Homegrown Bananas

Nothing beats the joy of growing your own produce. These are the two big bunches of homegrown bananas and yet many more to come.

We planted our banana tree few years ago and since then it’s giving us bunches of bananas every year in our backyard garden.

As it’s raining here in India and we have been producing lots of bananas. We just gave away a huge basket full of bananas to my aunt and neighbours and there is one more basket which is in the kitchen. They taste so good like the pineapples.

Well to grow these banana plantains, I did nothing much. Simply feed it with fertiliser and mulch with compost which has lots of manure. Please keep in mind that bananas do require lot of sunlight and watering. Also, do not forget to trim down the banana leaves. These were grown in our backyard, so today we got stuck into the thinning down this overgrown tree.

Well, I have been keeping myself occupied everyday in the lockdown period. I was trying my hands on gardening as my gardener wasn’t coming so I was busy either making new recipes or helping my mother in gardening.

Most people have some extra time on their hands, so don’t panic in such pandemic situations instead stay calm and do what makes you happy like trying out new recipes, opting for some new hobby, going for LIVE session on Instagram, gardening or just talking and relaxing with your friends and family.

Enjoy the little things in life because one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things. What are you doing during this lockdown? Let me know in the comments below.

Also, if you like this post do pin it ;

Snacking on the plantain chips which I made yesterday. It’s a mouth watering traditional dish of Kerala. Crispy banana chips, deep fried in coconut oil, seasoned with salt and black pepper. You can deep fry, pan-fry, air-fry, roast or bake them and pair it with your favourite salsa dip or enjoy them as it is.

I made a small batch of plantain chips yesterday. It is such a simple recipe that you’ll be amazed to know that it can be made in less than 10 minutes. I made these raw banana chips from my homegrown banana tree. I love how fresh, beautiful produce which is growing in our backyard can feeds our family.

Let’s check out the recipe. Take raw bananas, wash and peel them and chop the bananas into the round shape. Grease your hands with oil before peeling. Heat oil in a pan and deep fried the banana slices for 2-3 minutes. Season it with salt and pepper, mix well.

If you like this recipe pin this picture below, thanks!

Homemade Plantain Chips | Raw Banana Chips

Serve : 2-3 People
Preparation time : 5 minutes
Total time : 8-10 minutes
Author : The Food Root


Ingredients

4 Raw Bananas
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp black pepper
Oil for frying


Method

1. Grease your hands with oil and peel raw bananas chop them into slices.

2. Heat oil in a pan and deep fried the banana slices for 2-3 minutes.

3. Season it with salt and pepper, mix well.

Notes

1. You can thinly slice them, it can in any shape, long or round shape

2. You can deep fry, pan-fry, air-fry, roast or bake them and pair it with your favourite salsa dip or enjoy them as it is.



It’s all about finding calm amidst the chaos.. I know during this lockdown period lot of people are getting anxiety attacks and are getting depressed but see the brighter side to it, as time slows down you can rejuvenate and be grateful to do all your favourite things.

Lately, gardening has been my escape from the stress of quarantine life where I can show my experiences. What is yours? What are you doing during this lockdown period? Let me know in the comments below.

Tropical Sunshine Smoothie

Tropical Smoothie Bowl

It's Mango Season!!! It's that glorious time of the year, where shops and markets are flooded with fresh and juicy mangoes. It's a great time to experiment new recipes with fresh seasonal fruits, so if you get your hands on some, stop yourself from eating them all plain and make a smoothie instead.

Beat the heat on a hot summer day and hydrate yourself with a cool smoothie, filled with frozen mango, banana and orange juice! This fresh fruit smoothie provides you with essential vitamins and minerals. They are a great way to nourish your body with nutrients and are a healthy addition to your daily diet.

This smoothie is vegan, gluten free, guilt free and absolutely delicious! A spoonful of this tropical smoothie taste anything like sunshine. This smoothie is my favorite because of its luscious, creamy texture and wonderful flavor.

This smoothie will refresh and rejuvenate your day. It's very simple and a delicious recipe, you can have this smoothie at any time of the day. It's low in sugar and perfect for a morning breakfast.

The tropical flavors of this sunshine smoothie is refreshing. It's very healthy for breakfast and quick enough for a dessert. This delicious smoothie can be made in less than 5 minutes. It is one of the reasons, i like it so much. All you need is blender, your favorite fruits and milk.

Start with a base, like a banana, then add frozen mango chunks and orange juice in a blender. Add 1 cup of milk. There are varieties of milk to add like coconut, almond, soy or hemp milk. I added coconut milk. It gives a nice creaminess, nutty flavor and a sweet taste to the smoothie. You can also add greek yogurt, if you want. Add sugar or your favorite sweetener. I added honey. Blend all these ingredients in a blender, until smooth and serve. Decorate with your choice of nuts and seeds, and, enjoy your tropical sunshine smoothie bowl.

Treat yourself with this delicious and easy smoothie and let me know how you like it in the comments below. You can also follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe by email so you don't miss any of our new recipes. Enjoy and have a bright sunshine day! ☀️

Sunshine Smoothie Recipe

Serves: 2 people
Preparation time: 2 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Author: The Food Root

Ingredients

1 cup ripe banana 

1 cup mango chunks, frozen

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup coconut milk (use more or less depending on how thick or thin you like it)

1 tbsp honey or your favorite sweetener, if needed

A handful of ice cubes

Garnish with your choice of fruits, nuts and seeds

I added -

2 cashews, crushed

2 walnuts, crushed

1 tbsp cantaloupe seeds

1 tbsp buchanania lanzan seeds

Method

1. Place all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

2. Pour the smoothie in a bowl and garnish it with toppings like nuts and seeds. Serve and enjoy your tropical sunshine smoothie!

Notes

1. If you prefer a thicker consistency, use less liquid. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a little more liquid.

2. If you want to keep your smoothie vegan and gluten-free, you can add coconut, almond, soy or hemp milk.

3. You can garnish your smoothie bowl with your choice of fruits, nuts and seeds.

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED

 You always have to create your own path. So take some time today and enjoy nature.

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.
- Audrey Hepburn

Sending you some spring vibes!!! Though it's hot here in North-India but I cannot wait to share this beautiful picture with you all. This is the picture of my courtyard garden. Not only it's green but it's bold and vibrant. It's simple, but it intrigued me the most. I can't get over this palette of the spring colors. I love the vibrant fields with spring flowers and the magnificent banana and guava trees. I think they'll need few more trimmings in coming week. I can't explain you the joy of waking up to these every single morning. I love spending my morning time in the garden with a cup of tea.

As much as I love food, nature is my second biggest passion (and decorating home is my third). Over the years, I've developed true interest in gardening. Earlier my world revolves around social media, movies, job. I was not aware of things that truly matters in life. I'm happy that I recognize the things that values me the most today but I feel it's a learning process.

Where flowers blooms, so does hope.

While talking about flowers, marigolds are the first flowers I remember growing. Not only they are easy to grow, but they are breathtakingly beautiful. They always make you smile. I simply love the fragrance of these! This is a glimpse of our terrace garden. I have planted a lot of marigolds in my courtyard and my terrace garden. It's easy to grow them outdoors but you can also grow them indoors. I always make a beautiful marigold centerpiece and decorate my home.

Some important things to remember before planting a Marigold flower!

• Mostly grown in springs and summers.
• Need bright sunlight and proper watering.
• Generally take about seven weeks from seeds to bloom.
• Seeds can be sowed in pots or raised nursery beds.
• Can be grown in wide range of soils.
• Keep pest away (I always grow them with basil and tomatoes).
• Do not need a lot a fertilizer either.
• Poor soil can also be benefited by adding in the organic granular fertilizer. 
• You just need to prepare the soil by digging down 5-6 inches to loosen it and add the organic granular fertilizer. 

I hope you will be inspired to create your own garden.

Happy Gardening!
Namaste!