15 Marbles

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

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  • Product Reviews-Sohna and Deep

    I have two product reviews for you today-1 is good and the other is bad.

    Lets start with the bad one first.

    Sohna Sarson ka Saag- The packaging says- Tasty Economical ,Instant Treat – False on all counts.

    A typical Sarson ka Saag is scrumptions and smells divine,even before adding the dollops of butter,that is traditionally served with. It is a mixture of mustard greens and spinach leaves,slow cooked together with spices..This one smelled like boiled carrots..That should have warned me!

    The world wide web is full of recipes for this yummy treat and my own mother’s recipe is a keeper..then why did I chose to torture myself thus?Simply because,it takes a long time to cook..and I am the only one who eats it..I couldn’t justify the time and effort of cooking a big dish for 1. Mind you if it was for SD or one of the kids,I would do it in a heartbeat.

    Anyway,as far as Sohna Sarson Ka Saag is concerned,its AU$4 wasted.I have only three words for you:”Don’t bother trying” I am not one to waste food,but this one is definitely going in the bin!

    Someone suggested trying Deep’s frozen SKS..I don’t know if I want to subject my taste bud to this kind of torture again!!I am washing my mouth out with coffee,as I type this.

    That brings me to the good part of this post.Deep’s Frozen Methi Malai Mutter..

    This one is Amazing..I give it a 10/10 rating.I really felt like I was back in one of my favorite restaurants in Mumbai and eating this. I had it for dinner,one night,last week and couldn’t wait for it to be lunch time,next day..so I could finish the left-overs!

    This is my first time writing a product review..so I look forward to your feedback:)

    Note:This is not a sponsored post..I take full responsibility for the views expressed here.

    Images:Courtesy-Google Images.

  • Creamed Spinach with Corn

    Spinach and corn are two of my absolute favorite vegetables.I can eat them in any form.But the rest of the family – lets just say, they are not in love with anything green,leafy or yellow.The husband refuses to eat anything leafy..He gets mad at me for even garnishing food with fresh Coriander or Parsley leaves. Give it to him in a form where he can’t see the leaves, he will gobble it up.Recently,we went to a cafe for brunch and it dawned me that I am the designated salad eater of the family.The husband and the daughter,dutifully passed me the greens from their plates.

    Anyway,here’s my version of Creamed Spinach with corn:

    Creamed Spinach with corn  ( makes 2 generous servings or 3 medium serves)

    Ingredients:

    Baby Spinach leaves 200 gms

    garlic cloves- 2 nos.

    ginger- 1/2 inch piece

    green chili- 1-2 as per your liking

    Onion – 1 medium sized,finely chopped

    corned can-1

    Olive Oil -1-2 tsp

    2 tbsp cream(thick/lite-your choice)

    all spice powder- 1 tsp

    salt to taste

    Preparation:

    1.Puree’ ( spinach,garlic cloves,ginger,green chili) in the food processor.

    2.Heat a tsp of olive oil in a pan,add and fry the onion  till translucent( you can also use shallots)
    3.Add a cup of corn( I used canned corn,after draining the broth and rinsing with water)
    4.Add the spinach Puree,salt and all-spice powder.
    5.When the raw smell disappears,lower the flame and add  the cream. Serve hot.

    To give it an Indian flavor,when serving with Naan or roti,I just replace the all-spice powder with Kitchen King Masala Powder(MDH/Everest brand) and serve with rice or roti.

    USP- Quick,Nutritious and Delicious.

     

  • Non-Scale Victories.

    Image courtesy: Google images

    I first heard of this term,Non-scale Victories  or NSV, from Sraikh,I think two years ago and it didn’t make sense at that time.The first time,I heard this term..I was desperate to lose weight..and was failing miserably.I would lose some weight and then put it back on and then some and naturally…I didn’t care about NSVs..

    But, now I am older and lighter and can look at things differently. After losing huge amounts of weight,over the last 1 year,I have hit a plateau and seeing the same or similar number on the scale,week after week,is not fun.I have to be honest with you-IT HURTS! It makes me want to bang my head on the wall or throw the scales in the sea ..or worse still drown my misery in chocolate..

    This wednesday,my weekly weigh-in day was yet another such day..one where the number hadn’t changed..A pang of disappointment hit me,but before,I could fall head first in a dark place,I read these words by an amazing girl, on one of my support groups :
    Maintaining,maintaining, maintaning, YAY! And don’t forget girls, this is winter and traditionally when our bodies crave comfort food and the colder weather convinces us to stay inside on the couch rather than exercise. Let’s celebrate our resilience to see this through and look forward to Spring and the renewal of all things bright and cheerful.Amazing job girls, just remember how far we have all come…..
    And then it dawned on me.. that instead of fretting,I should be thankful..No-weight-lost is better than weight-gained(in my case!) and so I am happy to be Maintaining… Need to kick up the excercise and tighten the clean eating….but I am not fussed..all in good time.

    Now on to the NSV…In the last two days, at least 3 people have asked me what I am doing to lose weight..and these are people I meet almost everyday..at school.It makes me very happy that meeting so frequently,they noticed it..not only that,today,I found a top buried in the bottomless shelf of my cupboard..(what?it is really deep and everything gets dumped there!) So,I tried on the top and it fit like a dream…I had bought it a few months back,because it was a bargain..and it was too tight snug!!!

    And ..and ..And.. today,I wore my heels,while hanging the washing out…If you love your heels as much as I do.. and haven’t worn them comfortably for a extended period for many years,you will understand my excitement..All I can tell you is..after living in sneakers for the last 2 years.. heels are a welcome change 🙂

    So,I am excited.. I am so excited…!!!

  • Today..


    On this day,9 years ago..I got engaged to SD after 2 years of courtship..His parents chose our rings then..and this ring is the one that he gave me for our 2nd wedding anniversary and the one that I wear everyday.
    I wanted to bake this cake today.. but Princess Anzie refused to sleep..I mean absolutely refused to sleep.The kid was so sleepy since 7 PM but refused to go down till 10 PM and even then,finally drifted off when I pretended to sleep next to her!

    Dirty dishes,piled in the sink are calling out my name..But,I chose to ignore them..and instead made myself a cup of hot chocolate with full fat milk  and downed two lamington fingers with it.. After a long day of mothering…this mummy needs chocolate….

    SD was surprised when I told him that I NEED to bake a cake..that I NEED to eat cake..because I am usually the last person to reach for sweets in our home..but..after such long days, that’s the only thing I crave…He Laughed when I told him that..Whatever!!

    Alright then,I should get in bed now..

    Before I go..Here’s wishing Monika a wonderfully sweet birthday just as sweet as the yummy treats that she bakes..!Happy Birthday Mon!