IamGeetha: June 2020

Summer vacation already started for kids. Happy thing is no more online school, but the worst part is we have to engage them for next 2.5 months 😨 vacation with lockdown. By evenings I take kid to park and do activities like biking, kiting, water guns, etc. On this busy time I tried to reduce my cook time, in that way I love my Instant Pot.

Today's recipe also one pot meal and its definitely family favourite, because lot of veggies we used and its easy to feed kids veggies like this. It just needs raita to finish off the bowl. Only chopping the veggies is time consuming and I do that on grocery shopping day itself, clean and cut the veggies and store in refrigerator 🙂.

Hope you will give this a try and let me know how it turns out for you.

Ingredients

Basmati Rice – cup
Onion – 1
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
Green chili - 2 slitted
Vegetables of your choice – 1 cup
Cardamom -2
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Bay leaf - 2
Salt as per taste
Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp
Water - 1.5 cups
A handful of coriander leaves
Ghee – 1 tsp

Method

Rinse and soak rice in water for 30 mins. Turn on SAUTE mode and add the coconut oil in Instant pot. Add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon stick and fry for 2 mins.
Add onion and saute it for 1 min. Add green chili and veggies, saute for 2 mins.
Add water, soaked rice, salt and ghee. Taste check here, should be more salted.
Hit CANCEL. Close the lid on the pot and turn valve from VENTING to SEALING position.
Set the pot to PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High pressure) and set timer to 5 minutes.
Do a natural pressure release, that is wait until silver button on lid drops. BE CAREFUL OF HOT STEAM.
Hit CANCEL. Open the lid, add coriander leaves and ready to serve with any gravy, for kids serve with raita.

Add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon stick

Saute onions

Add green chili and veggies, saute for 2 mins

Add water, soaked rice, salt and ghee

Open lid after natural release

Serve it hot

Ellu Podi for Idli Dosa Rice is a traditional Tamil style recipe. Black sesame works better than white sesame seeds unfortunately at my place I get only white sesame seeds. We roast all the ingredients separately and spread on a plate or a newspaper to cool down. Then grind and enjoy. I stored this up to 4 weeks shelf life, max 4 weeks we complete it 😀 never been than 4 weeks after 😜. But one of my friends store this podi in zip locks in the freezer. It stays fresh for upto 4 months in the freezer.

For picnics or trips always we go with usual rice varieties, instead you can try this for some trips. Hope you will give this a try and let me know how it turns out for you.

Ingredients

Sesame seeds - 1 cup
whole white urad dal - 1 cup
A handful of curry leaves
Red chilies - 8
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Gingelly oil - 2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Method

Heat a pan, add a teaspoon of oil and roast the sesame seeds until they are aromatic. Set aside to cool.
In the same pan add in a teaspoon of oil and add whole white urad dal. Roast until the dal turns color. Set aside to cool.
In the same pan, dry roast the cumin seeds, curry leaves and red chilies. Wait for the curry leaves to dry.
Spread all the ingredients on a news paper and let it cool completely.
Grind it along with salt and asafoetida to coarse powder. Store it in air tight container.

Roast the sesame seeds and urad dal

Dry roast all the spices

Allow it to cool completely

“Its new month with new normal.”

Hello friends! Welcome back to Iamgeetha blog. Looking for a July 2020 calendar for your planner or paste on refrigerator or place on desk. It’s a treat day for you because the 17 flower designs + 8 icecream designs of calendars for the July month that are all for free download. This time I used some canvapro photos to use. And yes, you can print and use them right away. These calendars come in different styles and format and I am pretty sure you can find that perfect calendar to use. Keep scrolling for excitement!

Below is the free printable July 2020 calendar and monthly planner for you to download!!!

There are 17 flower designs & 8 ice cream designs of Monthly July calendar available to download, summer theme for July month which always a pleasant one to use any time😉.

Download here

FLOWERS

ICECREAM

Click the below links for other planners

Calendar 2020

Feathers

Tulips

Daily / Weekly Planners

BE NICE floral

Weekly Scheduler

Eucalyptus Leaves

Modern Art

Fresh Look

Sunshine

Cherry Blossoms

Precious floral

Birthday Planners

Polka Dots

Floral

July 2020 Calendar with 17 flowers designs

This month few of them, I have created with the flowers theme. Its time to decorate our home. Hope this free calendar printable will use for you.

July 2020 Calendar with 8 ice cream designs

This month, few of them I have created with the ice cream theme for hot days. Its time to decorate our home. Hope this free calendar printable will use for you.

We have done with today printables. 17 flowers designs + 8 ice cream designs printable of July 2020 calendar designs and free planners for you! I hope you can use them and happy with your plans. Stay tuned for more printables. Don’t forget to check out our other digital paper packs. Create and enjoy!

Pin Me on Pinterest!

Do not miss this post, save it for later by pinning the image below on Pinterest! Your small help means a lot to my Blog. Thank you!

Happy printing!

"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Basil Tomato Chutney is perfectly blend with spicy and tangy. It's a great way to use up excess tomatoes from your garden, and the basil adds a whole new layer of freshness.This goes great with Idly or dosa or rice.

Hope you will give this a try and let me know how it turns out for you.

Ingredients

Tomatoes - 2
A handful of fresh basil leaves
Tamarind - small piece
Oil - 1 tbsp
Channa dal - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 6 - 8 pods
Dry Red Chili - 6 - 8
Tamarind a small piece
Salt as per taste

Method

Heat oil, fry channa dal, chillies and garlic till brown.
Add tomatoes and cook till half mushy.
Add in tamarind, salt and mix well.
Add in basil and mix well.
Cool this and grind to a paste.
Transfer to bowl and serve.

My kitchen garden

Heat oil, fry channa dal, chillies and garlic till brown

Cool this and grind to a paste

Ready to serve

Hello friends!

After few successful months, today 100th day of stay at home. I hope you’re all keeping safe and well and are too starting to see that things will get better. The pandemic changes a lot. So many changes happened on our regular daily life inside and outside the home. Today is the 20th June, 2020 - the official first day of summer here. Also the academic year also over, kids on their summer holidays. Its right time to get out to play in sand, water parks, carnivals, etc... Unfortunately this year we doesn't have any summer carnivals or water parks. Even its open also that is not advisable at this situation. We not yet completely get rid of covid.

Work outs - The walk is without a doubt the highlight of our days. Not yet the gyms opening at my place, but try to start your day with morning yoga and evening walking.

Taking kids out - Don't forget our self protective measures masks and gloves and sanitizers. We can go out like parks, beaches but no events, unnecessary travels. Until its need go out or try to avoid to go out. Allow kids to play with friends only with proper safety measures.

PC - Canva pro

Practice Social Distancing - Social distancing is minimum 6 feet (2 arms length) distance maintained between you and another person at public places. In shops, follow the strict guidelines provided by staffs. Stay out of crowded places and gatherings like concert, party because we are not getting into normal, this is new normal.

PC - Canva pro

Best days on our way - Lock-down period was the hardest part but we all come over together. This new normal is much better that lock down days. Play safer. We have a new appreciation for morning walks, the importance of keeping in touch with people, appreciating the world around us like flowers and sunrises and sunsets and a need to stay connected and together during what’s been a crazy few months. Spread positive vibes and hope the best will happen to the universe.

Avocado Dip is healthy, flavorful, delicious and yummy. Also very easy to prepare at home. Once we start to make in our kitchen, never run to stores for dip. Get avocados from your local supermarket and get creative with different flavors. I tried so many finally my family loves this recipe. Now a days the must shopping list always an avocado. When you serve for kids you mix some heavy cream or sour cream along with this dip and serve.

I am not a big fan of avocado, initially I tried with toppings for pasta, noodles, add with salads. This dip is too lovely and the best way to make kids to eat. Serve any snacks along with this dip for kids, they love it definitely. Hope you like it, do try and share your comments.

How to Serve with avocado dip with

Serve chilled with chips
Add little with any salad
Stuffings for Sandwich
Carrots
Celery
Bread sticks
Pretzel sticks

Ingredients

Ripe avocados - 2
Onion - 1
Green Chili - 3
Cilantro / Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp

Method

Cut avocados and place into a medium bowl and mash with fork and stir until creamy.
Add diced onions, green chili, Lemon juice and Salt. Stir well.

Baking is fun anytime.

Homemade Bread recipe I usually made with simple and available ingredients in the kitchen. Only challenge is you have yeast. This recipe suits well for beginner level bakers. Generally I follow the detailed recipe and it takes at least 4 hrs for bread recipe. But after few trial and errors, I come up with this easy peasy recipe.

During this lock-down time, we can't run every time to buy bread for grocery shops. At the same time we can't store more pockets because the breads have short life. I spend time max 1 hr to make and yields 2 loaves of bread. One bread loaf I used with 3 - 4 days and the second one I cover it properly and stored in freezer. I can use it on second week. If you try it once you will never go back to store bought stuff again. Baking bread at home is so fresh and they makes your house smell so heavenly. This is the best fool proof method which never fails.

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour - 4 cups
Maida - 1.5 cups
Active dry yeast - 2 packs each 7 oz
Sugar - 4 tbsp
Salt - 2 tsp
Milk - 2 cups
Oil - 1/2 cup

Method

Take a large bowl or cake mixer or food processor, add whole wheat flour, 1 cup maida, sugar, salt, yeast. Mix all together.
Add warm milk to this mix and add oil. Now start kneading the dough. Finally add 1/2 cup maid and knead well.
Grease the loaf pan and split dough into 2 equally. Place the dough in the loaf pans. Cover with dish towel for 30 mins. After 30 mins, you can see the dough double in size.
After 30 mins, place it in preheat 375 degrees F for 25 - 30 mins. My oven take approx 28 mins.
Cool down completely and cut into desired size.

Add whole wheat flour, maida, sugar, salt, yeast.

Add warm milk

Add 1/2 cup maida and start kneading

Cut into 2 half

Grease the pan and pace the dough

After 30 mins, it doubles the size

Bake for 25 - 30 mins

Allow it to cool and store it

Instant pot Beans Pasta recipe - This pasta with kidney beans is the perfect and quick meal for weeknights. It's fully protein package recipe. The best part of this recipe is you cook everything in one pot includes pasta too 😁. I derived this recipe from Mexican dish - Taco pasta with black beans recipe. I replaced the Mexican spices with our Indian spices. Pasta are always a hit with kids. It is a unique way to get your meal done with minimal work and with your favorite ingredients. It's one of the perfect dishes for potlucks, gatherings, and any family occasion.

Ingredients

Rotini / Fusilli Pasta - 1 cup
Kidney Beans dried - 1 cup
Bell pepper - 1/2 cup (Red I used in this recipe)
Green chili - 2
Onion - 1
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Crushed ginger - 1 tbsp
Crushed garlic - 1 tbsp
Indian masala - 1 tbsp
Kashmiri chili powder - 1/2 tbsp
Handful of coriander leaves
Mozzarella cheese - 1/2 cup grated
Avocado - 1
Salt as per taste
Water - 2 cups

Instructions

Soak the dry kidney beans in water for 6 - 8 hrs or overnight.
Turn on the saute button of the instant pot. Once you hear beep sound add oil, garlic, onions, pepper, soaked kidney beans, ginger, garlic, green chili, salt, chili powder and masala powder. Mix everything well and saute for a min.
Add pasta and water. Mix well and add a handful of coriander.
Close the instant pot with lid. Press the pressure cook button and set for 5 mins timer on high pressure, move the pressure valve to the sealing position.
Once cooked, manually release all the pressure. Dont wait for natural release, we don't want to overcook the pasta.
Add avocado pieces and grated cheese on top. Close with normal lid for 2 mins or until the cheese melts.
Stir it and serve hot.