Indian-Inspired

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Today has been a very relaxing day.  I have the house to myself (the Husband is playing golf), so I went to a 90-minute hot yoga class, tided the kitchen, and now I’m happily writing from the couch.  I’m not sure where this sudden burst of writing fever is coming from, but I’m going to roll with it.

 

Lunch was something to get excited about, too.

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I really love Indian food but every time I try to make a traditional recipe, something goes wrong in the execution.  This dish was great because it was simply an Indian twist on something I make quite a lot – rice and roasted veg.

 

I boiled black wild rice (which tasted amazing, by the way) and topped it with some canned Korma sauce and raw cashews.  I got the Korma sauce at Target (the in-house brand).

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On the side was a HUGE pile of roasted potatoes, broccoli, carrots, and parsnips. 

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Such awesome, complimentary flavors.  I love potatoes with Indian sauces especially.

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Guess what’s in the oven for an afternoon snack?

 

Dough balls!  This time, I skipped the chocolate chips and sprinkled cinnamon on top.  I’ve got a pot of hot tea all ready to go!

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Oh, here’s something fun:  The Blogger Calendar is official for sale! Deb organized a bunch of bloggers to do a retro-inspired photoshoot (I channeled my inner Farah Fawcett) in honor of her Dad, who recently passed away from lymphoma.   All proceeds will benefit the hospital that treated him so kindly in his last few months.  From everything I know about Deb’s dad (they were booked featured in the Operation Beautiful book), he was a wonderful person and this seems like such a loving way to honor his memory.

 

And also, I’m thinking a lot about my favorite quote today.  I feel like I’ve been a little swamped lately and unable to cherish and pay attention to the things that matter.  This quote always sets my priorities straight!  Here it is:  “There is a desire within each of us, in the deep center of ourselves that we call our heart. We were born with it, it is never completely satisfied, and it never dies. We are often unaware of it, but it is always awake. It is the human desire for love. Every person in this earth yearns to love, to be loved, to know love. Our true identity, our reason for being, is to be found in this desire… love is the ‘why’ of life: why we are functioning at all, what we want to be efficient for… I am convinced it [love] is the fundamental energy of the human spirit, the fuel on which we run, the wellspring of our vitality. And grace, which is the flowing, creative activity of love itself, is what makes all goodness possible.  Love should come first; it should be the beginning of and the reason for everything.”

{ 54 comments }

 

  • Hope November 21, 2010, 3:47 pm

    Beautiful quote – I especially love the part that says
    “Love should come first; it should be the beginning of and the reason for everything.”

  • Nicole November 21, 2010, 3:49 pm

    Love the quote, where is it from? Also the dough balls look so yummy, I need to try!

    • Caitlin November 21, 2010, 3:52 pm

      I think it’s a poem, but I can never remember the name or who wrote it. I read it in Oprah magazine like four years ago.

  • Evan Thomas November 21, 2010, 3:52 pm

    Mmmm, I would love that for dinner. It looks like carb heaven.

  • hippierunner November 21, 2010, 3:54 pm

    Aww, that’s a great quote!

  • Lisa (bakebikeblog) November 21, 2010, 3:55 pm

    what a wonderful quote 🙂

    And a (belated) congrats on book deal #2!!!! How very exciting 🙂

  • Mary @ Bites and Bliss November 21, 2010, 3:56 pm

    Glad you’re having a serious writing streak! That’s so exciting about the new book, keep it up! 😀

    lunch looks incredible, love the cashew addition.

  • grocery goddess jen November 21, 2010, 3:59 pm

    That food looks really delicious!

  • Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine November 21, 2010, 4:01 pm

    I saw the calendar on Janetha’s site and love it- such a cute idea!! I just got the baking itch as well, and those dough balls have sealed the deal 🙂

  • Lauren November 21, 2010, 4:01 pm

    That quote is so inspiring. It reminds me to appreciate the people I love and the things I love to do (and am able to do), especially during the holiday season. Thanks for the great quote!

  • suki November 21, 2010, 4:03 pm

    It’s from Gerald May’s “Living in Love.”

  • Erin @ Bishella November 21, 2010, 4:15 pm

    That’s a great quote, love it.

    Keep up the writing! I love all your posts, they’re so thoughtful and genuine! 🙂

  • Maddie (Healthy Maddie) November 21, 2010, 4:16 pm

    I love your quote. It’s very powerful. Mmm I love dough balls too!

  • Lauren November 21, 2010, 4:22 pm

    Ah, LOVE this quote!!!

  • Michele @ Healthy Cultivations November 21, 2010, 4:26 pm

    This quote brings me to tears. I’ve been so incredibly busy in the past several months that I haven’t stopped to smell the roses I so love… literally or figuratively. The part at the beginning about a still space deep inside all of us gave me a glimpse of that serenity and peace I feel when taking adequate time for myself… to have quiet time and so forth.

    Thank you for this today.

  • Amber K November 21, 2010, 4:32 pm

    I really love that quote. Very powerful.

    I haven’t been very adventurous when it comes to Indian food. Although I bet I could find something gluten-free to make!

  • Liz @ Blog is the New Black November 21, 2010, 4:36 pm

    Great pic!!!

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) November 21, 2010, 4:41 pm

    Gosh, I could not agree with that quote more. Honestly, we (my husband and I) have been through so much crap throughout the years, but since we have each other, it has all been bearable and we are (I think) the better for it!

  • Sana November 21, 2010, 4:58 pm

    O0oo0o! I can’t wait to get that Korma sauce! The best Indian food comes from target and costco. Oh and my mom’s kitchen

  • Emma (Sweet Tooth Runner) November 21, 2010, 5:20 pm

    That is a really beautiful quote! 🙂
    Indian food is awesome! My mum’s Indian and although she rarely cooks for me now, when she does, it is delicious! Chana Masala and Chana Saag (chickpeas and spinach) are my favourites! 😀
    Mmm those cookie dough balls…

  • Tina @ Faith Fitness Fun November 21, 2010, 5:25 pm

    Every time you post that quote I get all smiley. And don’t you just love an afternoon to yourself? I’m having one right now and it is heavenly!

  • Deb (SmoothieGirlEatsToo) November 21, 2010, 5:45 pm

    That quote pretty much sums it all up. Fantastic.

    Thank you so much for being a part of the calendar and for the support! And you are right about my Dad being a great guy although I’ll admit that I’m a tad biased! 🙂 THank you for including us in your book. They are going to be really fun surprise holiday gifts for my family.

    And there is no doubt that you rock the Farrah look! 🙂

  • Katy (The Singing Runner) November 21, 2010, 5:49 pm

    I absolutely love the quote! I put a new quote daily on my blog so I may use this one this week! 🙂

  • Charlie November 21, 2010, 5:49 pm

    This lunch does look exiting! Makes me think about how long it’s been wince I had wild rice.

    • Charlie November 21, 2010, 5:50 pm

      oops – I since not wince!! ;).

  • Faith @ lovelyascharged November 21, 2010, 5:51 pm

    Mmm, yummy! I’ve only done one Indian dish and it was very similar – lots of veggies + a packet of Good Korma sauce (PS – have you tried that? It’s vegan, which I found to be awesome because most curry sauces use fish sauce – and it’s AMAZING!)

    • Caitlin November 22, 2010, 10:38 am

      I think I Have tried Good Korma… It was delicious!

  • Krystina (Basil & Wine) November 21, 2010, 6:09 pm

    I like the idea of snickerdoodle cookie balls. They look great!

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin November 21, 2010, 6:21 pm

    That’s a gorgeous quote! I love reading a good quote like that to help me remember what is important. 🙂

  • Diana November 21, 2010, 6:56 pm

    Love your dough ball variation…and that quote! I’m a big quotes fan and that’s a goodie! 🙂

  • Paige @Running Around Normal November 21, 2010, 6:58 pm

    The black rice looks very interesting! I don’t think I’ve ever had korma sauce though.

  • Lili* November 21, 2010, 7:03 pm

    What a great idea to make that calendar in honor of your friend’s dad. You look beautiful.
    Btw- the lake image from the previous post, is that a place close to the area where you live or just a random place? That place is gorgeous! ( I love water!)

    • Caitlin November 22, 2010, 10:37 am

      It’s from a spot in Tennessee. 🙂 Sometimes when I don’t have pics to supplement a post, I use one of my old favorite shots. 🙂

  • Lisa @ Early Morning Run November 21, 2010, 7:27 pm

    Looks like an incredibly delicious lunch! I need to get parsnips next time I’m at the market!

  • Camille November 21, 2010, 7:42 pm

    That calender is so cool! What a wonderful idea!

  • chelsey @ clean eating chelsey November 21, 2010, 7:55 pm

    Sounds like a great day – I <3 having the house to myself. I get so much more done!

  • anonymous November 21, 2010, 8:32 pm

    I love that quote! Your blog always inspires me to cook, exercise & live life to the fullest. Thank you so much!

    • Caitlin November 22, 2010, 10:37 am

      thank you so much 🙂

  • Amy at TheSceneFromMe November 21, 2010, 10:15 pm

    What an inspirational quote for this upcoming week of Thanksgiving.

    Dough balls. Hmm. Have you ever tried cake balls?

    • Caitlin November 22, 2010, 10:37 am

      Um, if you have a recipe for cake balls, please share!

  • Ashley @ Nourishing The Soul November 21, 2010, 10:56 pm

    That’s really a wonderful quote. I especially love: Every person in this earth yearns to love, to be loved, to know love. This is truly what I live by and what keeps me doing my work – to help others to experience love and be heard.

  • Jessica November 21, 2010, 11:10 pm

    Beautiful quote and I LOVE your calendar girl photo!

  • Michelle (The Runner's Plate) November 21, 2010, 11:34 pm

    I made some dough balls the other night–they are so good!!

  • Diana @ frontyardfoodie November 21, 2010, 11:57 pm

    I drink tea and eat chocolate at least once a day…..so a dough ball would totally fit in my routine. ha

  • maya @ finding balance in tokyo November 22, 2010, 1:30 am

    That is a beautiful quote. I know it is true of myself, but sometimes the others around you can be so closed off and guarded that it’s easy to wonder if they feel the same or are driven by other desires. It’s a nice reminder that yes, deep down everyone out there still yearns for the same thing we do.

  • Orla November 22, 2010, 5:53 am

    I adore Indian food. When I moved from the city over a year ago the one thing I really missed was the indian place that used to deliver to my door. There is one close to my house but I hadn’t heard great things, but I called them one day and had a really nice chat with the lady who owns it and ordered food – it was the most amazing vegetable rogan josh… and now she knows me when I call and always gives me extra! Result! However, as we are on a budget, it is a once every 4-6 week treat!

  • Nicole - yuppie yogini November 22, 2010, 8:56 am

    Beautiful quote–I agree wholeheartedly.

  • Julia @ Brides Up North November 22, 2010, 8:57 am

    Hey Caitlin

    Was reading your twitter. Are you writing fiction now?! Ho exciting!

    For any of your brides to be or friends who are getting married (I remember you posted that one friend is!) I have a free wedding planning consultation giveaway over on my blog today.

    Julia x

  • Kiran November 22, 2010, 11:11 am

    A very beautiful quote and heart-felt honor 🙂

  • Cindy Robinson November 22, 2010, 1:05 pm

    I have never had either of those (black rice or Indian sauce. But sounds great! Great quote.

  • Ellen @FirednFabulous November 22, 2010, 1:10 pm

    Ohh that Indian-inspired dish looks SO good. Everything is better with a few cashews sprinkled on top, too 😉

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) November 22, 2010, 6:06 pm

    I am planning on making some dough balls very soon!

  • sam rice December 1, 2010, 12:16 am

    thank you for sharing this recipe. i’ve always in search for recipes for black rice. and the cashew! i was really stunned that the cashew was really a part of the dish!

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