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Thoughts on the 31st December, 2007

December 31, 2007

It’s that time of the year again when we think about the year that was and the year that will be. I’m glad that this love for food blogging has sustained its second year well. There have been the recent lows due to my regular broadband connection going AWOL, and google taking a full minute to load on my standby datacard. But that’s history now. The broadband has been restored to its earlier glory and so will food blogging.

To capture all the action on Saffron Trail in 2007, I’d like to index all the recipes, category wise. The WBB round ups are all there on the left column. Saffron Trail had the honour of hosting Jihva for Ingredients in the month of July. Chillies were the chosen ingredient and the round up had 65 entries to make your mouth and eyes water!

Index of recipes blogged in 2007

Healthy Eating Living

How to snack and lose weight

Detox diets – an overview

Weekend Detox plan

Vijaya Venkat’s all natural lunch box ideas

14 ways to reduce your kitchen’s carbon footprint

Breakfast

Breakfast Pancakes

Savoury pancakes with mushrooms and onions

Poro – Parsi Omelette

Onion Rava Dosai with spicy tomato chutney

Oats for dinner

Oats and mango in a glass

Farka – a Tunisian porridge

Vattayappam – steamed rice cakes from Kerala

Vegetables

Cauliflower and fenugreek greens in spicy peanut gravy

Bhindi Masala

Potato in Tamil Brahmin cuisine

Spinach mash or Keerai Masiyal

Bottlegourd in gravy or Dudhi ki sabzi

Snakegourd with lentils

Mushroom tikkis

Kovakkai Paruppu Usili

Bittergourd in spicy gravy or Pavakkai Pitlah

Chargrilled eggplant in yoghurt

Potato wedges

Potato for pooris

Ratatouille

Instant mushroom methi currry

Cabbage curry with Bengali spices

Steamed vegetable manchurian in gravy

Thalagam – Winter vegetables Tambram style

Green beans poriyal

Soups and salads

Red Soup

Cauliflower soup

Herby tomato salad with cheese and pine nuts

Yellow lentil and raw mango salad

Gobo inspired mango salad

Breads

Whole wheat pita bread

Beet milk bread

Zaatari parathas

Poori

Rice, Pasta, Noodles, Starches

Crispy bulgur patties

Cauliflower – Spinach – Pasta casserole

Thiruvadirai Kali

Fried rice with mustard greens

Onion rice

Lentils

Black eyed peas burgers

Instant green moong curry

Sambar with freshly ground spices

Sauces, Chutneys, Dips and Pickles

Homemade Marinara sauce

Mushroom bell-pepper chutney

Tomato salsa / Instant tomato chutney

Eggplant dip and Red bean dip

Spicy yoghurt dip

Cakes, bakes, desserts

Carrot cake

Eggless beet cakes

The all Indian Strawberry Cheesecake

The easiest Brownies

Quick mango sandesh

Mango coconut icecream

Banana coconut semolina cake in 15 minutes

Seven cup cake

Cocoa ripple ring

5 minute besan laddoo

Eggless mava cake

Eggless banana cake

The most popular section week after week has been the Tamil Brahmin recipeswhere I jot down notes, taken over the phone (held between my shoulder and ear), while I’m hovering over the stove with a strong craving to eat food my genes are made up of. 2008 will see more of the rarer Tam-Bram recipes find their space on the blog. The piece written about Bhut Jholokiaalso seems to be on the top 5, at most times. This makes me wonder how many chilli obsessed people there are in the world.

Weekend Breakfast Blogging, the event started in 2006 to popularise breakfast as a meal and to get inspirations from food bloggers all around – found a different home each month from Feb 07 onwards starting with Eggs at Live to eat. The themes ranged from green leafy veggies to summer fruits, spices tooats. Breakfasts then went through Ethnic twists to leftover revivals, the most recent ones being omelettes and cornflakes.

A big vote of thanks to all the lovely hosts who spared time and effort to keep the WBB wheel moving. The event took a break in December, only to start afresh in Jan. (Watch this space!)

Here are some of my personal favourites from 2007

Black eyed peas burgers–Something so interesting from something seemingly boring

Dudhi ki sabzi– One of the best tasting zero-oil recipes ever made in our kitchen

Eggplant dip(Badenjan Dip) – Inspired from Nigella Lawson’s show

Cauliflower spinach pasta casserole –my first attempt in casserole making and we fell in love with this dish

Strawberry cheesecake – First attempt and last attempt (by the time we’d eaten all of it, there was an extra inch on our waist)

Nupur of One Hot Stove has beautifully captured the year that’s gone by and has asked fellow food bloggers to share the same – this section of my post goes to her

Plans for 2008

With the Applied Nutrition degree that will be mine in the beginning on the year, the focus will be on healthier, more nutritious food. Through the blog, I hope to share info on healthier foods, cooking techniques and nutrition fundamentals with all the health conscious folks.

The focus will also be on lesser known Indian regional cuisines. I’d love to discover newer healthy ingredients to cook with, making them more adaptable to Indian palates. Another thing on the agenda is to explore the vegetarian recipes from the cuisines of the world. I’ve also promised myself to better my photographic skills. Any pointers towards books and websites that help one do so are welcome.

A user-friendly index of recipes blogged so far is on the cards for long now. It should be up and running by end of Jan.

I’d like to thank all my readers for their continued support, the encouragement caring from friends I have made in the food blogging world and of course my husband who has been super encouraging about any wild combinations I’ve come up with or anything new I’ve made him try, never making me feel foolish about something gone wrong or not tasting that great. He’s been a huge positive influence for this blog. After all, every cook needs patient tasters right!

We’d like to wish all of you a wonderful 2008, that brings you tons of joy, love and good health and everything else you wish for.

Signing off and see you in the new year

Nandita

by Nandita Iyer 
24 Comments

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previous post: Thiruvadarai Kali and Thalagam / Eazhu Curry Koottu
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Comments

  1. Shella says: December 31, 2007 at 6:55 am

    Hey Nandita, I really enjoy going thru your blog & appreciate the efforts for healthy eating. You keep me so inspired to do that ;-)God bless & a wonderful New Year to you & yours.

    Reply
  2. Sig says: December 31, 2007 at 7:37 am

    That is a cool roundup of the year… Happy New Year sweetie, hope you won’t have to deal with all the connection issues next year!

    Reply
  3. Srivalli says: December 31, 2007 at 9:00 am

    Nice post!…looking fwd to another year of goodness…happy new year!

    Reply
  4. easycrafts says: December 31, 2007 at 12:04 pm

    Thats a very nice way of classifying ur posts..i enjoy reading ur blog..Hope to see more of you in the new year..Happy new year

    Reply
  5. Nupur says: December 31, 2007 at 1:05 pm

    Thanks for a great round-up of the year! I love your breakfast event and hope to be an enthusiastic participant in the coming year 🙂 Your tamil recipes are always much appreciated. All the best for another bright and delicious year of blogging.

    Reply
  6. Kalyn says: December 31, 2007 at 2:15 pm

    Another year of good food. I love reading about what you have coming up too!

    Reply
  7. Richa says: December 31, 2007 at 4:39 pm

    dear Nandita, Best Wishes for 2008!

    Reply
  8. Padmaja says: December 31, 2007 at 5:12 pm

    Nandita! Incredible round up and wishing you n family an amazing new year!!

    Reply
  9. Manisha says: December 31, 2007 at 5:22 pm

    Happy New Year to you and S! Looking forward to going through your favorites. The sambar with freshly ground spices is calling me first though…

    Reply
  10. Suganya says: December 31, 2007 at 5:52 pm

    Happy New Year Nandita. I am so looking forward to your nutritional Indian recipes.

    Reply
  11. Shilpa says: December 31, 2007 at 8:39 pm

    Thats a very nice round up Nandita. I loved your Tam bram series. Will look forward to more in this series.Wish you and your family a very happy and prosperous new year…

    Reply
  12. Cynthia says: January 1, 2008 at 12:34 am

    Okay, I’ve just bookmarked this.Happy new year dearest to you and your loved ones. Looking forward to your new series and posts.

    Reply
  13. Mansi says: January 1, 2008 at 1:18 am

    Hey Nandita, that a cool capture for the year:) hope you have a great 2008, and look forward to all your healthy posts:)

    Reply
  14. Siri says: January 1, 2008 at 3:09 am

    Nice way to bid adieu to 2007 Nandita. Loved the indexing part of the post…:) Have a Blissful n Joyous 2008!~ Siri

    Reply
  15. nandita says: January 1, 2008 at 6:17 am

    Hello dear friends,Wishing you all a blast of a new year…forgot to mention one thing that a proper index of recipes blogged so far is very much on the cards, and long due in fact! I may enlist the help of dear friend Sig in the process 🙂 Thanks for coming by and leaving your good wishes- we just ushered 2008 at home, with a dozen close friends – good music and tons of good food….and lots leftover for today – wont be doing much cooking! Time to list down resolutions and yes – clean up after the paaardy!!!Cya all soon!

    Reply
  16. Pooja says: January 2, 2008 at 1:50 am

    Happy new year to you too Nandita. I am lookign fwd to see your blog rocking with many new changes in it……

    Reply
  17. satya says: January 2, 2008 at 10:59 am

    Nice round up Nandita.Looking forward to see healthy recipes and tips.Wish you and your family members a very happy and prosperous new year.

    Reply
  18. Anita says: January 2, 2008 at 5:55 pm

    May 2008 bring fresh cheer to you and S…Happy New Year!

    Reply
  19. Aparna says: January 2, 2008 at 8:30 pm

    Hi NanditaI have been a regular reader of your blog..& there are times I have waited soo impatiently for your next post 🙂 I am a Tam Bram myself, so its great to read your posts and I can really relate to your descrptions about our quirks..I was wondering whether you could do something like a sample menu for the week kind of thing ..I usually cook in advance and it would be nice to know that I am making a balanced meal rather than following my cravings which make for a nutritionally lop sided menu.Thanks again for delighting me with your lovely posts and Happy New Year

    Reply
  20. Manju says: January 2, 2008 at 8:48 pm

    Happy New Year!! looking forward to those helathy recipes and cooking techniques!! 🙂

    Reply
  21. nandita says: January 3, 2008 at 11:47 am

    Shankari dear, your wishes have been accepted 🙂 Hugs!!!

    Reply
  22. Meeta K. Wolff says: January 4, 2008 at 1:52 pm

    Nandita my sweet. I wish you a prosperous and grand 2008! It’s been such a great pleasure knowing you these last (almost) 2 years. Look forward to sharing 2008 with you through your blog, emails and of course our regular and fun chats. Hugs always!

    Reply
  23. Kamini says: January 5, 2008 at 7:54 am

    Nandita,A very (belated but) happy new year to you and your family. I was awed by your list of recipes, and your unflagging dedication (whatever you might think and feel!). Now I have absolutely no excuses for not cooking delicious and healthy food. Kamini

    Reply
  24. Shantanu says: January 6, 2008 at 10:33 am

    Wish you and your loved ones a Very Happy New Year! I can see you have been a prolific food blogger in 2007; hope to see more of that this year as well. 🙂

    Reply

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