Wednesday, June 4, 2014

JOMO - my best friend



Some time ago, I was writing about my experience with one of the subscription beauty boxes: My Envy Box. There was a problem with my order and, long story short, after few months it turned out they can’t deliver this particular product. Of course, they offered some options of money return and free beauty box (which I haven’t received and, honestly, I’m not expecting to).  Good thing that came out of this whole experience, was one year subscription of Elle, which I apparently won.
In the last issue, I stumbled upon an article about FOMO and JOMO, which are all the range nowadays. Fear Of Missing Out is, in short, inability to turn down any invitation or event and the need of doing “awesome” things all the time, even if one doesn’t really feel like it. It’s really taking the best of people, and, combined with social media obsession, sends me on my usual rant.



For few years now, I’ve been truly appalled by social behavior I face in everyday life. It became impossible to spend an evening with friends, without them sharing, tweeting and instagraming the whole event. Posting takes over the conversations, no meal is worth eating without letting the world know what’s on the plate, no fun is fun enough, if random acquaintances can’t instantly like it. I can’t even count the times I saw jaws drop at my refusal to make phone part of my plate setting. Why would I want to stare at the screen during a social meeting? The answer that comes to mind is: because otherwise I would be the only one not doing that.



It seems like a faded memory, but it really wasn’t so long ago, when savoir-vivre explicitly forbade switching the phone on when in company. Sometimes it makes me wonder, what the hell is wrong with people, other times, what the hell is wrong with me? Am I crossing to the other side of obsolete manners and outdated behavior?
And then JOMO came charging! Finally we are way ahead of the curve, joyfully hiding in Goa for almost a year now, missing as much as possible. Joy Of Missing Out is, in other words, getting back to the basics: enjoying the moment, company, place or activity without the need to broadcast it and without checking what everyone else is up to at the time. It is such a refreshing idea! Not to mention a relief: there is nothing wrong with ME after all! I don’t know how fast it will catch on here in India, where model of your IPhone defines who you are, but I’m crossing my fingers!

In the spirit of JOMO, I stayed off social media, organizing outdated files on my laptop, when I came across my old designs. It is so much fun to see projects form few years back! Mostly it makes me laugh or blush, but sometimes I am surprised by my own ideas. Since dreaded Delhi trip is coming closer, I couldn’t help but notice this particular one…

Thursday, May 22, 2014

muffins once more...




After short period of disenchantment, I had to admit that muffins are, after all, the perfect solution for my sweet tooth. I also discovered that I can work everything and anything into these little cups, and, incidentally, they make even the most diet friendly recipe taste good. So, muffins and me resolved our issues and I started new habit of baking small batch every morning. With half closed eyes and still in my pj’s, I make my way to the kitchen to mix light batter and pop it into the oven. While I prepare breakfast, I keep one eye on fast growing golden spheres, to have them fresh and ready right when I finish brewing coffee. Now, this is the way to start a day!




While dieting, I discovered not so much a recipe, as a way of making a perfect batch of 6 medium muffins. I use hardly any oil and little sugar so they are nearly guilt free, which is a nice bonus.
My almost scientific method: 1 cup dry ingredients to roughly 1 cup wet ingredients – depending on how liquid they are. For example if I use milk, I would make it 2/3 – ¾ cup, but if I go with greek yogurt, I use full cup.
I usually use ½ cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 3-6 tsp sugar. The rest differs almost every day. I discovered that pudding powder gives really tasty results. Otherwise I add shredded coconut, various nuts, oats, powdered muesli – anything really. Wet ingredients give even more freedom of choice. I always use 1 egg and sometimes 1 – 2 tsp oil mixed with greek yogurt, blended fruits or vegetables, juice, tea, coffee, soda…  Traditionally,  I mix wet and dry ingredients separately and then stir together with a spoon. Baking time, depending on the oven, is 15-20 min. I’m happy to report that, so far, it hasn’t failed even once.



these are just few of them:

 Apple and cinnamon:
dry: 3/4 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       4 tsp brown sugar
       2tsp cinnamon
       top the cup with almond powder
wet: 1 egg
        2tsp oil
        few drops vanilla essence
        top the cup with greek yogurt
        1 cubed apple
sprinkle with powdered sugar when cooled


Apple and oats

dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       pinch of salt
       2 tsp brown sugar 
       top the cup with oats
wet: 1 egg
       1 blended apple
       2 tsp honey
       top cup with greek yogurt

 Coconut pudding muffins
dry: 1/2 cup shredded coconut
       1 tsp baking powder
       5 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       2 tbsp of flour
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       1/2 cup greek yogurt
       1 tbsp oil
       top 3/4 cup with coconut milk
* these muffins are extremely delicate


Pudding powder muffins
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       4 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       2tsp oil
       top cup with greek yogurt
sprinkle each cupcake with dark cocoa and mix gently with chopstick, bake, cover with instant coconut milk dissolved in 2 tsp of water

 Zucchini muffins
 dry: 3/4 cup flour
      5 tsp sugar
      1 tsp baking powder
       top cup with powdered muesli
      pinch of green food colouring
wet: 1 egg
       1/2 cup blended zucchini
       few drops of lemon essence
       top cup with greek yogurt
mix, bake,when cooled cover with mascarpone mixed with lemon juice and powdered sugar


Strawberry muffins
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       4 tsp sugar
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
       pinch of food colouring
wet: 1 egg
       2tsp oil 
       few drops of vanilla essence
       top cup with greek yogurt
place strawberry inside each muffin, then bake

Blueberry lemon muffins
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       2 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       2tsp oil 
       4 tbsp blueberry jam
       top cup with greek yogurt
 bake, when cooled top with mascarpone whisked with lemon juice and powdered sugar

Blueberry muffins
dry: 1/3 cup wholewheat flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       3 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with regular flour
wet: 2 eggs
       2tbsp oil 
       top cup with greek yogurt
in muffin form drop 1 tsp of muffin batter, 1 tsp of blueberry jam and top with batter 

Orange muffins ( my absolute favorite)
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       5 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       1 tbsp oil 
       juice from 2 oranges
       top 3/4 cup with greek yogurt
 bake then sprinkle with shredded white chocolate and orange peels mixed with 2-3 tsp of orange juice

Raspberry cream cheese muffins
dry: 1 tsp baking powder
       5 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with flour
wet: 1 egg
       2tbsp oil 
       top cup with greek yogurt
 + 3 tsp cream cheese and 3tsp raspberry jam
in muffin tin drop 1 tsp batter, 1 tsp cream cheese mixed with raspberry jam and top up with batter


Raspberry muffins
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       3 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       2 tbsp raspberry jam
       top cup with greek yogurt
fill muffin tin with batter then drop 1 tsp of jam in the middle. when cooled, top with whipped cream

 Lemon, chocolate chip muffin
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       3 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       4 tbsp of lime or lemon curd
       top cup with greek yogurt
+ 1/4 cup chocolate chip
when cooled, top with whipped cream whisked with lemon juice