Christmas Gift Guide: Books

In my last post I covered Homemade Gift ideas for Christmas. Something you can create with your kids or just yourself. Today I thought I would complement Shaheen's post and offer a few ideas on children's books and cookbooks.

I would love your feedback on this. If any of you already have one of these books let us know what you think of it. It might help others make a better decision.


Picture Books For Lil Ones

This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt; pictures by R.G. Roth (US$16, ages 3 to 7)

"This jazz man, he plays one, he plays rhythm with his thumb, with a Snap! Snap! Snazzy-Snap! Give the man a hand, this jazz man scats with the band."
Using this jazzy version of the old "This Old Man" rhyme The jazz Man introduces a famous ensemble of African-American jazz musicians as it counts to nine. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to name two, joyfully jam for the kiddies and illustrations give clues to the performers, and the end matter has a biographical sketch for each one. It has won three honors including the Nick Jr. Book of the Year for Children.
This will appeal most to preschoolers and kindergarteners.

G Is For Gzonk!" An Alpha-number-bet Bookby Tony DiTerlizzi (US$16.95, ages 5 to 7)

DiTerlizzi's Dr.Seuss will amuse and surprise as he invents imaginary animals to illustrate as he describes a "silly dilly take on abc". Among all the laughs you will have with your kids, the will be exposed to colors, numbers and letters. A great a fun way to engage the creative mind and help them learn. One of my faves for Soeren.


Our 50 States by by Lynne Cheney, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser (US$ 17.95, ages 4-8)

After America: A Patriotic Primer and A Is for Abigail, both Cheney and Preiss Glasser have compiled what in my opinion is their best yet. It is a story of a family who journey across the 50 states. Each page is a filled with colorful illustrations depicting the past and present. There are memorable song lyrics, historical data and famous landmarks are visited. Something that will have the kids glued to the sofa for hours.



Cookbooks

The Silver Spoon by Phaidon Press.

For fans of the Italian cuisine. A revised treasure of over 2,000 recipes, it is a true culinary bible that has been finally translated into English. Folks, this one is on my wishlist too! It contains everything from sauces, pastas, antipasti and sweet dishes.


Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme by Dorie Greenspan.

Another one on my own wishlist. Dorie Greenspan has compiled a divine chocolate desserts by the best pastry chef in the world, Pierre Herme. The recipe collection are compiled for the normal kitchen so even people like you and me can have a go at making some of these sensual creations. The photographs in this book are incredible. There are fantastic recipes for dacquoise, macroons and chocolate rice pudding. I have to stop here otherwise I will drool all over my notebook.
LOL!

King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking: Delicious Recipes Using Nutritious Whole Grains by King Arthur Flour

A 600 page baking bible for the health conscious with easy to follow recipes. A book with scrumptious recipes like brownies, flaky croissants and muffins all made with whole grain flour.


Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver.

Jamie shows his Italian soul in this book. He tours through Italy and collects awesome recipes from all over the country. Lovely photographs and candidly written. My current fave in my kitchen.

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Last but not least - a book that has made me find a new liking for baking. Easy to follow and written by Dorie Greenspan in a way you feel as if she was right there next to you in the kitchen. I love this book and have tried out a few recipes here and here. This cannot be missed out on. If you are interested in getting your hands on this book I am offering it as a prize for the Menu For Hope III auction.
Do something good - donate some money for a good cause and get your hands on this book.


You will also find several other great gift ideas on Chez Pim's campaign wesite. By bidding on any of the several prizes offered, you will also be helping some of the millions that desperately require every bit of support.

Please help us support Menu For Hope III by donationg generously.

Thank you!


This Post was written by Meeta from What's For Lunch, Honey?

Lighting Up Faces Before Lights Off

My son and we have a very simple sleep routine. It started when he was a baby and we read books to him to calm him down and get him ready for bed. He loved it and still goes to sleep just like that after a couple of books read to him (or now read with him as he has started reading). I know those of you who have a sleep rebel on their hands are envious and all I can say each to his/her own methods of calming down. Stick to a routine and they have something familiar to fall back on every day whether its a bath or a song or a book.

So now he has a bigger collection of books than we have and along with him, we too enjoy the variations and subtle jokes in the children’s books. Some of them remind us of our childhood when we were not so proper and were way too rambunctious for our parents. The books speak of experiences gently while entertaining at the same time. This time I am going to introduce you to three of our favorites. You may already be familiar with them but if you are not, welcome aboard.

A book we love to read at bedtime is “Sometimes I like to curl up in a ball” By Vicki Churchill. It is a sweet story of a wombat (Australian marsupials) who plays around the whole day but as night falls yearns for the comfort of his mother’s side. It has spectacular illustrations and makes you want to read it again and again. A comfort book.

The other favorite is DK First Encyclopedia which is packed with clear, well-researched information and quizzes for curious minds. Lively photographic design makes it especially appealing for children ages 4 and up and starts them off on the whole encyclopedia journey. The information is given in bite-sized key points and fact buttons in keeping with the junior minds and the material is similar to what is discussed in school.

The third book or rather magazine we love is “Zoobooks”, a monthly subscription magazine focusing on one type of animal. It has eye popping illustrations, educational diagrams and entertaining photos. Each book is a keeper as a future reference. It introduces ideas such as endangered animals, while describing an animal and its habits and habitats. It is a wonderful gift to give an inquisitive kid.

Do let me know which is your and your kid's favorite book. I could add more to my library too and we could make a best loved list by age group.

For Your Info: From December 11 to December 22 Meeta will be hosting a prize for the Menu For Hope III fundraiser. It would be great if the Daily Tiffin readers help raise money for this special cause by bidding on the surprise prize. Every penny you bid will be sent to the United Nations World Food Programme. In return you will be able to get your hands on a special prize. Many of us are taking part and you will find more details here.

This Post was written by Shaheen from Malabar Spices.

Musical beginnings and a tiffin from leftovers

February has so far been a music filled month. We had the One Tree Music Festival in Mumbai (Bombay) on 2nd-4th Feb with an incredible line up of rock and blues. Day 1 was Alan Parson's Live Project, Day 2 - Walter Trout and the radicals, Day 3 - The one and only Buddy Guy. Are you guys swooning at our good luck? True blue music lovers can read reviews of Day 1 and 2 here.

Continuing with the musical month, we attended this absolutely ethereal concert yesterday at NCPA . Ustad Zakir Hussain on the tabla and Ustad Sultan Khan on the sarangi, along with his budding genius of a son. The concert was from 7-9.30pm, by the end of which I was transported to another planet. Anyone who has heard both these musicians live will swear by it. I had kept dinner ready by afternoon, preparing for the fact that we'd be home late. But as luck would have it, a group of us went straight from the concert to Mondegar's Cafe in Colaba which is a 5 minute ride. Being the lady in the sari etc, I stuck to wine while my buddies guzzled the beer.

Tiffin this morning was no hassle at all, with all the leftovers from yesterday.

List of left-overs

Atta for the rotis (Indian bread)
A vegetable spread
A spring onion dry curry with chickpea flour (Inspired by Nupur's Cabbage Zunka)

I got them out of the refrigerator when I woke up this morning. All I had to do was assemble them into a delicious quesadilla kinda tiffin.


The whole wheat flour dough (atta) was rolled out into Shaheen style Kerala porotta without the oil brushings though, about 4" in diameter and 1/4" thick. The vegetable spread was then generously patted on one side of the parathas which were then layered with the 'zunka'. I folded them in half and voila - tiffin ready.

Was this balanced, you may ask! Carbs from the bread, veggie dose from the spread, greens from the spring onions zunka and protein from the chick pea flour in the zunka made it perfectly balanced. Another small box for a spiced up yogurt dip and it doesn't get yummier than that!

You can do the same thing for your kids. The veggie spread is a great substitute to mayo or readymade sandwich spreads once in a while. It also lets you sneak in some veggies in a way they really cannot find out. You may ofcourse reduce the chillies to make it more kid friendly. You could also roll them into frankies instead of folded semicircles to secure the stuffing in a better way. Pita pockets are very kid friendly as in the stuffing cannot drop out from below as kiddies are busy trying to chew a bit off the top.

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This Post was written by Nandita from Saffron Trail

Fruits and Vegetables In The Tiffin.

We have all heard it in the past few posts but let me reiterate it. It is important to have at least 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. It provides us with
nutrients vital for our health and the maintenance of our body.
Growing Kids especially need a source of calcium for their growing bones as well as healthy sources of proteins, either from fish, poultry, eggs, and meat, or from plant sources. These foods give them the vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients they need to build high-quality bodies. Do go through this very interesting article of what foods children need.
Fruits are easy to sneak into each meal. If they are visible, we tend to eat them as a snack, as dessert or as appetisers. How the family eats decides how the kids view fruits and vegetables. Food habits are set during the growing years. Set a good example for children by eating fruit everyday with meals or as snacks.


Here are Some Tips of Increasing Fruit Intake:
1. Offer kids a choice of fruits for lunch.
2. Depending on their age, kids can help shop for, clean, peel, or cut up fruits.
3. While shopping, allow kids to pick out a fruit to try later at home.
4. Top off a bowl of cereal with some cut up bananas, or dried raisins, cranberries etc.
5. Pack a bottle of water in children’s lunches versus soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages.
6. Choose fruit options, such as sliced peaches, mixed fruit cup, or dried fruits such as apricots as snacks.
7. Cut different fruits and mix with vanilla ice cream for a healthy dessert.
8. Add fruits to the salads if the kids approve of it.

Now how to increase vegetables in their diet?
Most of the time, dinner will have at least one or two vegetable items and my son eats it without complaint. Mixed with all the food or as salads at the dinner table, vegetables are a must everyday.


But how to send it to school?
Kids can get picky about what they like and dislike in their food.
In our house, Carrots sticks and Broccoli with ranch dressing for dipping is a favorite as is Avacado cut up with cheese slices. But nutrient rich bell peppers are a no-no. So I hide vegetables and resort to trickery to vary the vegetable intake.

Chicken Patties or Kababs are one such thing he loves without a clue of what's inside. I make the kababs with chicken, red or any other color peppers, carrots and cilantro. A good serving of vegetables hidden inside a patty. When it is so minced up, the sweetness comes through but the chicken flavor dominates.

How to Make it:
Take one chicken breast, wash and dry it thoroughly with paper towels. No water should remain. Cut it into cubes and keep aside. Chop one quarter of a bell pepper, half a carrot, one green chili(if you like it spicy), a small handful of cilantro and scallions in a chopper till coarse. Now add the chicken cubes to the chopper and let it pulse 3-4 times till the chicken looks minced.
Empty into a plate, add salt to taste, 1/2 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tbsp olive oil. Combine all together and make small balls or patties. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray or brush with oil. Spread the patties on it.
Heat the oven in broiler setting(direct flame)and place the tray under the flame. Cook for about 6-7 minutes on each side and then spray with oil to get the crisp crust. Watch carefully as it nears completion of cooking time.
Serve in the tiffin with Ketchup on the side or in a roll with a slice of Avacado, cheese and ketchup.

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: blogmeeta@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

This Post was written by Shaheen from Malabar Spices.

Show Me Your Lunchbox

A simple lunch box that was made in a hurry. Just a bagel(a kind of thick bread) with flavored cream cheese and some strawberries and grapes. A box of chocolate milk and some string cheese for a snack and lunch is ready. My son still prefers this to buying from the school and even helps me make it on a harried day.
The cream cheese varies in flavor as per our moods..sweet to spicy to sour.
The recipe for the flavored cream cheese ( walnut and raisin)is described here.

The fruit of the day is a addition to my tiffin posts to highlight one fruit that you may or may not be familiar with and should be there in your child's diet.


Fruit of the day:A kiwi cut up in a small container stays well and provides the daily requirement of Vitamin C. It is a sweetly sour fruit which is best eaten cold, scooped straight out of the shell. It has a unique green color which makes you think it is unripe but the sweetness comes as a surprise.

The kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is a large, woody, deciduous vine native to the Yangtze Valley of China. Seeds from China were taken to New Zealand and planted in 1906. Plants developing from these seeds first fruited in 1910. Commercial planting began in New Zealand in about 1940 and by 1970 there were 900 acres. Commercial planting in California began in the late 1960s.

How to choose a Kiwi:
When selecting kiwifruits, hold them between your thumb and forefinger and gently apply pressure; those that have the sweetest taste will yield gently to pressure. Avoid those that are very soft, shriveled or have bruised or damp spots. Kiwis are usually available throughout most of the year.

Store unripe fruit at room temperature until the skin indents slightly when touched. It normally takes 3 to 5 days to ripen kiwis at room temperature. Ripe kiwis can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Place them in a plastic bag to help reduce moisture loss.


Recipes: 1. Cut up a ripe kiwi and sprinkle with sugar to tame the tartness.
2. Cut up some along with other fruits in a fruit salad with ice cream.
3. Try them in a spicy salad with salad greens, green apples, goat cheese, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette.
4. Make a kiwi milk shake for a change. Just blend a 1 kiwi with half a scoop of vanilla ice cream, 1 cup milk and 2-3 tsp of sugar. It is a sweet shake chokeful of calcium and vitamin c.
I recently found a fruit and nut mix at the grocery store which had dried kiwis. They were an amazing blend of fruit candy. It is high in sugar as the drying concentrates the natural sugars but also concentrates the flavors which is endearing.
Do try a kiwi today if you haven't already.

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: blogmeeta@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.


This Post was written by Shaheen from Malabar Spices..

Getting Kids Into The Kitchen.

Now that the holiday season is over, how many of you sighed in relief as the last cookie disappeared? Wished your kids ate all the yummy stuff you made? How to get the kids to eat healthy and help at home? Good habits also begins at home. Kids are like sponges; they absorb all the nuances and eccentricities of the family around them. Of course, you do have a lot of kids who are absolutely disconnected from the world of food and nothing can entice them into foodie rhapsodies.
But for the majority, how did mac n cheese and chicken nuggets become the food of choice?

Before reading further, let me warn that these are not fool proof tips and are just things that work with my son. Each one of you knows your kid the best, so adapt these suggestions to their likes and dislikes.

Involve the kids in the kitchen. If you let them help around (and make a mess) in the kitchen, chances are they will be curious about what they are eating and will pretty soon have suggestions too.

If they are between 5-7, let them do anything that doesn’t involve the fire and the knife. They can start with salads…tear salad leaves, wash tomatoes, peel carrots, cucumbers and even mix dressing after you have poured everything into a bottle.

They should touch, feel, smell and taste the different foods with its variations. If you are stuck shopping with them, ask for their help to read out the grocery lists and to find the items. It is a game that keeps them occupied as they scan through the multitude of products. Just take care they don’t pull things out of the line and collapse the display.

Other than the fun while cooking, it imbibes a sense of responsibility in the kids. It is the onset of getting them involved in the multitude of chores in a family.

My son is my official peeler and brownie mixer. He reads the instructions and takes out the milk, number of eggs needed and I pour all the ingredients into the mixing bowl. He slowly combines it and when its gets sticky, I take over. If there is some music while we mix, we dance too! It is a team effort and later when we sit down after endless peeping at the oven, with a fresh warm slice of brownie, the feeling of companionship is priceless. Why relegate family cooking to just cookies at the holidays?

We have only one rule in the kitchen. Whatever you help to make, you have to eat it or at least taste it even if it looks funny. Green Eggs and Ham, We say! Green Eggs and Ham was first published in 1960. I love the underlying premise of the story...The plot revolves around Sam-I-am's efforts to get his friend to try "green eggs and ham".

......You may like them.
You will see.
You may like them
in a tree?

Not in a tree.
I would not, could not in a tree.
Not in a car! You let me be.

I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox
I do not like them in a house......




Of course by the end of the poem, Sam-I-am had made his friend try the green eggs and ham. Don't you wish all our kids would try new stuff without hesitation?
So the next time you are getting dinner ready, request their involvement and suggestions. It takes time and the change would not happen in a day so have patience.

This Post was written by Shaheen from Malabar Spices.

A Couple of Lunchboxes.

A few lunchboxes of the varying combinations of the same old sandwich and parantha and my little one is showing signs of weariness. So we tried and found successful a couple of new lunchboxes. The idea is to make something easy, healthy and yet delicious. Since we are a spice loving family (my husband is slowly defecting to the sweeter side), we made french toast with salt, pepper and chives or oregano and cut it up into bite sized pieces. Very easy and tastes good even when it is cold.

Just mix one egg with 3-4 tbsp milk, a pinch of salt, pepper and any herbs of your choice. Heat a pan with 1 tsp of oil and cut 2 slices of bread into halves. Dunk each slice into the egg mix and take it out and slide into the pan. Fry on low heat for a minute on each side. Add a little more oil to evenly crisp it up. Drain onto paper towels and cut into pieces.
A couple of oranges, peeled and ready to eat and lunch is ready.
Grown Up Version: I add chopped onions and green chilies to the egg mix and then make the toast( with less oil) for a spicy bite.



The other lunchbox was a bunch of washed and dried grapes nestled between a wrap. What's inside? A spread of cream cheese and hotsauce,
(0r herbed cream cheese) a couple of lettuce leaves, shredded grilled or fried(leftover) chicken, cheddar cheese shavings all laid out and rolled up. Try your variation of your favorite flavors...a bit of creaminess, a bit of spice, some protein and some leaves. I have to keep trying different combinations on my son till he likes some and then we stick to it.

To finish off, lets hear about some variations that you do and I shall add it to this post. This is an open forum and I hope not to sound like a monologue, but that's only possible if you all respond and help me out. So do leave your comments, good or bad and have a nice day.

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: blogmeeta@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

This Post was written by Shaheen from Malabar Spices..

Adults have to eat too!!

Packing kiddie lunches are fun in a twisted kind of way.. it takes imagination to think up something that their finicky selves will like and is yet nutritious. Each day the lunch box comes back empty is a pat on the back. And each day it comes back untouched( not very frequently now) is to be marked and pondered on. So its a relief to pack an adult lunch, adding spices and veggies liberally, without worrying if the combination will be appreciated (and tolerated) or not. So some days I decide to pack lunch for my self or my better half and then its time for all the easy breezy recipes to come into play.
If not leftovers, what then? It has to be a one dish recipe taking up not more than 10-15 minutes of my precious morning time or late night time( when I would rather be watching a movie). Fried rice is one such versatile dish and when made at home, so nutritious and easy. No more of the greasy rice from the fast food places which has made it synonmous with stale food. Its rather a delicate cooked rice just tossed for a minute with vegetables and seasoned while hot. You could add shrimp, chicken or egg to add protein to it and its a complete meal.

Egg Fried Rice:

Cooked Rice- 2 cup
Carrots/Peas-1/4 cup
Green chilies-1 finely chopped
Cilantro- 1/4 cups finely chopped
Scallions/ Green Onion-1/2 cup very finely shredded
Bean sprouts-1 cup (Optional)
Light Soy sauce-2 tablespoons
Garlic clove --1 finely chopped
Black pepper- 1/2 tsp
Salt-1/2 tsp or to taste
Beaten Egg-1 or 2
Oil- 2 1/2tbsp

Cut all the vegetables very finely into small cubes of almost the same size. The vegetables and spices have to be all cut up and handy before you fire up the pan. Keep aside some of the green stems of the scallions for garnish.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a non stick pan and scramble the beaten egg till cooked. Keep aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large shallow pan or wok and add all the vegetables and garlic. Stir fry for about 2-4 minutes. Add the rice and mix thoroughly. Add the salt, pepper and soy sauce, stir thoroughly and check seasoning. Add the cooked egg, bean sprouts,the chopped green stems of the scallions and the cilantro. Remove from heat and let it cool before packing into lunch boxes. This one was made in the morning and hurriedly photographed before packing it.

Another Lunch

Another common lunch packed for my little one is ravioli. I keep store bought ready made raviolis (yes, I don't make them) with chicken and cheese filling, and cook them as needed. 4-5 pieces is the most he can eat. After cooking them in water and draining, I season them with a bit of olive oil heated with oregano or thyme, a pinch of nutmeg, red pepper flakes or pepper, garlic powder and salt. It adds flavor and tastes good even when it is cold. Add strawberries, a brownie slice,milk and carrots or any other vegetables and fruits of choice.

Well now that we are going into the holiday season, everybody must be excited and looking forward to the vacation ahead. So Happy Holidays and hope everyone gets at least a couple of good memories from all the holiday events. Enjoy!!! As Calvin says the day begins when school ends.

This Post was written by Shaheen from Malabar Spices.

Tiffins and Stories Of An Indian in American Schools.

Recently I started paying more attention to my son's lunch box, not entirely out of passion, but out of neccessity. What began as a "OMG,what shall I give him today?" is slowly capturing his and my imagination and becoming simpler and more streamlined.

One of my biggest challenges is a strange one. My little one who eats all my spicy, rustic, traditional and non traditional food at home is shy when he goes to school. I have been gathering all the excuses he gives for bringing back an untouched tiffin. It was gooey, sticky, it didn't taste right, the others made fun of the smell (Indian spices),it was not spicy enough, it was too spicy,I forgot to pack the fork, it was cold (he likes it hot) and so on. My friend said these were similar to the main charater's experiences in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". The kids want to just blend in and not attract any attention. And if the kid is shy, then its peanut butter and jelly sandwich only. Blending in should not mean blanding in.

So now we made a list of possibilities and a list of no-nos. Rice with curry is out , but fried rice or pulav is ok. Sandwiches, two slices of bread with anything squished in between still rules the menu. Now you would think why doesn't he eat from the cafeteria. He doesn't want to and I didn't insist for now as the menu there was nothing great. Maybe later when I get busier, I will change my mind. Maybe as he grows older, he won't like mommy food anymore. So I am enjoying the attention for now.

This is what a typical lunch would look like now. Some store bought stuff, some home made. If I make cakes or snacks, that gets packed instead or else it back to his favourite junk(as he calls it). That’s a cream cheese and strawberry preserves(jam/jelly) untoasted sandwich, a pork free breakfast chicken links cut and spiced with pepper flakes, an orange(peeled), a yogurt box, couple of chocolate chip cookies, and water. Yep, he drinks water, doesn’t like juice and since is anyway loaded with sugar (36 gm-equals 7 tsps), its better. Milk is an ongoing battle which I shall tell you later.

Another popular lunch is Paratha..stuffed flatbread. Good for me as it takes care of veggies and carbs at one go and can be eaten cold. I remember paratha being my favourite lunch item too. This box has Potato-fenugreek leaves (Alu-Methi)paratha, cream cheese for dipping, A twisted cheese snack, chocolate milk, red globe grapes washed and dried and chocolate chip cookies. Believe me, the lunch box comes back clean.
Some essentials I now love:
Tiny ziplock snack bags, tiny containers, a divided lunch box, Foil, and good plastic wrap. All these fit neatly into an insulated lunch bag and prevents leakage.
I love the look of the laptop lunch box, with all its divided containers fitting in so well, but have yet to get one. One of these days.. Thats all for this week. Do leave a comment and let me know your suggestions and experiences.


This Post was written by Shaheen from Malabar Spices.