Tag: 5Things

5 Things Tuesday- Ice breakers

Tanya is the host of 5 Things Tuesday

5 Things Tuesday — Icebreakers

We have been talking about food related topics here on 5things. This week I wanted to break the mould. Oh dear ! That’s another food related metaphor. I am afraid I can’t help myself. I simply love writing about food. 

This week’s topic is Icebreakers or Conversation starters. Which are your favourites?

♾♾♾

In a big get together;

How do you know the host/hostess?

In a wedding reception;

The hosts are not here as yet! Even they are late!

In a queue for cinema tickets;

Are you a big fan of superhero movies like me?

At a salon;

I love your haircut!

In a grocery store;

Please go ahead, I’m in no hurry!

♾♾♾

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5 Things Tuesday- Jams

Tanya is the host of 5 Things Tuesday

This week Tanya asks us about our favorite jams/ preserves

Strawberry Jam;

I really love strawberry jam, specially homemade one. It’s easy to make and can keep for some time in the fridge. Love it on toasted bread or croissants

Black current jam;

Another favorite which goes well with cream and toast or on top of pancakes.

Grape jelly;

Fruit jelly goes so well with peanut butter. I have tried it both on bread and toast as well.

English marmalade;

This is not as bitter as the regular one and I like it best in my bread and butter pudding.

Guava jelly;

I love it because it reminds me of my childhood and my grandma. She used to make this when our guava trees were full of fruit.

These are my favorite spreads. What are yours?

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5 Things- My favorite canned foods

Tanya is the host of 5 Things

This week Tanya wants to know what are our favorite canned foods.

Fruit cocktail;

One of my favorite desserts to make is fruit trifle. And I have a very quick and easy recipe for it. All I need is a pre-made cake, a big tin of mixed fruit cocktail and some custard. It has earned me praise on many dinners.

Garbanzo bean( Chickpeas);

I love chickpeas in any form. I make chickpea rice with a tin within 15 minutes. When I want to make hummus, it so convenient to just open a tin and viola, it’s done in a jiffy.

Sweetened condensed milk;

If you’re a fan of masala chai, you should try it with a little sweetened condensed milk. It gives it the authentic flavor. I use this milk for making desserts too.

Tomato purée;

In our Asian style cooking, tomatoes play a vital role in curries. So when in a hurry, tomato purée cuts the cooking time by half.

Sweet corn;

We all love sweet corn. Buttered or just tossed in a salad or pasta. There are so many ways one can enjoy this.

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What 5 things mean spring

Tanya is the host of 5 Things

Today Tanya asks us to list 5 Things that mean Spring to us;

Putting away blankets, quilts, and winter clothes

I look forward to doing this all throughout short winters. I don’t like heavy blankets and quilts and love the time when I put them away! In summer a light bedspread is enough when the air conditioning is running.

Lightning up of days;

It gets light sooner and gets darker later in the day. I especially enjoy the early morning quiet time when going outside doesn’t mean wearing more layers. Usually, it’s very pleasant and a light breeze is blowing.

Green leaves and colorful flowers everywhere;

The best part of spring is the rebirth of plant life. I get such joy from watching the tender green leaves and branches sprouting from the bare trees. The gardens all around us are full of lovely displays of flowers. There is in fact a competition among the residents to see who’s lawn is more beautiful. There is some sort of award too.

Strawberries, melons, and guavas in fruit market;

As I am a foodie, it should be no surprise that I await the spring for the delicious fruits it brings. Unlike America, we don’t have all fruits, all years around except apples and bananas. So strawberries come at the end of winter and last a couple of months. Melons also start to arrive in spring/ early summer as do the guavas. I love to make a salad of my favorite fruits.

Spring showers;

Nothing like the spring showers to lift the spirits. The sound and smell of rain are most welcome to me. It also holds back the sizzling summers for a little while.

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5 ways to enjoy Strawberries

Tanya is the host of 5 Things

Today, Tanya asks us to share our 5 favorite ways to enjoy strawberries 🍓

Chocolate coated strawberries;



I have never made them myself, though they are easy enough. But I love eating strawberries dipped in either dark or white chocolate. They are so yummy.

Strawberries with whipped cream;

Easiest and yummiest way to have fresh strawberries. Just douse them in sweetened whipped cream and enjoy.

Strawberry smoothie;

I make this with Greek yogurt and honey. If I want to avoid honey I use stevia. This is not only tasty but healthy too. It fills up the tummy and reduces hunger.

Strawberry tart;

Homemade or store-bought, I love the crispy flaky base with juicy strawberries on top. It tastes even better with cream or ice cream.

Strawberry in my oatmeal;

I love strawberries and walnuts in my oatmeal. It makes the perfect healthy breakfast dish.

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5 Things – 5 Favorite French Fries

Tanya is the host of 5 Things

Today Tanya asks us to list our 5 favorite ways to enjoy French Fries

• Battered fries;

Coated in batter and fried to crunchy, I love these with the special dipping sauce they serve it with.

• Masala Fries;

I like the ones which are sold by ” One potato two potato”

• Cheese Fries;

What can I say, who doesn’t love this gooey mess!

• Home Fries;

Thick cut and sprinkled generously with salt and pepper, yum!

• Garlic Mayo Fries;

Another messy side. When I get these I don’t want to share them with anyone.

These are my favorite ways to have Fries. What are yours?

♾♾♾

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5 Things for Tuesday- Self care

Tanya is back with her 5 Things prompt

My 5 Favorite self-care tips;

The first three were the usual ways to boost my mood before the pandemic. But they are still my favorite!

• Getting a manicure and pedicure from my favorite salon

I find it so relaxing to go for a mani and Pedi to my favorite salon. They pamper me with soothing music and a great cup of cappuccino. Maybe I’ll go there again, soon.

• Catching a movie with family or friends

Pre-covid days, I loved to go to the theater to watch my favorite movies. Sometimes the movie was pretty bad but I enjoyed it in the company of good friends. Now I don’t know when we will be able to go to a cinema theater!

• Going out for breakfast or lunch on weekends

Yes, another activity I used to enjoy before covid hit the scenes. Getting ready to eat out and then eating a meal someone else has prepared was so much fun. I hope we can enjoy outdoor dining sometime soon.

• Staying at home with nothing to do, just chilling

This I still do and enjoy so much. Just relaxing and doing whatever I want and nothing that I need to do.

• Snuggling in my bed with my favorite book

I usually end my day like this. Being cozy in my bed and reading a book from my favorite author. It is a great way to unwind and often the perfect way to prepare oneself for bedtime.

♾♾♾

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5 Things- My favorite cold remedies

Tanya is the host of 5 Things

Today Tanya asks us for our favorite 5 home remedies for the common cold.

• Honey;

I believe honey to be very effective in fighting a cold and scratchy throat. Either by itself or in warm milk does wonders for the cold.

• Hot beverages;

Tea, coffee, green tea are all helpful when under the weather from cold. They warm up the body and elevate the mood pulled down by being sick.

• Soup;

Even the doctors recommend soup when we are not well. Any soup would do as long as it’s not too spicy. But tomato soup and chicken soup are specially good.

• Vitamin C;

I find vit-c lozenges useful in cold. Oranges and orange juice are excellent source of vitamin C as well.

• Turmeric and ginger tea;

This is not my favorite but it is very effective. Boil ginger root in water for about 10 minutes and add a bit of turmeric to it. Add honey to make it drinkable. Both ginger and turmeric are anti-inflammatory and give relief in cold or cough.

These are my go to remedies for the common cold. What are yours?

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5 Things- My Favorite Winter Soups

Tanya is the host of 5Things

soup flower almonds

5 Favourite Winter Soups

Tomato soup;

This is my all-time favorite soup. It works both in winters and summers. I love the roasted tomato basil soup.

Hot and sour soup;

An old favorite. It’s a soup popular in our local Chinese restaurants. I make it at home too and it’s good when you are not feeling like eating a meal.

Cream of chicken soup;

This was the very first soup I made by myself, from my mom’s recipe book. I love it because it’s so yummy, yet easy to make.

Broccoli cheddar soup;

A bowl of broccoli cheddar soup with some warm bread makes a delicious meal.

Mulligatawny soup;

This is much like lentil soup except it also has some rice and chicken in it. It is flavored with garam masala and thickened with chickpea flour. This is a family favorite as well.

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