Don’t get me wrong, all decorated cakes that I have done are made with love. But when a dear friend asks me to make a birthday cake for a sweet 4-year-old (the second time around), I really want to make it special. They have no special conditions for the cake, just a chocolate flavor with
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Asparagus is in season! It is so lovely to see this superfood back on the shelves of my favorite grocery stores. It is a highly prized vegetable well known for its medicinal properties. Yes, it is not as cheap a vegetable as green beans, but it is truly worth the money that it is available
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March and April have been the busiest months for me, planning my kids’ birthday parties within 3 weeks of each other. My 6-year old girl demanded sunflowers in her cake. That was daunting! I had no idea how many petals were in a sunflower; what, 20? 30? But thankfully, when I used my regular daisy
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Yes, I made it! The popular kale chips that every health nut or food blogger has tried or is tempted to try. Kale is a superfood and this is truly the most delicious way to have it. Most stores now carry kale chips in the natural foods aisle. But it is so easy to make
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Almonds– one of the healthiest foods on the planet. High in mono-unsaturated fat, almonds actually lower the risk of weight gain, offers protection against diabetes, heart disease and also decreases HDL  (source: here) It is a wonderful source of micro-nutrients magnesium, copper, phosphorous, vitamin B2 and biotin. We love toasted almonds! I always get some
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Moong beans are one of the easier beans to digest and are loaded with micro-nutrients.  Sprouting makes the B-vitamins in it more available and also increase he soluble fiber content. It is also the easiest bean to sprout. Any method would work well- muslin cloth, a covered colander or a seed sprouter. A tip: A
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It was time for another birthday cake in the family, this time for my son who turned four. As you would have guessed, Winnie the Pooh is his latest favorite. This had to be a gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free cake, owing to some food restrictions. And if you know me, I try to use homemade
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Of late, I have been experimenting with my own gluten-free flour mixes. Trying to increase the whole-grain content of GF flours is a challenge, since it can lead to some compromise in taste. Finding the right balance with other flavors is important.  🙂 Disclaimer: Although I have said this is a nut-free recipe, coconut oil
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Who knew making chocolate at home was this easy? I certainly did not, till today! Having these cute little silicone baking cups only made it easier and more attractive to try it out. And I decided to try it out the healthier way, with unprocessed cocoa powder, coconut oil and lots of dried fruit and
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Tomorrow is the south-Indian festival of Karadaiyan Nonbu (or vratam in Sanskrit). A traditional festival observed by many Indian families. The women pray for the health and longevity of their husband while younger girls pray for getting a good spouse. It used to be exciting to sit with our mother and other elder ladies in
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