What's Spring Got To Do With It.. .....

Beaming ,we welcome Spring with it’s pleasant atmosphere and bountiful resources  and all the goodness that comes with it. As much as we look forward to the warm cool breeze and the pleasant feeling we all experience and associate with this season, we must also admit that it brings along all kinds of  flu symptoms that we  are not at all  pleased about.Children tend to fall sick quite often during Spring .When school reopens after the short Spring break , various kinds of viruses  that are prevalent, spread as fast as lightening during this period.Even  children, who experience a mild form of flu  become lethargic and loose their will to study play or eat.  When their appetite is lost everything and everyone around them  becomes panicky and tends to go berserk.This applies, specially  to my home…..

I try all kinds of home remedies to keep them from falling too sick.Since they wouldn’t even look at their plate of food.I get them to eat some alternatives like soups.They actually don’t mind eating a bowl of soup, with a few pieces of veggies floating,than  the rice and curry, Besides soups are very healthy and are known to prevent several flu related health problems.They are great rejuvenators. I make soup from scratch, with a few vegetables,chicken ,herbs and some mild spices.Even though soup made from instant packets are not healthy ,they taste good.So every now and then I make soup, using ready made mix,but give it a home touch ,by adding some extra flavourings.

Soup made from scratch-Chicken and  a few veggies

Soup made from scratch –with vegetables

Instant soup with a home made touch

Handling A Vegetarian

When children are  little, it is the duty of us, as  parents (especially the mother) to see that the children  eat appropriate food at appropriate times.As parents, we often  try to get  the best food across to our children.And on a regular basis,cook healthy meals and feed it to our young off springs. If they didn’t eat to full ,we go to the extent of  supplementing  them with extras, in the form of vitamin syrups.

Most children  at this young  age become very fastidious over food and wouldn’t even think of eating anything new that the mother introduces .By the time they reach  the  adolescent years, they will have the independence of following their own eating habits. At this stage they may have preferences between healthy and unhealthy foods.

If your children show an interest in fruits and vegetables.Be sure to make  dishes using their favourite fruits and vegetables.Each day try to make a different dish. Sometimes they wouldn’t like the same taste of food that is being laid on the table.Often children take hold of whatever they see in the refrigerator when they are hungry, so have slices of fruits and a bowl of salad made  with their favourite vegetables.Try keeping the healthiest food easily accessible.

There are times when they crave for  junk food ..And that’s when the war begins  at the table.Don’t prohibit junk food all at once .It’s all right  if they eat it once in a way.You can help your children limit  junk food as much as possible. And as they start growing they will freely have their choice of food too.

I have a daughter who didn’t quite like the taste of fish,chicken or beef  right from  her toddler years.and I used to think that  it was just a passing phase and didn’t try to coerce her into eating meat.But then a few years later,when she  was about  seven  she started to relish my meat dishes.However one day, while we were having cooked beef curry for dinner, she suddenly prompted where meat came from. And when I said from the cow, she hurriedly left the table, her plate untouched, and innocently said, “Eww…gross  ! A cow dish!’.And ever since, she has not eaten anything that has meat in it. 

She’s fourteen  now and a vegetarian, Being a vegetarian necessarily doesn’t mean she' s eating all the vegetables that I make..She is picky too.! She mostly loves to eat an unbalanced vegetarian diet which consists of fried food and  potatoes.She intensely dislikes when the vegetables are cooked  in the usual type, curried vegetables with gravy, which is commonly prepared in a typical Sri Lankan home.Now I have adapted a different mode of cooking  vegetable dishes just for her.After a lot of convincing,she has started to eat the baked variety.I try my best to see that her diet is nutritionally adequate and healthful. I have been  trying to supplement her with all kinds of everything.  So far I have not succeeded in my many attempts to make her change her mind  to eat meat again .But I guess my tactics are not working anymore.

                       My daughter’s favourite-cauliflower,carrots and zucchini

                        The veggies baked with tomato paste and  mild spices

The Goodness Of Centella ( Gotu Kola) Leaves

Centella,  which is commonly known as Gotu kola, is used as a leafy green in Sri Lankan cuisine The Fresh  leaves can be eaten raw as a salad. It grows well in damp places like marshlands, swamps, and paddy fields. It only takes a couple of months for the crops to be fully grown . It is commonly believed  that eating a few leaves of  Gotu kola every day will "reinforce and rejuvenate exhausted bodies and brains. In Sri Lanka, the  Gotu kola  leaves are crushed  and made into a hot beverage or eaten as a salad ,which is the most  common type of consumption . A  nutritious porridge known as ‘Kola Kenda’ is also made with Gotu Kola.

Recently, I introduced Gotu kola leaves to my children.I was a bit hesitant at the start ,thinking they wouldn’t like the somewhat bitter taste, but they proved me wrong.They really relished it. My mother always made a spicy  salad  out of  Gotu Kola leaves  and  with her gastronomic know-how  used to   draw  out the  tanginess  in the leaves  with the extra flavorings she added.But as my children do not really eat the spicy stuff.I tried out an entirely  different one. Which was of course very much closer to a regular salad. As this was the first time they were trying this salad ,I cut a few slices of cucumber and lined it around the plate ,to convince them that ‘gotu kola’ was indeed a kind of salad. This is delectable when  eaten with plain white rice, chicken/beef/fish curry and with other curried vegetables.

Method-Pick the  Gotu kola  leaves off the stem  and  wash thoroughly in running water.Finely chop the leaves and add  chopped onions,  green chilly, salt to taste and a little lemon /lime juice. Mix well.

You can also add more spice and  flavoring to get that extra zing.Sparingly add to the above, red chilly flakes, coarsely ground maldive fish and scrapped coconut . 

Food Addictives And Allergies

A few years back, it was distressing for my husband and I, to see our younger daughter fall sick, every time she ate some of her favourite food. She would either start coughing; a nagging cough which would linger for sometime or she would get itchy red bumps on her arms, sometimes on her face, (later I learnt the red bumps were hives.). We were clueless as to why she got them constantly.

After many visits to the hospital we learnt that it was due to an allergic reaction, but was not certain what triggered the “hives” on her. The thought of this, gave us many sleepless nights and constant worries, until one day our very own Sri Lankan Doctor, a paediatrician, who was attached to a reputed facility in Saudi Arabia, who on learning of our daughter’s condition helped us identify the root cause of her allergy. She was vulnerable  not only to certain foods like coloured candies and coloured drinks, but also to the strong smell of perfume, washing powder, bleach etc, all, with a considerable amount of additive compounds in them. Gradually, with much cajoling, we made her stop eating her favourite titbits like the multi coloured candies, chocolate chips and the luminous coloured drinks. After following the doctor's advice and guidelines, we saw a vast improvement in our daughter’s health. He helped us to keep a food diary and note carefully for any adverse reactions whenever she ate food. In the case of a sensitivity being identified, the practice was to eliminate all suspected foods from the diet and then reintroduce them one by one, to see which additive (or additives) caused the reaction. This was done under the supervision of this good-hearted doctor, whom we are ever grateful to. With the invaluable information on food allergies/additives, which my husband and I acquired, each time we accompanied our daughter, during the fortnightly visits to the doctor, we have become more selective in the choice of food we consume.

 Our distressing nightmare maybe over, but with four growing children and their immune system  different from one another, I sometimes  get the creeps to think,  what if , one of them  goes through that agony again.

( - This is an excerpt from my published article- )

What Is Acidity?

Though some may not have a deep understanding about it, they probably may know someone  who  experience it. Most likely you must have  heard of acidity. What is acidity - those who have not experienced it  may wonder . Acidity  takes place when there is an  excess secretion of  gastric acid in your body, leaving you with  a burning sensation in your throat or a bitter and sour  taste in your mouth.This is a condition that affects the digestive system. However, this  is an uncomplicated problem that could go out of control when you ignore it. There are many causes for the acidity levels to elevate in your body. Stress could be defined as one of the main cause to aggravate the situation. However, high intake of fatty and spicy food,refined and fibres foods, overeating and eating hurriedly ,could further lift the acidity levels in your body .It is also known that excessive intake of caffeine  helps to build up  the acid in the body. Other causes that intentify the acid level may be due to pregnancy,aging,anxiety and obesity .During my pregnancies, I experienced heartburn. And I was advised to eat and drink a lot of cooling food. Eating banana,watermelon and cucumber gives instant  relief . On the other hand, altering   erratic meal times and bad eating habits help prevent acid reflux.  In any case, consult your doctor  if symptoms persists.

Here are some home remedies to ease the acidity.

Chew a few basil leaves.Repeat every hour till the acidity subsides

A common remedy is to drink coconut water.Drink this 3-4 times a day.

Have plenty of milk and milk products.A cold glass of  milk or a cup of ice-cream could be taken for instant relief.

Fresh mint juice prevents  acid reflux.Water controls the acidity.Drink water with a teaspoon of honey every morning.

Drink herbal tea.

Take lots of cumin seed and ginger- boiled in water.

Eat meals in small quantity and do not gulp the food .

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Birthday Bash

Remember,I was cake hunting and wanted it to be a surprise for my son’s seventh birthday.And Guess what! Who do you think came to my rescue ! 
Spider -Man of course!

                                                A  birthday surprise 

                                                His favourite snacks

I made his all time favourites : Tuna and potato cutlet , cheese mini toast and rainbow sandwiches.  I used ,carrots,beetroot and lettuce to get the colour in the sandwich.  After the wishes,kisses and blowing off the candles, when it was time to cut the cake, my son quickly  whispered, ‘Please Mom ! don’t cut SpiderMan’. So keeping spider-man intact, we enjoyed the rest of the cake.

For refreshments- I made Faluda, a milkshake with rose syrup and condensed milk , with scoops of vanilla ice cream for extra flavour.  

There’s No Party , But Still..

As if he read my mind, my soon- to- be- seven- year- old son said to me ‘Mom please don’t make the same kind of  cake  for my birthday this time too'. Well , what was I supposed to do after he said that! Obviously, I had to start looking for a new cake recipe .I am a bit concerned because there isn’t much  time left for a trial. In actual fact, for weeks it was on the preparation agenda , to bake the same simple chocolate cake that I have been making for the last few years, for all of my children’s birthdays . When I told my husband about the cake dilemma, He solved the problem in a jiffy.He suggested  to get a cake made by a  professional.Now why didn’t I think of that before?  After an exchange of discussions , we have now decided to go for the  specialist’s touch. I still haven’t told the rest of my children as we want to give our son ,the birthday boy, a surprise. He is a great fan of cartoons. Almost certainly we will get it designed accordingly. I am also planning to make some of his favourite hor d’oeuvres. I wish I could surprise him with a big party, but unfortunately I cannot at this juncture , as my oldest daughter’s grade 12 th board exams are going on and I would’nt  want to disrupt the studying atmosphere at home. I am sure our youngest wouldn’t mind when he sees his little surprise.