DAY 109 - CHOCOLATE PIZZA

And so everytime I look at my kids I just thank God for them, thank him for giving me a new lease of life.
For giving me a chance to relive my childhood again ofcourse with a lot more responsibilities..
I love kids..
Though not all though..
I'm not mother Theresa after all.

But what I love most about them , is that they will always tell you like it is, until you teach them otherwise.
If you want to know the truth about anything ask a child.
Only if you really want the truth.

And how many of us really are ready to hear the truth about ourselves.
Well I'm putting up my hand first...
Of course we all want to be liked ,  loved and appreciated.
But do we do the same.
Are we able to put our biases and judgemental beings aside and appreciate someone for exactly who she is..
No it's really difficult...

And so I think ...
(And I think a lot sometimes) ha ha ha
That if we can tap into our inner child , and ask her how she is feeling , she will tell you the truth..
She will tell you that , you may probably be doing it all right , but are actually all wrong.

Children to me are our greatest teachers.
They eat when they are hungry, sleep when they are tired , protest when their toys are being taken over , and throw huge tantrums when they want their way and can't have it ..
Not very different from us adults !
But we as adults have learnt how to mask what we feel, say what we don't mean , and our actions mostly do not match our words!
And we call that "Social etiquette " ..
How messed up are we ..ha ha ha

So if we can try and keep it simple, I think our lives would be less complicated.
Please do say no , when you don't want to be part of something!
Say yes , when you want to .
And don't let your ego get in the way of  love.
Give the tightest hugs..
Say I love you , when you mean it..
Say I miss if , because you really do !
Smile a lot, it could make someone's day .
And sing in the bathroom ,if you do not have a voice like "Pink"..

But live ..
As fully and joyously as you did when you were little..
When the most you had to worry about, is whether , Santa is going to get you what you wrote to him about..

There seems to be a huge lacuna between what we want to do in life and what we do!
And that mostly because , no life does not follow our plans..
But plans are constantly running around in mixed up circles , by the life we lead.

Can we step back just for a little while..
Like today ...
And look at the moon, while you are travelling back home, and believe he is following you , because you are special, just like you used to , when you were little..
And believed in all things good and magical..
There is no magic , unless you believe...

And so today I would like to share with you a recipe , that I conjured up in my kitchen..
Pizza dough , chocolate and marshmallows..
Nothing fancy or gourmet about it ..

http://youtu.be/tzgK93ahi78

But the combination "Magical"..
Try it..
And write back to me only after you watch the moon following you home..
Speak to that little child who lives deep inside you ..
Ask her how she is doing..
Look after her..
Tell her that it will all be fine..
Tell her that she needs to always walk ahead with a smile and the world will smile back ..
Tell her that it's ok to love someone to bits..
And that her heart will also smash to smithereens..
But it's only like what Rumi said..
It's from here that the light enters through..
Tell her it's ok to laugh like a cackling witch and it's also ok to cry buckets..
It's ok to believe that not everyone is as bad or as good as the next ..
And it's ok to just walk alone..
To sit under a tree, and fall asleep without an intelligent book in her hand..
It's all right to not know all the right answers..

But it's not ok to
Not dream
To stop loving
To stop trusting
To give up ...

We have just this one life ..
And so many choices..

So let's live like little kids..
Open Pandora's box..
Make mistakes..
Fall..
Get bruised and run again...

Ok I need to stop ..
I need to just bite into the gooey, melting slice of goodness in my hand..
And share this with all of you ..

This is for you, for me , for us , for all the kids , and to the child in each and everyone of us..that sometimes just needs to chase butterflies..
With tons of hugs from "Maria's Kitchen "

DAY 108 - LACCHA PARATHA...

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I feel in life it's very easy for us to ignore the ordinary and run after all , what we deem special, that's just human nature.
But it is only through the most simple things in life that greatness is achieved.

Like we all started with crawling, before we could walk and run..
We needed to learn the alphabet , before we could write or read..

And the one thing I have learned is that we need to learn how to forgive before we can love..

Love is quite a leveller in life.
One minute you are soaring through the clouds and the other you may just be unable to get up from your bed ..
What we need to be like..
Is like , "whole wheat flour"..
Yeah , common , to say the least , so easy to find in any shop and so easy to use ..
But can change form and shape and be a friend to almost any kind of food..
This does not mean it has no depth, it just means it is well adjusted, and sure of who it is..

It's amazing how much you learn about life from food..
I learnt that , you should not starve, eat everything you like in the right proportion , and indulge yourself when you feel like..

And do not ignore the little stuff..
Drink enough of water everyday.
Eat at least 2 fruits, 2 raw vegetable and eat your Roti and rice..
No the gluten from your roti and the sugar from your rice won't kill you ..

And yes, our parents and grand-parents, never used the word "Diet" ...
They ate everything and worked hard, and that's why , we need to heed their words of wisdom.

Today I'm going to share something with you , that's so basic that every one should learn to make it, so incase you are in a situation , where you need to fend for yourself, you can at least make yourself some wholesome, hot "Roti"

http://youtu.be/uaeKPL3HNjY

I never knew how to make rotis , till a few years ago, and everytime my mom said we need to learn , we laughed at her, my sister and me.

But, Boss, at the end of the day, do you want to rely on help for something so basic..
I think you should all go try this, it simple fun and a good activity to do with friends and family..
Nothing bonds people like cooking together..
And for those who pray, well praying together..

Something so basic ..
That completely satiates you ..
Can I make a perfectly round roti...
NO, NOT AT ALL...
But that's not the end of the world..
Can you make , "Pansette de Gerzat"????

Ha ha ha I'm sure you are wondering what that is ...
Well just want to tell you, whatever it is neither can I , I just googled it , ha ha ha

But we can all try and live life , with our basics in place ..
Pray ( or don't) , love ( or don't) , eat ( or starve)
Frankly to each her own..

So as I take a bite of this beautiful crunchy "Laccha paratha," loaded with ghee also known as clarified butter..
I'm filled with a warmth and happiness about the fact that only simple things actually do permeate your soul..
With much love from "Maria's Kitchen"...