January 20th, 2012 . Posted in Festivals and Holidays | No Comments »
HAPPY 63RD INDIAN REPUBLIC DAY!
I love a parade!
I love parades. In person is best. When I go to Disneyland, I never miss the light parade at the end of the day, no matter how tired the kid or my husband may be. As I kid, I sat on the curb in my neighborhood first thing on Memorial Day at the end of May and just waited for the parade to come by. Something about the flags, the marching military men, the bands, the floats, the waving politicians – it is all so fun. I’ll sit in front of the TV and watch them too: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day from New York City and the Rose Bowl parade from Pasadena that accompanies American college football are two of my favorites. So I’m excited about the Republic Day parade in New Delhi. It includes not only military presentations from all branches of the armed forces, but also cultural floats from all over the country. Winners of the National Bravery Award, children who have committed acts of bravery in saving the lives of others, ride by on elephants. More… »
January 20th, 2012 . Posted in Food Express | No Comments »
Pomegranate molasses is the new find in my kitchen! I got a bottle of it from our local middle eastern store and have been splashing it on shrimp, tofu, eggplants- anything that will marry well with it. The pomegranate syrup when combined with ginger, garlic and other spices gives the dish a very unique, tangy flavor. I recently tried an eggplant dish with pomegranate syrup- and what do you know- the kids loved it as did the grown ups! You can either pan fry the eggplant with the other ingredients or bake everything.
Eggplant with pomegranate molasses- tangy and spicy!
Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, sliced in half length-wise and then sliced thinly into 1/8 inch slices
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger More… »
January 19th, 2012 . Posted in Food Express | No Comments »
”Quinoa is the new preferred grain in our home! Why? After years of eating white rice we started experimenting with brown rice, quinoa and cracked wheat in yet another effort to loose weight and get fit! Our startling realization – we felt ravenously hungry a couple of hours after eating white rice but quinoa and brown rice in smaller portions kept our hunger at bay! Protein packed, tasty and excellent for keeping heart disease and migraines away, quinoa has made its way into our heart and kitchen. It also helps that organic quinoa is available in Costco! ” Pavitra Kandadai shares her Quinoa passion with AmaraMoms!
A yummy mango, blueberry, minty quinoa salad by Pavitra Kandadai:
This recipe is for 4 servings of salad.
Ingredients:
Quinoa – 1 cup
Water – 2 cups
Fresh Blueberries – 1 cup
Cubed ripe mangoes – 1 cup; you can also use thawed frozen mango
Cubed cantalope – 1 cup
Cubed Cucumbers – 1 cup
Dried cranberries or craisins – 1 tbsp
More… »
January 14th, 2012 . Posted in Festivals and Holidays, Food Express | No Comments »
Here’s a very easy recipe for sweet pongal. Traditionally made to celebrate the festival of Pongal in India, we enjoy this on any cold, winter day. Delicious!!
- 1/2 cup rice
- 3 tbsp split green lentil (moong dal)
- 1/2 cup grated jaggery
- 3-4 tbsp cashews
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- Pinch of saffron
- 1 cup milk
- 1-2 tbsp dried raisins
Wash the lentils and rice together and pressure cook with one cup milk and a half cup of water for 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, then cook it on the stove top till the rice and lentils are well blended. More… »
January 12th, 2012 . Posted in Festivals and Holidays | No Comments »
The next week is full of festivals that are celebrated throughout India with new clothes and clean houses, new beginnings and thanksgiving for past successes. It is harvest time!
Associated with the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, Lohri, Pongal, and Makar Sankranti are all celebrated at this time of year. These festivals are an opportunity to give thanks for the harvest of the last year and to ask for the blessings of the Sun as it returns for another year. Sure, most of us aren’t actually harvesting anything – I have a garden but even in sunny California it is pretty dead this time of year – but we all have things that have come to fruition, right? A new baby, a marriage in the family, a new job – last year’s plans have become this year’s fruit.
This is a great chance to introduce the kids to one of the most ancient, and universal, holidays in our calendar. People celebrate the Winter Solstice all over the world as the days in which Light overcomes Darkness, Good triumphs over Evil, and everyone gets some sweets. Kids understand these things. They notice that the days are getting longer, that Winter is peaking, and that somewhere in the distance, Spring is coming. That’s a reason to throw a party, no matter where you’re from.
So how do you celebrate these festivals with the kids?
1 – COOK! I’m a big believer in every celebration coming with good food. Maybe you’ve got the time and you can make the entire traditional meal of your family. Go for it! Maybe you’ve got more desire than energy – don’t worry about it. More… »
January 12th, 2012 . Posted in Food Express | No Comments »
New Year’s Resolution: Healthy Recipes: Amara Moms
Mahi Mahi with a Ginger Glaze
You will need:
• Four (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets
• Three tablespoons each of low-sodium soy sauce, honey, and balsamic vinegar
• One teaspoon of ginger powder
• One tablespoon of garlic powder
• Pam cooking spray
• Pepper and low-sodium salt to your personal taste, optional
1. Combine low-sodium soy sauce, honey, ginger, balsamic vinegar, and garlic in a bowl. Season mahi mahi fillets with salt and pepper (optional) and place them into the bowl, ensuring that all sides of the filets are saturated in the ingredients. Cover, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for twenty minutes. More… »
January 11th, 2012 . Posted in Amara Kids, Amara Moms and Dads | No Comments »
Looking for something fun to do with the kids in San Francisco, Chicago or New York in January? Here are some of the top five best ideas in each city:
San Francisco
1. Visit the historic Alcatraz by taking a tour. This is a little spooky at nighttime, but fun, as well.
2. Take a stroll across the Golden Gate Bridge—this is a must. Be sure to bundle up!
3. Enjoy a delicious a pastry on lower 24th Street in the Mission District at La Victoria Mexican Bakery.
4. Enrich your child’s mind by visiting the Children’s Center at the Main Library and checking out some terrific books.
5. Visit The Ramp on the weekend and eat scrumptious blueberry pancakes for brunch.
New York
1. Go ice-skating at Rockefeller Center or Wollman Park. The wait may be long, especially on the weekends, but it is worth it.
2. See a Broadway show. One popular choice for children is Mary Poppins, but there are some other great options at well.
3. Visit the Alice in Wonderland sculptures at Central Park, which also make for a great photo opportunity. More… »
January 11th, 2012 . Posted in Food Express | No Comments »
New Year’s Resolution: Healthy Recipes: Amara Moms
If you made a New Year’s resolution to eat healthier, one of the best ways to do so is by cooking your own meals. Here’s one great recipe that is low in calories and easy to make! Additional bonus? Molasses is a great source of iron!
INDIAN PUDDING
You will need:
• 2/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light butter
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 4 1/2 cups fat free milk
• Pam cooking spray
• One teaspoon low-sodium salt
• One teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Use Pam cooking spray to grease 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
Scald only 3 1/2 cups of fat-free milk in top of double boiler over direct heat. Take milk off heat. More… »
January 10th, 2012 . Posted in Amara Moms and Dads | No Comments »
A mom’s fresh and novel approach to making and keeping her New Year Resolutions…
“Happy New Year! You make any resolutions yet?”
That’s how my co-worker greets me when I’m putting my lunch in the communal fridge in the break room the other day. I sigh, mumble something about how I don’t really do that sort of thing, and scurry out of the room before they can give me their list of “This year I will…”
It is always the same list.
This year I will (choose one or more):
(a) Lose weight
(b) Eat better
(c) Quit smoking/drinking
(d) Spend more time with the kids
(e) Save more money
I honestly don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. Sure it is an American practice, but there are lots of “First Days of the Year,” depending on where you are, what you believe, and how you organize your time. I tried making traditional New Year’s Day Resolutions for a while. I’d stick to some of them, some of them I just pay lip service to. Some of them I’d brag about when March came around and I was still doing them, some of them I’d keep to myself whether I succeeded or failed. Most of them I’d forget completely by the time the next New Year rolled around. It all just felt like a waste of energy.
At the same time, now that I’ve got a little girl, I see that making resolutions can be a great mental exercise. More… »
