15 Marbles

Moments.Musings.Memories. ❤️Gathering little marbles from ordinary days and keeping them for our memory jar. ❤️

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  • My Saturday in little moments

    The noise in my head has been too loud lately, and everything seems like a chore.

    But I have these thoughts, ideas and observations that I want to share… so I’ve decided to trial a progressive post.

    8:30 am

    Lying on the couch, awake but not quite ready to start the day.

    I did set a later alarm that hasn’t gone off yet, so I’ve decided to wait for it. On the couch. Wide awake. 😀

    11:15 am

    Sitting in a café between pick-up and drop-off, waiting for my coffee and a friend for a quick catch-up.

    I watch people. Not in a creepy way, I promise. 😂

    People-watching is fun.

    A dad and daughter on a breakfast date… Dad sharing life’s wisdom that the 10-year-old thinks is a punishment. A lecture! 😀

    A mum with her kids… journaling, sipping her coffee while the kids eat breakfast quietly. Perhaps just the peace she needed this morning.

    Another dad comes in with his little girl, and they order waffles with Nutella and strawberries. The wonder in her eyes as he cuts the waffles into smaller pieces… priceless.

    1:30 pm

    A quick lunch of poha after picking up Ms An and a quick grocery run.

    Started cooking dinner early because Ms A got called in to work at the last minute and asked if she could take food from home.

    Of course, I said!

    Nothing makes me happier than when they ask for or want me to cook something.

    They like to joke that my favourite hobby is feeding them.

    I won’t deny it… nor will I deny cooking chicken tikka two nights in a row because they loved it and wanted more. 😂

    2:25 pm

    In the car with packed meals. Hubby is driving, so I’m using this time to jot down a few thoughts. 🙂

    We made this meal drop into a family affair… because why not? 🙂

    On the road, motorists warn each other about speed cameras. Solidarity and all that. 😂

    3:15 pm

    Dinner is cooked… afternoon siesta time!

    A cloudy day with intermittent rain is the perfect day for a nap.

    Ideally, today was the day I had planned to start my Diwali cleaning… but I guess the nap takes precedence. 😃

    6:00 pm

    A solo walk with some walking meditation.

    Then dinner, watching a show and a little more chilling before calling it a day.

    And you guessed it… no Diwali cleaning happened. 😂

  • One meal at a time

    So, this week, I am sticking to simple, everyday comfort foods and no-fuss meals that have everyone’s nod of approval.

    My menu – made pretty with ChatGPT

    I can’t cook small quantities, so each dish generally feeds us for at least two meals. 🙂

    I’ve only listed school/work lunches for the girls. SP and I generally take leftovers, or if we’re WFH, make ourselves some toast and/or eggs.

    Breakfast is usually eggs on toast or plain toast with a spread of choice.

    I’ll also make a big batch of sautéed spinach to have as a side with breakfast or lunch.

    As always, aiming for happy mealtimes, nourishing our bodies and spending money on home-cooked meals instead of takeaways.

    One meal at a time. 💛

  • Sarees, Selfies and Pajamas

    I haven’t written much lately. Work has been hectic, my energy levels low and time limited.

    And I am doing my favourite Navratri colour challenge with my favourite bunch of blogger girls!

    It’s our annual tradition, one we’ve kept going for so many years.

    9 days, 9 colours , 12 girls, 3 continents and a world of beautiful outfits!

    For these 9 days, our thoughts and group chat are consumed by the colours, the details of each outfit and all the thought that goes into putting it together.

    It really is our thing! 💛

    Navratri is my favourite festival and this little colour challenge brings me so much joy!

    So every evening after work, I come home, get dressed in the colour of the day, look pretty, get the family to take photos and share them with the girls (and Instagram).

    It satisfies my creative appetite, boosts my self-esteem and gives me a bunch of pretty pics to choose my next profile pic from.

    Win-win, yeah? 😂

    And of course, once the photos are taken, I revert to my pyjama-clad version!

    Why am I sharing this?

    No reason, really.

    Perhaps just to remind myself that it’s okay to not show up everywhere. That sometimes, conflicting priorities take over and it’s okay to not do everything.

    But also, to tell you, dear readers (yes, all 5 of you 😬), that I am all about keeping things real.

    So after I share my pretty saree pics and enjoy my moments of glory, I change right back into my soft, well-worn T-shirt and PJs.

  • My Signature Saffron Granola

    [In a hurry?] Jump straight to the Recipe

    💕You can always come back for the story 💕

    Last Diwali, I was looking for a homemade treat to add to my gift hampers.

    Life was particularly chaotic at the time and, apparently, my response to being overwhelmed is to become wildly overambitious and give myself another project. 🙄

    Because obviously what a person with too much to do needs… is more to do. 🙄🙄

    I didn’t have the physical or mental capacity to make traditional Diwali sweets, and most store-bought sweets tend to get passed around and regifted anyway.

    Besides, almost everyone I knew seemed to be trying to eat a little healthier.

    So I thought — granola!

    Homemade, easy to package, something people could actually use for breakfast, and considerably less ambitious than making boxes of mithai.

    But it was Diwali.

    Plain granola wasn’t going to do.

    And to me, nothing says celebration quite like saffron.

    So into the granola it went.

    And there you have it — my Saffron Granola. ❤️

    Recipe

    The Base

    • 2 cups rolled oats
    • 1 cup mixed nuts — almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios
    • ½ cup mixed seeds, including sesame seeds
    • ¼ cup chia seeds
    • ¼ cup coconut flakes
    The flavours
    • 15–20 saffron strands
    • A sprinkle of nutmeg
    • A sprinkle of rock salt
    The Wet Ingredients
    • ½ cup coconut oil
    • ¼ cup maple syrup
    After Baking
    • Raisins
    • Cranberries
    • Chocolate chips — however much your heart tells you ❤️
    Method

    Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced.

    Combine the oats, nuts, seeds, chia seeds, saffron, nutmeg and rock salt.

    Add the coconut oil and maple syrup and mix well until everything is evenly coated.

    Spread the mixture over a lined baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring around halfway through( depending on how toasty you like your granola) – I bake for around 40 minutes.

    If you’re using untoasted coconut flakes, add them for the final 5 minutes so they don’t burn.

    Allow the granola to cool completely before adding the raisins and cranberries.

    And only once it is completely cool, add the chocolate chips — however much your heart told you to use.❤️

    This one is perfect for gifting — or just for everyday breakfast. ❤️

    I love it over yoghurt and fruit, but the slight sweetness of maple syrup and the crunch of baked nuts and oats also make it the perfect 3pm pick-me-up with a cup of coffee.

    Bonus: That delicious saffron-and-toasted-nuts aroma floating through your kitchen and home 🤌🏻😍🤤