‘With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live without envy’  ~ Lope De Vega.  And now with my garden not in good shape I no longer live without envying my friend who has a sprawling garden to boast.
Some days back when she presented me a few bundles of fresh green fenugreek and a couple of veggies from her farm this is what I cooked. Just as the Khichdi recipe in the previous post there is nothing spectacular in this recipe also, it has the least ingredients and cooks quickly.

Do you have a family dish which you prefer at times when you feel lazy to cook but do not wish to compromise on comfort and health quotient? Its Khichdi for my family. A hotch potch medley of wholegrain, millet, lentils and vegetables, Khichdi is an easy &  filling one pot meal and has all the necessary ingredients of a balanced diet which could be cooked quickly without much fuss. Carbohydrates from rice (or any grain), fiber from millet, protein form lentils and vitamins & minerals from veggies make this recipe a complete meal in itself.

Khichdi is the first solid food I was fed by mom and I followed the same meticulously with both my children barring a few days of formula food. This recipe is the one I often make when I am logger heads with time or just plain lazy and need an easy, quick fix meal.

~’The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not’. ~ Mark Twain

And if you thought this is the only way out to lead a healthy-lifestyle, hold back for a few moments and read what these wondrous AFBHLS guests have to say. Yes, most of them cook lavish spreads and indulge in exotic foods yet manage to stay fit. If moderation is the key for some of the AFBHLS guests than recreational activities such as gardening, cycling and yoga does wonders for others.

AFBHLS 2012 series is starting with one another awe inspiring food blogger, Soma  from ecurry. A creative mom, an amazing photographer and a passionate cook who learnt the tricks of trade of cooking watching her mom and grandmother dishing out delectable dishes from their kitchen.

~’Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life’ ~Anonymous. Some of them add spices to make it more entertaining while the others enhance, give body and add value to the recipe of life.

Opposites attract…Hmm..yes they do in real life too. I am not a movie person and she hates on-line world, so when we meet we talk everything under the Sun except the above mentioned topics. Celebrity in South India and winner of many national awards Saranya has been a dear friend for past eight years. A passionate dress designer, wonderful cook, cleanliness freak and a dedicated mother of two, she has been one of the most treasured friends of mine. We have seen our children grow together, shared some of our most precious moments, celebrated numerous functions and still continue to guide each other through our thick and thin.

Sometimes a simple and easy recipe with a tongue twisting name can make you a winner. And when I was confused as to what to take for my weekend pot luck party, this scrumptious & cheesy Quesadilla did it for me. I used the normal cornflour (very fine variety) for the recipe here and am able to bring the taste and texture of an authentic Quesadilla to a certain extent.

If you have never used cornmeal or cornflour before I suggest you make the Tortillas with wheat flour first, as there is no gluten in cornflour which makes it difficult to handle and roll out into thin circles.. Keep reducing the quantity of wheat flour and increasing the cornflour in the recipe as you get more confident dealing with the not so friendly cornflour dough

Naan – a popular flat bread from South Asia, always reminds me of my college days in Delhi. The time I traveled quite frequently to my home during weekends and used to eagerly wait for the bus to stop at those high way Dhabas (makeshift village side eateries) for some scrumptious meal. Charcoal smoked Naans hot from Tandoor (clay oven), generously smeared with fresh butter and served with whole creamy lentils, yogurt raita and sliced onions…Mmm. Although I often make Naan at home but nothing can beat that authentic taste of charcoal infused slightly charred stuffed Naan. If only I knew that a food blog is on the anvil…I would have asked him the recipe for sure

Rajma-rice, a plateful of sliced onion in vinegar, a few books in hand, hot debate on current topics and our dinner would be over in no time. This was the regular evening routine for a bunch of close friends during the college days we spent together away from our homes in Delhi, hardly missing out on homely food. We would stop by that open Dhaba (makeshift restaurant) with a very few chairs spread under a tree and wait for our piping hot plate of Rajma-rice served by this rugged looking pot bellied man who cooked & served the same meal throughout the year. At times he served us Rajma with Naan and a dessert which looked like cooked rice in sugar syrup during festivals to make sure we remain his loyal customers. Must say that I have never been able to cook nor have eaten better tasting Rajma than that.

Certain food brings back the memories associated with it, the person who cooked it, the people we ate with, and the occasion it was cooked for. When Alicia Cowan of My Dish contacted me to write about food which makes me nostalgic, it took me a while to zero down to just one recipe! Oh yes..this Cottage cheese in exotic gravy mom prepared for almost all the parties we used to host at home is a nostalgic recipe. Though not for the flavors and the recipe itself but for the fun & frolic we had during those parties with friends. And mom was quite famous for this Paneer Jalfrzi with her hot Kulchas.Even now whenever (read rarely) I cook this recipe I make sure to call at least one childhood friend to talk about those wonderful childhood days of yesteryear.

Grilling is probably one of the best way to enjoy a whole lot of veggies which I find it difficult to use in my normal day Indian recipes. I often use cottage cheese and Tofu in many of my recipes but cherry tomatoes and colored capsicum find its place in salads only. And eating soya nuggets and raw capsicum in salads is a big ‘No’ for my children with the exception of these Kebabs which is their favorite snack.

A recent visit by a friend from a near by hill station, made me rich with piles of farm fresh mountain vegetables, yes these tender, young and juicy organic veggies are no less than a treasure. I could not control myself but to munch upon the crunchy carrots, cucumber and the lovely green pods filled with sweet little peas. One of my favorite snacks of all time I could spend hours together with a bucketful of fresh peas..press..open..pluck..plop..and repeat But alas, these veggies are a far cry in big cities, all I get here is lifeless, limp and tasteless vegetables.