Eating healthy...

Believe me! I wasn't one who read the labels on cartons to see fat content or carb content until recently. I was perfectly happy eating a big bowl of sweetened cereal with whole milk and not feel an ounce guilty about it. I gradually put on weight which took me into the overweight category in BMI. That sent out the alarm because I never thought I'd be in that category. So now came the effort to bring down the weight and once I started reading articles about diets, glycemic index, carbs etc, I realized what a blunder I have been doing all these years. Well, its better to be late than never isnt it?

These days I do look out for low sugar/no sugar, low carb/no carb alternatives and also look for sugar, fat and cholestrol content in labels. I don't want to be too obsessive about it because I prefer to indulge once in a while, but it helps to watch what you eat.

Nagercoil, Thailand, Korea - Sounds weird?

Don't be puzzled as to how Nagercoil, Thailand and Korea can co-exist in a header together. Well, that's just a glimpse of my culinary interests that I hope to share with you and have a discussion.

I love to eat. Sorry. Take it back. I live to eat. It would be true if I said that I spend more than 50% of my internet time on recipes. Earlier it used to be recipe websites. But Blogs have opened it up much more that these days I go mostly to blogs (I plan to add links to my most frequently visited blogs soon) to plan my everyday dinner. Or just to drool. I love cooking pretty much any type of cuisine ..or atleast I try...I frequent the cookbook section in the library as well. There's nothing like a page-by-page treat of the world cuisines at your fingertips..

Over the years I've had my phases with different cuisines...Though I can safely say that topping the list would be Thai and Korean. I don't think I have refused to eat either of these citing mood. I am ALWAYS in the mood. Soon to come some of my favorite Korean and Thai recipes.

I come from Nagercoil which is in TamilNadu India. Bordering Kerala and TamilNadu, we enjoy a unique cuisine (and a unique accent as well!). There are influences of both Kerala and TamilNadu cuisine in ours. Being a coastal town I grew up eating a lot of fish and the love affair still continues. I intend to share some recipes specific to Nagercoil as well.

Stay tuned..

My cup of mystery!

I am a BIG Agatha Christie fan! Having run out of Christie books, I even pick up books that have won Agatha awards...Nothing gives me more pleasure than winding up with a Christie book on a rainy afternoon with a nice cuppa! My idea of a perfect afternoon. I am planning to add to this post my favorite Agatha Christie books/plays and why. Is it just me or other fans read the same mystery several times over and still be enchanted by it?

I love flowers....

And everything that goes with it....even if it means wearing a cap under the scorching sun and start puttering about in the soil, and waiting eagerly to see the first shoots. Nothing excites me more than when a plant considered dead comes back alive. I guess I got my gardening genes from my dad who proudly owns a beautiful garden back in India. When he says he's grown pretty much every vegetable, I'd say he's very close. He even tried grapes to a successful extent!

I am an avid fan of English gardens. I associate flowers with beautiful smells and nothing comes close to English gardens when it comes to sweet smelling flowers. And of course the weather helps.I watch British TV for the gardens (and of course the quaint villages and their vicars and the afternoon teas!)

In due course I also plan to publish pictures of my modest patio-top garden and spoils over the years. Ciao!

My South Beach Diet journey and Indian food

About 15 years back I used to think that I am blessed for life with a slim body and I dont have to worry about picking the right cut or right fit and that most dresses fit me well. And so it was for a few more years. Much to the admonishment of my friends, I used to down bowls of ice-cream(didn't have much of a sweet tooth then - so not many sweets) and would worry about how to put on a little more weight. I come from the Southern part of India where beauty gravitates towards a chubbier you. And then came the crisis. I put on a lot of weight as a result of some tablets I had to take for a few weeks. Unfortunately what came, stayed. But I was still below my 30s and so without much effort, a bit of exercise, I lost most of it.

And then the 30s hit. Its been uphill even though in terms of the quality of life is said to be downhill. Recently a friend suggested South Beach Diet and I reluctantly started on it. I'm a firm believer in Providence! Some may call it co-incidence and others may call it pure luck. But, it so happened that I came across a blog I often visit for recipes and read about this blogger's experience with South Beach Diet and that clinched it for me. Today I am completing 2 weeks of South Beach Diet(Phase 1) and I can't wait to spread the good word!

Travelling is a passion!

I love to travel. Period. Over the years, I've been to a few countries and every trip has its own merits! I am always on the lookout for good travel deals because a trip well planned and well executed always adds that extra satisfaction. It will be a while but I plan to add trip details and places I loved during those trips here to share. I welcome comments and tips because I'd love to hear from you of your experiences as well