Here's To Healthy And Veggie-loaded Mornings!

Mornings are hectic from Monday to Friday. The breakfast is always Roti since my husband carries the same for lunch too. Roti is filling and keeps the hunger satiated for a long time. I usually resort to simple veggies that do not take much time to prepare in the mornings. Lunch is also simple during week days as most of the cooking efforts go into breakfast and sending off the kid to school.

However, on weekends, I try to prepare something special. While I am not a very good chef, I do like to try out new recipes from time to time. Some days they turn out all right and some days, there is a large scope for improvement. I try to add as many veggies as I can in my recipes. The main purpose is to make them healthy and tasty (here, I keep my fingers crossed). 

Today, for breakfast I prepared this mini moong-dal veggie Uttapam. I soaked yellow moong-dal for two to three hours and grinded it along with some red chillies, curry leaves and ginger. I added some sooji to the batter. Then I chopped some veggies: carrots, capsicum and beans. We can also add onions and garlic to the veggies. I haven't added these as it is currently the season of Mahalaya Pitripaksh wherein my husband performs the required rituals for peace of our deceased ancestors and we do not consume onions or garlic during this time. The Uttapam tastes fine even without these two.  

On a hot tawa, I poured the batter into small pancake-sized portions, topped them with the chopped veggies and cooked both sides with some oil. Voila! That's one hot, yummy and veggie-loaded Uttapam ready to be devoured! 

The saddest part for me is that my kid absolutely refuses to even try new recipes and always eats the same snacks that he is familiar with. But I hope to gently introduce him to new snacks and gradually ease him into a healthy lifestyle. So today I made a deal with him. I told him that I would prepare the normal dosa for him that he likes a lot but in turn he will have to eat atleast one Uttapam from the lot. The boy agreed and had one. Sometimes you just have to choose your battles wisely and celebrate every tiny victory!

My recipes do not turn out perfect but there is the satisfaction of having made an attempt towards healthy eating. If nothing else, then two years of pandemic have taught us that health is the greatest wealth. One can own all the money in the world but if health does not co-operate, then there is nothing to enjoy. Add in some health to your day by introducing some veggies into your recipes. It could be grated carrot over your dosa, or a veg-stuffed Idli or something like that. Every little attempt towards health and fitness will go a long way, people!

Also, today’s tip for mental well-being: Know that you are doing your best every day, say good-bye to all those self-doubts and be at peace!

And that's my cooking/reflective diary for today! I will share more recipes as and when I prepare them. Have a healthy, yummy, peace-filled and enjoyable weekend!