“Try the dual flavor vanilla & chocolate cereal or this new variety of cereal in the shape of Planet & stars…and this one….” Phew..shopping for children’ food could be  so distracting than compelling due to endless choices in the same. These myriad choices do make life easy for busy moms with almost no cooking, quick & fuss free breakfast options in the market. But in the bargain I feel we loose on the natural and healthier foods and food products which were available a few years back.

Cereal was certainly not our bowl of breakfast in the growing years during late 60s and early 70’s. And then when plain cornflakes was first introduced in India it became a fashion statement and was welcomed with open hearts in many homes.

There are times when I prefer & rely more on my ‘quick fixes’ in cooking over the original recipes. The handy ‘quick fixes’ I invented for my convenience during the last 20 years in my kitchen are easy and more fun do with whatever is available at that particular day in my kitchen. And this Cocoa Brownie is one such recipe when I run out of chocolates…well, not exactly run out, but am raided of…want to know how?

Cozy family weekend when everyone crave for a scrumptious dessert and there is no signs of the chocolate bars I hide in refrigerator for a surprise Sunday dessert. Yes, this happens quite often at home, my two naughty pirates never get tired of raiding my refrigerator of all that is ‘Chocolate‘..chocltae chips, chocolate sprinkles and even the dark unsweetened chocolate cooking bars!

~’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.

A sugar free Date Brownie…at the time when you wish no one talked about diet and all that you need is to indulge & make merry! Oh yes, even I am gearing up for my festive baking, eagerly waiting to share my goodies with friends. This recipe  was there in my mind for long and I just thought of sharing it for the year before I take a plunge with you into my sinful indulgences

If marriages are made in heaven so are prized friendships! This post of mine reinforced my belief in the said statement, with some cherished friends in my booty Want to know more…well this is how it happened. A good blogger friend Nelly is getting married across the country and I wish I could organize a virtual party for her.

Conceptualizing the Virtual Party; I do organize real time parties quite often for large gatherings but an on-line party…well, have never done anything like this before. I was a bit apprehensive organizing a virtual party with fellow food bloggers within a short period of time. DM’s to a few Tweeples were sent and I was overwhelmed to see all of them responding positively to this idea. We made a small group and started exchanging mails sharing our views about the whole concept.

Rain and water logging outside the house means no play and no friends coming home, only a hearty dessert can bring cheers to the dull faces of my children. A dessert in which I can engage them to bake minus the mess I might face as aftermath. Hmm..a muffin or a cookie look easy to bake but then sifting the flour, kneading, perfect consistency…nope, forget it. Bread Pudding…yes it could give them a false feeling of baking something without much fuss. Easy and literally a child’s play recipe, nothing beats a warm bread pudding on a rainy day, a perfect comfort food for any time.

And as expected they wanted chocolate in their recipe and added cocoa to their bread pudding. The chocolate custard bread pudding you see in the picture is assembled and baked by my children, I have to admit that I did polish off half of the Ramekin from their share

A slice of rich & dark Brownie is a delight for any chocolate lover, be it a gooey, chewy, fudgy or cakey brownie you just cannot stop with one. I like sticky and gooey brownies with loads of nuts in it, more better if it has some fruit or veggie hidden in it. Brownie is probably the easiest to make as against baking a cake, bread or any other goody. No waiting time needed for that intimidating yeast to work and flexing muscles for kneading the elastic dough, just mix it and bake it and you are in for a sinful treat. The treat is to celebrate Lite Bite being featured on Yummly today.

There are some recipes which never make to my wish list, Croissant being one among them. Tons of layers of butter and white flour simply does not motivate me to try these baked goodies at home. And we often end up in buying the same off the shelves from a nearby bakery for my children who love these crisp bakes. I almost brushed off this month’s Daring Bakers challenge aside when I saw Croissants on it, but thanks to Sarah who prompted me to bake them at home with her easy recipe presentation.

Celebrations never end in India, just when I thought that the hectic months of festivals are over, Diwali is round the corner. Time to indulge in sweets and savories again. I love to make sweets which are easy to prepare without compromising on good taste, my time & of course health. And I am planning to bake cookies or goodies which are light on sugar and oil instead of making those time consuming traditional Indian sweets this festive season.

‘Count your blessings’ …Oh yes, have been doing the same quite often since I started my blog. One such blessing is the countless foodie friends I get to connect through Lite Bite and other social medias on line. We have a good time sharing our passion for food, exchange recipes, discuss personal developments, point out mistakes, rectify them and grow together. The generous support that most of the bloggers shower for each other is commendable.