Homemade Play Dough

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Homemade Play Dough is very easy and inexpensive to make at home. Play dough helps to develop motor skills in young children and also acts as a perfect medium to express their imagination and creativity. So lets get started to make it.

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Pumpkin Rice Pudding

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Pumpkin rice pudding is a simple and delicious dessert made with pumpkin and rice cooked in milk and enriched with sugar, nuts and cardamom powder.
 

Step 1: Ingredients

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1) Long Grain Rice - 2 Tbsp
2) Chopped Pumpkin - 1 Cup
3) Chopped Cashews and Raisins - 2 Tbsp
4) Milk - 1 - 1.5 Cups
5) Sugar - less than 1/3 Cup (as per taste)
6) Cardamom powder - 1/2 Tsp
7) Butter - 2 - 3 Tbsp

Step 2: Pumpkin Rice Pudding

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1) Pressure cook the chopped pumpkin with little water and mash it well.
2) Soak the rice in water for 10 minutes.
3) Place a pan on medium heat and add butter.
4) Once the butter is melted, add in the nuts and saute till they are slightly brown
5) Drain the soaked rice and crush it as much as possible using hand
6) To the same pan, add the rice and saute for few minutes.
7) Then add the milk to the pan and put it on low heat and cook till the rice is completely cooked with occasional stirring.
8) Once the rice is cooked, add the cooked and mashed pumpkin.
9) Cover the lid and cook on low heat (occasionally stirring)
10) Using a potato masher mash it up so that there will be a even texture
11) Add sugar as per taste(I used little less than 1/3 cup sugar ) and the Cardamom powder to it.
12) Add the fried nuts and garnish.
Serve hot or cold as per wish.
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Our Own Small Garden - Our Key to Real Togetherness !

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Nobody teaches or lives as an example for togetherness like “the Nature”. A plant/tree is perfect example as it needs to bring together the earth, water, sunlight, worms, bees while it grows.We all know about this but I would like to share an event that made my little princess to learn that the plants do not just exist, they live and teach us too.

One day at her KG class, teacher was teaching about the germination process and the importance of water, sunlight, dirt for the plant growth. At the end of the class the teacher gave black bean seeds to all the students and asked them to grow it at home.

That evening my daughter asked me to plant it in our little backyard. To be true that will be the first time we are planting something in our backyard.

Planting the seed

My daughter was so eager to plant the seed that evening so she could not even wait for her father to come back home from office, she called him and asked to buy planting tools and asked him to come home early that evening. I was very happy to see her all excited.

That evening, my husband came home early with tools as our daughter asked. After a long time we all had a good evening time together with tea and rusk, then my husband cleared some place in the corner of our backward for the new plant.

We all together went and my husband dug a little place for the plant and while digging, my daughter asked many questions why is the earth wet ? how are the worms living under the ground? will the seed die ? and many many more. She also gave lot of information that she learned in the school like plants need water and sunlight to grow and it drinks water with roots. Her father was all happy to spend time with our daughter and I was very proud to hear my little princess talk. My husband shared his childhood memories when his father used to take him to fields to shown how the crops (rice) are grown. It was a memorable time we spent together.

Watching it Grow !!

After we planted the seed, we totally forgot except our daughter, she goes and checks the seed daily before going to school and ask us when the plant will grow. we thought it was not going to happen but told her that it will take some time and it is good to feed the plant daily. One morning, my daughter was shouting with excitement and she literally dragged me and my husband to the backyard and said 'Ta Da'. Our seed sprouted!!! Seeing the small sprout gave me a special feeling that I have not felt for a long time and later I heard from my husband that he also had experienced the same feeling - "feeling of life ". Then we realized that the nature is conveying us that love, caring and being together is the basis of living.

why not a Small Garden?



That weekend, I asked my husband to take us to a nearby nursery to buy some flowering plants, vegetable seeds so that we could have a garden in our backyard. My daughter and my husband were so much excited and we went for shopping immediately. After shopping, we went home happily and planted all that we had brought that evening without realizing that we have not watched any TV or checked face book page or browsed any website. It was a whole day activity and at the end of the day we felt too tired, so had a dinner together near our backyard watching the plants and the star filled sky. It was very much relaxing.

Togetherness is the Fruit :)

From that day, every evening myself, my daughter and husband spend some time checking the plants and pruning it and then have our dinner at our backyard. Soon all the plants started to flower and all the seed started sprouting , without our knowledge our family as really came together and were spending some quality time and also teaching our daughter about staying together.


No wonder why we call it ‘Mother Nature’!!!!


Discover the joy of real togetherness with Kissan !!!
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Naturally Colored Sprinkles

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Naturally Colored Sprinkles are made from scratch using the colors extracted from vegetables like BeetrootsCarrotsSpinach and Red Cabbage without using any artificial ingredients, dyes or raw egg.

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Glitter Painted T-Shirts

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Designing our own T-Shirts is fun and exciting. My daughter was super excited to paint her shirts. She prefers every item of her's to be shiny. So this time I'm painting it with Glitter Fabric paint. Its very simple and you can make pretty fast.
In this post, I will show how to paint on a fabric with stencil and without stencil using the masking tape.

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Whole Wheat Veggie Crackers

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Whole wheat veggie crackers are crispy and crunchy snack made with whole wheat flour, seasoned with sesame seed, flax seeds,salt and fresh veggies. It is easy to make, quick to cook and healthy to eat snack.
Preparation Time : 10 min
Baking Time : 15 - 20 min

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Mint Lassi

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Mint Lassi




Lassi is a cooling and refreshing drink to have in the summers. It is a yogurt based drink and very popular in the northern parts of India. Lassis are either sweet or savory.
Savory/Salt Lassi is made by churning yogurt along with salt, roasted ground cumin, ginger juice and mint leaves.

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Crayon Wax Pendant

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In the Crayon Wax Pendant, polymer clay is used as base of the pendant. Different color Crayons are grated and filled in the design carved in the pendant and then baked. Finally coat with a clear nail polish to finish.

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Chicken Pasta Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing

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A simple, healthy, tasty pasta salad with butter roasted chicken and a lot of crunchy garden fresh vegetables tossed in a light creamy yogurt dressing seasoned with Italian herbs is a refreshing salad that is craved for in the summer time.

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Paleo Tandoori Chicken and a Coconut Cream Dip

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Tandoori Chicken is one of the famous Indian appetizer and a snack. In this post, I would like to show an easy and simple method of preparing Paleo tandoori chicken using fresh spices and coconut milk with a coconut cream dip.

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Easy Homemade Clarified Butter (Ghee)

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Easy Homemade Clarified Butter (Ghee) is used in most of the Indian food preparations because of its taste and aroma. It has healthy saturated fat unlike many of the vegetable oils found in the market and hence it is also healthy to eat. In this post, I would like to show you how to prepare a simple easy homemade clarified butter with the texture as the store bought one. Prepare and enjoy!!!
 
 

Step 1: Ingredients

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1) Unsalted Butter - 454 grams
2) Water - 2 Tsp
 
 

Step 2: Points to be Noted (Important)

1) Use a clean and dry heavy bottom pan and spatula.
2) Either refrigerated butter or room temperature butter can be used. Room temperature butter melts faster.
3) Clean and dry air tight container is needed for storage. Preferably glass container.
4) Use clean and dry spoon to use/spread the clarified butter to avoid contamination.
4) Fine Mesh filter is required to filter the clarified butter.
5) Filter it as soon the clarified butter is formed. Don't allow it to rest in the pan the clarified butter is made as it becomes difficult to filter the milk solids once it starts to solidify.
6) Don't close the jar after filtering the hot clarified butter as water droplets will be formed on the lid which will contaminate the clarified butter.
7) Clarified butter can be stored in your kitchen cabinet (away from light, not on the counter) for up to 3 months.
8) When made in large quantity, place the clarified butter(lid tightly closed) into the refrigerator and can be used up to an year.
 
 

Step 3: Making Clarified Butter

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1) Place a heavy bottom pan on medium heat and add the unsalted butter to it.
2) Once the butter starts melting keep on stirring so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan or burn.
3) Initially there will be a milky layer formed on the top of the melted butter. (that is when the melted butter is starting to boil)
4) Keep on stirring continuously the boiling butter, still having it on medium heat till it changes from a milky texture to golden color translucent liquid. There will be some milk solids formed at the bottom.
5) Then reduce the heat from medium to low.When the sizzling in the translucent liquid stops then sprinkle 2 -3 Tsp water in it.(This is done to obtain a grainy texture of the clarified butter as the store bought one. If you require a soft texture then don't add water)
6) Once the sizzling caused by adding water stops then filter the clarified butter and store in the glass container. (don't close the jar lid till it cools down )
7) Allow it to rest undisturbed for 10-12 hours or overnight for it to solidify.
Clarified Butter / Ghee is ready !
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Roasted Garlic Olive Oil Spread

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Roasted Garlic Olive Oil Spread is fluffy and spreadable straight from the refrigerator. It is made by whipping Olive oil and Butter in equal proportions along with Roasted Garlic. It is a simple, delicious and easy to make spread without compromising the taste of butter. Try It you will Love it :)

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Happy Moments with Buddy Parenting

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I got married and after couple of years, a beautiful angel came into my life as my daughter. All of the sudden I became responsible. Taking care of her was first on the priority list. I felt myself to be as a protector, guarding her all the time . Too much pressuring me as well her. Out of all the words I used to her, "NO" was the most. "Don't touch the puppy it will harm you!" ,"Don't lift that you will get hurt ", "Don't Do that","Don't Do this". She used to stand and stare at me. Seeing all this, one day my husband told me to stop being hard on her and let loose, she is a just kid. In the name of "Protection" I was not giving her the freedom which she deserved as a child. "Do u want to be a mom like this ? This is how you want to teach her ? was your mom like this ?" recollect your childhood and then decide what to do.  I felt depressed when I realized what I was doing. These words from him made me think the whole night about my childhood days.

While growing up I had a lot of full filled moments and happy childhood memories. I shared a special bond with my mother. We used to walk back from school along with my friends and their moms. There used to be a swing on a tree in front my friend's house. Everyday after school or whenever I pass by that place my mother will definitely allow me swing. Once when we crossed that place it was raining heavily, still my mother allowed me to swing even in that weather. I slipped and got hurt, both me and my mom fell sick and dad was mad. I thought this is it swing is done. Few days passed, we did not get a chance to go that way. Later one day, me and my mother were passing by the swing. I looked at the swing but did not ask for it after all that happened. My mom stopped few steps after crossing the swing, took me back and made me swing. That moment I was overjoyed, hugged my mother tight and came back home all smiling and excited. Many times I had fallen from that swing and hesitated to swing due to fear of falling but my mother never let me stop. That was my first swing and lovely memory of my childhood.

From then on I started to let loose on her but not completely. It was very difficult to change immediately. I spoke to my mother, all she had to say was "I lived my childhood again  with you and your brother and waiting to live it again with my grand kids :)" With support from my family I slowly changed and time passed by happily. Me and my daughter had many happy moments together. I let her spill,  later she started to clean up with me. I let play in sand , pet a puppy, jumping in a muddy puddle, face paint herself and  now she learned to keep her clean and safe after having fun. She understood "Mommy wants her to have Fun being Safe"(Riding a roller coaster with the safety belts on) I understood "Make the child learn the way she wants it. Everybody Learns Differently"

Now she calls me her BFF (Best Friend Forever) which makes me immensely happy. There was a moment when I learnt from her. One day when my daughter asked me why was I sad?  I told her "unknowing I hurt my friend and she is mad at me now and not talking to me" My daughter told "Just talk to your friend and don't forget to use the 3 Golden Words (Please,Sorry, Thank you) she will definitely forgive you" I was very much surprised and happy to see my little girl talking so mature and clear.  Now very happy that my daughter and myself are having many ‘Khushi Ke Pal’  this would have not happened without Buddy Parenting.


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Just Homemade: Rainbow Fruit Popsicles

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Rainbow Fruit Popsicle is very HealthyColorful and Delicious treat for the summer. Its an easy to make recipe and the Fresh Fruits makes it more refreshing. Best Beat the Heat Treat !!! and is loved by ALL :)

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Just Homemade: Crash Diet vs Balanced Diet

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Losing weight and shaping the body is the emerging trend now a days and that too very fast in a week's time.  The Crash diet that they follow are terribly shocking to know. Crash diets rarely work because we try to fool the body, but the body doesn’t buy it. Rapid weight loss diets invariably fail because they are metabolically unsound and often unsafe.

A Known  Story:
One day Crash and Balanced thought of running a race and started running towards the finish line, Crash was so fast it ran like a lightning and Balanced was slow and was almost walking. Half way through, Crash got tired and thought of taking rest under a shade and dozed off while Balanced was slow and steady and finally wins the race.

Moral: Crash is fast and weak but Balanced is slow and strong

Above might sound like a hare and tortoise kindergarten story but I would like to share a real life incident that happened few years back for my friend who was about to get married in couple of months

Meet my friend
She is a chubby (that is what we call her), beautiful, composed and a fun loving girl. Her marriage was fixed and somebody commented that she is looking fat than her would be. She felt bad and thought of losing weight in couple of weeks before marriage in order to surprise everyone.

The Diet Mission
After many hours search, Internet suggested her to go for crash diet and even showed her before and after picture. She got may different diet plans online but decided to go on a fruit and vegetable crash diet (How do I know all this, I will tell you at the end of this post). She decided not to reveal the plan until she has successfully reached her goal.

During The Mission
For few days in the office we noticed that she was only eating fruits for lunch when asked she said she is not having the craving (we even teased her saying while in love you won't feel like eating). After a week,
*  Angry bird - She was loosing her temper for small things and getting angry for nothing
* Less Productive - She was unable to think or work for longer time. She always looked tired and she started complaining that she has lot of work to do
* Always munching - Even in the meetings she started to eat fruits which was strange and others started to feel uncomfortable
* Sick leaves - She started to take leaves regularly and her leaves started to elapse

Mission Aborted
My friend was on a sick leave for couple of days and we thought it is normal until we got a call from her mother saying that she was admitted in the hospital and doctor has advised her to be in bed rest for couple more days. I went to see her in the hospital and I was welcomed by my friend with a cry and tight hug. I was worried for her and bit surprised too. I consoled her and asked what is going on to which she said something that shocked me "Crash Diet "

Doctors Report
I was really shocked when I heard she was on a crash diet (eating only fruits) but the more shocking news was the doctors report that said
* Her neural system got affected due to lack on metabolism (Reason for her to be angry bird)
* Her fat was burnt and muscles started to work more which makes her tired (Reason for less productivity)
* Not enough strength due to sudden reduction of food intake (Reason for her to be always hungry)
* Her body has lost the essential nutrients like protein, fiber, Vitamins and minerals (Reason for getting sick regularly as the immune system become weaker)

Doctor even told that if this was continued for few more weeks it might have caused serious issues to her body and mind.

Happy Ending
Finally friends and family convinced her and told her we all love her the way she is. She promised that she is not going to continue it anymore.

On my way back home, I was thanking myself and my parents for following a balanced food habit and regular health check-ups that has the following benefits

Weight Control - Eating right and exercising can help us avoid excess weight gain
Immune System health - Healthy eating habit increases the health of our natural immune power
Heart Health - Good balanced diet will reduce the bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol
Keep us active - Healthy body will make healthy mind. Healthy diet keeps us active
and much more..


Conclusion
Till this day, I did not realize what was I blessed with.  Based on my experience, Instead of eating lot unhealthy food and then trying to control using a crash diet we can control the consumption of unhealthy food and follow balanced diet and stay healthy for a long time.

I have been having Dabur Honey since my childhood till now and would like to carry on this lovely product to future generations. Honey Diet helps in achieving a balanced diet.



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