the cake my friends aka roomies had baked for my engagement :) One of the most delicious chocolates cake I had ever had! Ofcourse I was pretty touched by what they did! Thank you ash & pavi for that. :)