Switching to Organic food - Not so fast .. or easy!

A video is worth a million words..

After realizing that even Greek Yogurt is now Corn starch instead of Milk we tried to switch to Organic waffles and real maple syrup instead of the corn (GMO?) rich waffles and Aunt Jemina Corn syrup (which a lot of FB posters said was GMO corn based).. Day 1 was a struggle and we pretty much said "ok.. tomorrow is another day!"

Day 2 was captured in video. They are soooo hooked to the taste and sweetness of the corn syrup that it is not easy for them to switch to something healthy. 

I ended up eating the organic waffles for the last two weeks and it was okay. Yes, it tastes different and it is definitely not as appealing (as in, wants you to keep eating more!) but it did make for a decent breakfast and once I went to work, the feeling that I was still hungy was gone. 

This has nothing to do with affordability of the food. It has to do with additiveness of the food. Think this "bliss point" thing is a real deal!

For now, we are back to Aunt Jemina with 50% of the quantity they used to have before. 

Chakli aka Mullu Murukku (முள்ளு முறுக்கு)- do it yourself

We buy the Chakli (which goes by Mullu Murukku  முள்ளு முறுக்கு in Tamil) from the local desi stores. However there is one problem. It has sesame seeds in it. Everyone loves it including daddy who pretty much is restricted to eating a small piece for taste. 

So every now and then we make it at home with cumin seeds substituting for sesame seeds to give it a slightly different flavor!

Yesterday we had mom away from the house for a few hours and that was the perfect time to launch into the Chakli project with the kids. They pretty much did everything except the frying part. In a few years they will do that also. 

Two hopes as this video is posted

1. Folks who see it use it to make hot chakli 

2. some day Jr. and the little one play this back and make it with their kids (who knows if I will be around to watch that?! at least the video is there to remind them of good times.)

It is not expensive to make. Just time consuming. The end result is great! 

We also made a few bhajjis after the chakli was done to use up the oil that was still left. 

It has been a busy January with work, thoughts of work, a more regular Yoga practice and trying to catch up on sleep. 

Now Feb is flying by! It is almost Valentines day! Should make something special for my babies on Valentines day..

Snake Gourd Kootu (புடலங்காய் கூட்டு)

Snake Gourd (புடலங்காய்) is one of our favorite veggies. However finding it in the US desi grocery stores is very rare. It is very seasonal and we are lucky if we get it here for a few months and getting good quality snake gourd .. we usually give up. 

So San comes back home from Indian store with a surprise for me. Great quality புடலங்காய்! Since pepper kootu is my eminent domain, she asked I make the kootu. Told her will do it on condition that it will be videoblogged.

The little one forced herself into the picture by being videographer. After some point mommy took over the camera..

Making the kootu is the easy part. Finding the vegetable is the hard part!

Hope the video is of help to folks who are trying to make milagu kootu with Pudalangaai..

Leaf review

A short video that pretty much explains the driving experience so far..

Very quiet drive in a small car. 

So far have gotten used to knowing all local distances so the whole "what if we just end up with a dead battery somehwere?" phobia is gone.. for everyone in the family.

We are also keeping to approximately 50 miles or less a day. 

The kids love the ride and San is slowly tempted to at least go Hybrid...

So, in short, the Leaf has done its job!

Jr. figures it out

Jr. has been playing with the Alto Sax, trying to figure out the Carnatic music scales on the instrument. She saw so many kids perform instrument solos at the Navarathri Golu festival and saw it was an easier alternative to singing everywhere. 

Started with renewed vigor today and she did it! (There was no school today and that meant boredom at home. At least the time was used a little constructively for figuring this out!)

Next year at the Golus... Jr. might be playing a Tamil song on the Alto Sax. Can't wait to see that!