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How many of us introspect or decide to be grateful for the things we have received? How many things in our life do we take for granted?
I certainly am guilty of taking the good stuff in my life for granted and complaining about the things I lack. I have done it for the longest time, especially when I was unaware of the power of gratitude.
Gratitude is powerful. Much more powerful than we realize. It has the power to change your mood & uplift your mind. Gratitude has the power to heal.
Gratitude doesn’t mean that we become delusional or brush away our problems. Being grateful means being aware of negativity & still choosing positivity. Gratitude means being grateful despite our problems.
To keep ourselves positive during the current COVID pandemic, practicing gratitude is essential. Whenever we feel that we are slipping into an abyss of negativity, depression, anxiety or dissatisfaction, gratitude is our anchor.
Here are 4 effective ways to practice Gratitude:
1.Gratitude Journal
This is by far the most talked about method of counting your blessings or expressing gratitude. Maintaining a gratitude journal and writing about the things you are grateful for can be of a great help.
Sit comfortably in a quiet place or close to a window to get a view of the outside world. Light some candles or turn on your favorite music. Close your eyes for a few minutes and mentally run through everything in your life that you are thankful for.
It could be your family, friends, your pet or even material items like your cozy home, your car, the latest gadget in the kitchen, the places you have visited, the cuisines you have tasted, the books that you have enjoyed… it could be a seemingly trivial thing or a big milestone in your life.
Your gratitude journal doesn’t have to look like an article from a newspaper or like a book from the printing press. You do not have to bother about the grammar, nor run any spell checks . All you need to do is write and express your gratitude for every single item that has brought joy. The journal is for your eyes only.
You can scribble just a few lines or write multiple pages. You can journal every day or once every week. It doesn’t matter how many lines you write or how often you update your journal.
Gratitude journaling can also be modified as ‘bullet journaling.’ Write down your gratitude list as bullet points.
2. Gratitude Pot/Jar
You don’t have to run to the store to buy a fancy jar to implement this. A simple mason jar from your kitchen will work! If you like being artistic, you can paint/decorate your jar.
Below is a picture of my gratitude jar that I made a while back. It’s a simple earthen pot that I painted using acrylic colors.
Gratitude pot painted by me
The idea here is to make note of the items that you are grateful for. Take a small piece of paper and jot down what made you happy on that day. Fold the paper and drop it in the pot/ jar. Keep the jar/pot in a place where it will be visible to you. If you want, you can encourage your family members to add their gratitude notes as well.. Take a moment to think what you are grateful for on that day and write it down.
It is best to do this activity at the end of the day so that you have an overview of the entire day.
You can try this gratitude pot/jar activity for a period of 40/90 days or for an entire year. At the end of this period you can empty your pot and read all your notes. It feels great to re-live the happy moments & remember that you have so much to be grateful for.
3. Volunteer for a cause
I think any gratitude practice is incomplete without helping someone or volunteering for a cause. While donating to charity is also good enough, volunteering for a cause like opting to help the less fortunate in your own way (other than donating money) is the best way to practice gratitude.
I have personally experienced this when I taught Dance Movement Therapy for free to senior citizens at an NGO in Singapore over a period of 6 months.
The feeling of giving back to society is amazing & unmatched. When we help those who are in need, we have a realization of all the wonderful things we have. The unfortunate help us realize how fortunate we are. Volunteering also helps us become more empathetic to other people’s troubles & needs.
During this trying time, if possible, you can volunteer to help the poor & sick people; and/or the migrant labourers in your city/country by giving them food/groceries or helping them in other ways.
The possibilites of helping others during this time are endless & the happiness you get from helping others & the gratitude you feel when you realize how much you already have, is incomparable.
4. Gratitude meditation
Gratitude Meditation is a form of mediation where we focus on gratitude for what we are thankful for. There are numerous guided gratitude meditation videos available on YouTube. If you are beginner in meditation, I suggest short (10 min or less) videos.
Gratitude meditation is an extremely powerful tool, combining the benefits of meditation & the feeling of contentment you get when you are grateful.
It is definitely a great mood booster! 🙂
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I hope you liked these 4 methods of practicing gratitude. When we intentionally practice gratitude, it is extremely powerful.
I know it is tough to practice gratitude especially when you are having a bad day or when we are faced with diffcult times like these. That is precisely the reason to practice it even more.
When we intentionally practice gratitude during a bad day/time, we become naturally more hopeful, happier & more resilient.
Practicing gratitude is like lighting a candle in a dark room. It will keep you warm, fuzzy & happy.
Do you practice gratitude? Have you used any of the methods listed here? I would love hear more about your gratitude practices. Please share it with me in the comments section below! 🙂
Are you missing traveling as much as I do? The stay at home situation is teaching me not to take things for granted, including travel.
I have always loved traveling for as long as I can remember and I find that the best way to learn and grow yourself is to travel.
Photo clicked by me – Hong Islands- Krabi, Thailand.
Travel is something which helps you get out of your comfort zone and many a times I have had positive as well as negative experiences which have brought me out of my comfort zone, encouraged me to travel more and helped me to understand more about life.
“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” -Gustav Flaubert
So here are 8 things I miss about travel:
The Anticipation
The feeling of anticipation I get, when I visit a new place for the first time, is something I am currently missing. It makes me hopeful and happy when I know I am going to visit a new place!
2. Last Minute Packing
This one is strange, since I NEVER have liked packing. Whether it is moving homes or countries or traveling, all of which I have done often, the one thing I absolutely don’t like is packing my stuff. Whenever I do travel, my packing is almost always done last minute, since I cannot make up my mind completely before that 😀 So I always am rushing to pack my bags, last moment, every single time, which annoys my husband very much since he is quite a meticulous planner. 😀
Strangely enough, ever since I am at home, I am missing packing my bags and going to discover some place new. I miss the last minute rush and craziness of it all!
3. The Culture & People
I am a people’s person and I love discovering new places and different cultures and I like to interact with the local people and observe them. I find each travel experience teaches me something new and helps me broaden my horizons. This is one of the primary reasons I love traveling, since it teaches me so much about the world!
4. Airports
I love airports and the sense of being in transit and the vibe of it all. I really enjoy having a cup of tea/coffee before I board the plane and I love to observe people as they rush through to different destinations.
In fact, I am one of the few people who loves a longer transit time in between flights. Of course, not all airports are that interesting or well developed, so it also depends on the airport whether I enjoy my time there or not.
My favourite airport is of course Singapore Airport. There is absolutely no competition there! I haven’t heard of or seen a more creative and interesting airport than Singapore Airport! The next one which I like is Mumbai International Airport!
5. Nature
Whenever I travel, I make it a point to visit some scenic place. I love connecting with nature. The lush green trees, the chirping birds and the ache I get when I walk too much. I feel calm and refreshed and energetic connecting with nature. I miss that feeling right now.
Also, I am a sea person and like they say, I need a dose of ‘vitamin sea’ when I travel. Watching the waves, feeling the sun and wind on your skin and the sand underneath my feet, is an incomparable feeling.
I miss my dose of nature & sea!
6. The excitement of being in a place for the first time
The thrill of going to a new place for the first time, being amazed at the new things I tumble upon and the feeling of wonder on discovering something new, I miss that.
7. Photos
How obvious is this one!! Every girl likes getting clicked and so do I. For me though, my love for photos extends beyond myself. I love to capture the food, the place, the people, nature and everything else that I can, in my photos. I love capturing photos since photos are memories for me. Memories I cherish and I wish to treasure.
I also love sorting out the unwanted photos on my phone and keeping the good ones. For me, travel and photography go hand in hand and any place I travel to, is incomplete without photos!
8. Coming Home
Although, I love traveling much more than an average person, I also love the feeling of coming back home. Home is like a safe space for most of us, isn’t it? I love coming back home enriched with wonderful experiences and a new perspective on life. Unwinding at home after travel is a great feeling and I miss it.
No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” – Lin Yutang
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These are a few things I miss about traveling. As I write this, I feel the urge to travel again!
I hope that we all overcome the Coronavirus Pandemic and are able to travel, make new friends, collect more memories and learn more about each other!
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain
The lockdown/stay at home situation is starting to get to me, just like it is getting to all of you I presume. There are days when I am genuinely happy and productive at home and there days when I am not.
The only saviour through all of this for me has been reading.
Too much of social media, too much of news about COVID-19, too much of watching Netflix/ Amazon Prime shows and movies makes me feel unproductive and I seriously can’t view shows/movies all the time.
Reading makes me feel alive & activates my imagination. It helps me go into another world & I forget the worries of the current world for a while. It also makes my memory sharper as I grasp one story after another and read one line after another.
The added benefits of vocabulary expansion, cognitive stimulation & brain exercising make reading the best stay at home activity during these times.
Today, I am sharing with all of you 13 Classic Fiction Novels which aren’t boring. Infact, these books are so good that they have been adapted into movies & television shows and you must have seen the adapted versions of atleast one of these.
Even if you have seen any of the movies/TV shows, I would suggest you all to read these books. Books give you the real story and movies/shows although entertaining, lack the depth and intensity of books. Books are layered and have more complex plot build ups & describe the minutest things in detail.
If you love the vintage vibe & the amazing culture, costumes & dialogues of the previous era like I do, you should definitely read these classic novels. As a bibliophile, I find that the books of today lack the depth of character & detailing that the books of the previous generation had. There is just so much richness, finesse & character to these books, that it’s hard to beat such good writing. Hence, they are rightly the most popular books of all time.
I am a huge vintage, retro and classic fan. From vintage clocks, to vintage home decor, to vintage clothing and vintage cars, I love it all! In fact, one of my favourite cafes in Singapore is vintage themed! I guess I am probably just an old soul….
Anyway, the classic novels mentioned below are from different genres & they have a great plot/story line, irrespective of their genre.
Depending on your favourite genre, you can start reading any of these!
Here’s the list:
1. HERCULE POIROT SERIES- AGATHA CHRISTIE
The Hercule Poirot series is dated back to the 1920s and is a legendary series written by Agatha Christie. Hercule Poriot is a Belgian Detective and the stories revolve around him solving many cases through detective work. He is known to be extremely intelligent & observant. The books are available as both, short stories and novels.
Genre: Mystery/ Detective Fiction/Suspense
2. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH- JULES VERNE
This is an 1864 science fiction novel. The story involves German professor Otto Lidenbrock who believes there are volcanic tubes going toward the centre of the Earth. He, his nephew Axel, and their guide Hans descend into an Icelandic volcano and encounter many adventures, including prehistoric animals and natural hazards & somehow manage to resurface to the earth again.
Other Jules Verne novels like Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea & Around The World in Eighty Days are also very popular and worth a read.
Genre: Science Fiction
3. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD- HARPER LEE
This book was published in 1960 & soon became extremely popular & won the Pulitzer Prize as well. It deals with sensitive topics like racial discrimination, etc in an extremely subtle manner. In fact, it has lots of humour & warmth as well and the story is told innocently through the point of view of a six year old girl.
Genre: Southern Gothic/Coming of age fiction
4. PERRY MASON BOOK SERIES- ERLE STANLEY GARDNER
The first book in this hugely popular law detective series was written in 1933. The Perry Mason Book series ranks 3rd in top selling book series of all time. Perry Mason is a criminal defense lawyer and the stories involve a client’s law murder trial. The American author & lawyer E.S Gardner depicts Perry Mason as a lawyer who fights hard on behalf of his clients and who enjoys unusual, difficult or nearly-hopeless cases. He frequently accepts clients on a whim based on his curiosity about their problem, sometimes for a minimal retainer, and finances the investigation of their cases himself if necessary, to get to the bottom of the crime & ensure justice.
A still from the Perry Mason TV series adaptation
The series include a large list of 82 novels plus 4 short stories. The dialogues and courtroom scenes definitely make this series a great read!
This book dates back to 1844 and is written by french writer Alexandre Dumas who also wrote the famous novel – The Three Musketeers. The story takes place in France, Italy, and islands in the Mediterranean during the historical events of 1815–1839 (when Napoleon returned to power after his exile). The historical setting is a fundamental element of the book, an adventure story primarily concerned with hope, justice, vengeance, mercy, and forgiveness. It centres on a man who is wrongfully imprisoned, escapes from jail & plans revenge.
The saying ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold’ is apt for this book and this book has lots of thrill, drama and characters with deep layers and stories. Today, this book is a literary classic.
Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure Fiction
6. THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK- ANNE FRANK
This book is also called as the ‘Diary of a Young Girl’. This is a book of the writings from the Dutch language diary kept by a young girl calledAnne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The family was apprehended in 1944, and Anne Frank died of typhus in a concentration camp in 1945.
The diary was retrieved by Miep Gies, who gave it to Anne’s father, Otto Frank, the family’s only known survivor, just after the war was over. The diary has since been published in more than 60 languages. The diary entries where published soon after in the 1945s to 1950’s & the popularity of the book was such that it was translated from Dutch to 60 other languages.
It is a heart- wrenching yet warm & gripping book and one can see the world from Anne Frank’s eyes.
Genre: Autobiography
7. SHERLOCK HOLMES- SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
This is a vastly popular series and needs no introduction. Sherlock Holmes is a fictional private detective created by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes is a private detective and refers to himself as a “consulting detective” in the stories. The series date back to the year 1887 and gained popularity in the early 1891.
Adaptation- Sherlock TV series
Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science, and logical reasoning that borders on the fantastic, which he employs when investigating cases for a wide variety of clients, including Scotland Yard.
Genre: Detective Fiction/Mystery/Crime Fiction
8. LORD OF THE RINGS- J.R.R TOLKIEN
This is an epic high fantasy novel written by English author & scholar J.R. R Tolkien. Most of you must have watched the films. Did you know that it is originally a book series? The story intially began as a sequel to Tolkein’s 1937 fantasy novel The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work. Written in stages between 1937 and 1949, The Lord of the Rings is one of the best-selling novels ever written, with over 150 million copies sold.
Genre:Fantasy/ Adventure Fiction
9. LITTLE WOMEN- LOUISA MARY ALCOTT
Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott which was originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. The story follows the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—and details their passage from childhood to womanhood. It is loosely based on the lives of the author and her three sisters. Scholars classify it as an autobiographical or semi-autobiographical novel.
Little Women was an immediate commercial and critical success, with readers demanding to know more about the characters. The two volumes were issued in 1880 as a single novel titled Little Women. The women’s characters and the sisterhood bond is amazing in this book, with the character of the tomboy girl Jo adding the much required spark to the story. It depects the life of women in that era and makes a great read.
Written in 1813, this classical fiction written by British author Jane Austen is romantic fiction set in that era. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of judgments formed in haste and comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness.
Its appeal lies in it’s humorously honest depiction of manners, education, marriage, and money during the Regency era in Great Britain. It is the perfect book depecting the fact that appearances can be deceptive. The iconic characters of Flitzwilliam Darcy & Elizabeth Bennet and the hot & cold relationship between the two, make the book very interesting. Each of them learn their lessons and Elizabeth learns not to have a prejudiced mindset.
Still from the movie Pride & Prejudice 2005
Pride and Prejudice has consistently appeared near the top of lists of “most-loved books” among literary scholars and the reading public. It has become one of the most popular novels in English literature, with over 20 million copies sold, and has inspired many derivatives in modern literature
Genre: Romance Fiction/Satire/ Domestic Fiction
11. COMA- ROBIN COOK
The Robin Cook book series are not literary classics in true sense of the word, but they are one of the best book series on medical fiction from the years 1972 to 2019. Many of the books have been bestsellers on The New York Times Best Seller List. Several of the author’s books have also been featured in Reader’s Digest. His books have sold nearly 400 million copies worldwide.
Coma is one of the most famous of the books written by American physician & author Robin Cook. The book’s protagonist is young 3rd year medical student Susan Wheeler who stumbles upon mysterious deaths in the hospital & decides to investigate.
Genre: Medical Fiction/ Medical Thriller/Suspense
12. JANE EYRE- CHARLOTTE BRONTE
Jane Eyre (originally published as Jane Eyre: An Autobiography) is a novel by English writer Charlotte Brontë, published under the pen name “Currer Bell”, in the year 1847.
The book contains elements of social criticism, with a strong sense of Christian morality at its core, and is considered by many to be ahead of its time because of the character Jane Eyre’s individualistic personality and how the way the novel approaches the topics of class, sexuality, religion and feminism.
The last book in this series and the oldest, dating back to 1811, written by Jane Austen beofre Pride & Prejudice.
The story revolves around the Dashwood family & the two sisters Elinor & Marianne.
Elinor is the eldest & the ‘sensible’ one. She is reserved and has a silent & yet strong character. She places other people’s welfare and interests above her own and suppresses her own strong emotions in a way that leads others to think she is indifferent or cold-hearted.
Marianne is the younger, more romantically inclined & temperamental one. Her emotional excesses identify her as the “sensibility” half of the novel’s title. (At that time, this word meant what we now call “sensitivity”).
The relationship between the two sisters & the happenings around them and Marianne’s realisation of her behaviour makes this book an all time favourite classic.
Genre: Romance Fiction/ Domestic Fiction
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Thus, this was a list of my favourite classic fiction novels from various genres.
From romance, to suspense, to fantasy, to autobiography, to science fiction & medical thriller, this list has it all!
Do you love classics as much as I do?
Do let me know if you have read any of these and if you are inspired to read one.
Did I miss any other favourite classical novels of yours?
Go ahead, grab a cup of tea/coffee and start reading one of these classics.. I am sure you will not be disappointed!
In case you need more ideas on what to do during lockdown, read my previous post.
With the world under no condition to travel, and people stuck in their homes, I think most of us are either glued to their phones, laptops or television sets.
As Singapore is on a ‘Circuit Breaker’ where residents are asked to stay at home, unless absolutely essential to go outside (groceries, health care etc), my feet are itching to go outside and wander. In fact, I am always bitten by the travel bug and not being able to just have a casual walk around the city is really bugging me and I know it is bugging you too, wherever you are! We all are waiting for things to return to normal, aren’t we?
Nevertheless, we all know by now, the importance of social distancing & staying at home. We can beat the virus by just staying at home and that is as easy as it gets, isn’t it?
Ever since I am spending time at home, I am doing by best to keep myself busy and do something productive or creative.
Keeping our minds busy and engaged at this time is the ultimate challenge, since our minds constantly lookout for something to do. Watching news and television or netflix, amazon prime and the likes is the easiest way, and I love to do that too! (Yes, I am watching Money Heist! :D), but after a point, it’s best to take a break from watching your favourite series, because doing the television & netflix thing for long periods of time can be damaging to our psyche and make us feel dull and after a point.
So here are a few things which you can do at home, other than TV & Netflix.
I am sure you must be already doing some of them; Here’s the list:
1. GROW A PLANT
Gardening is a great way to spend your time. You can grow few plants using seeds in your kitchen pantry. E.g.: flax seeds plant, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, turmeric, basil seeds, seet potato, carrot tops, capsicum seeds, chilli seeds etc.
2. READ A BOOK
Reading not only keeps you entertained, but helps in improving your memory power as well as enhances your vocabulary. In today’s times of technology, many people don’t read or are alien to the beauty of it. It doesn’t matter what genre of books you read, there are multiple benefits of reading. Like the famous quote goes- ” A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.. The man who never reads lives only one. “- R. R. Martin
3. PRACTICE YOGA & MEDITATION
As the world goes through tough times and our anxiety levels are high, practicing yoga & meditation are the ultimate ways to deal with it as well as learn something new.
Whether it is taking up an online course in your profession or learning a language online, now is a good time for self-growth and learning something new.
5. REASSESS YOUR FINANCE MANAGEMENT
The best time to reflect upon your earnings, savings and financial goals is now. Are you spending too much? How much money would you need to attain a certain goal for yourself or your family? Ask yourself such questions & reassess the way you manage your finance.
6. START A BLOG
I think I don’t need to explain this one! My blog is my source of happiness in current times and I am sure it will be yours too, so go ahead and start one. Identify your niche, take the leap and start blogging!
7. COOK & BAKE
I think many people are already doing this! I see so many delicious pictures on my Instagram & Facebook feed! Now is the best time to update our culinary skills & chef in style!
If you need any ideas, take a look at the food & recipes section of this blog!
8. DECLUTTER YOUR SPACE
Now cleaning and dusting isn’t really my forte & those who know me well can testify to that. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to declutter a few things in my closet & I remember how good I felt after decluttering my dressing table. 😀
Decluttering & organizing our spaces enhances the positive vibes in our home and makes us feel light & cheerful.
9. LISTEN TO MUSIC & DANCE
Now is the time to listen to all the lastest & trending songs and go back to listening to your favourite ones as well. Dancing is another way to keep yourself busy and happy and as a Dance Movement Therapist, I can say that it definitely helps you relieve your stress and pent up emotions.
So what are you waiting for?
10. DIY ACTIVITES & ART
YouTube and Pinterest have a lot of ideas related to Do-It-Yourself Activites & art related stuff. Painting, drawing, sketching, craft, etc; so many options to choose from. So go ahead & get creative.
11. TOUR FAMOUS MUSEUMS ONLINE
Sitting at home doesn’t mean you cannot visit museums. Certain museums like the British Museum, London, Guggenheim Museum, New York, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam and many others can be toured from the comfort of your couch. A simple google search will give you a list of such museums and you can enjoy viewing them & learn more about art, history & culture!
12. FACETIME WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS
I have already mentioned this in my previous post. It is vital to stay connected with the people close to us, to reduce anxiety and feelings of loneliness & depression. Now is the time to rely on the virtual world in keeping us closer.
13. START A YOUTUBE CHANNEL
I started my own YouTube Channel & took quite a big leap of faith in doing so. Ever since I have started it, I am having a lot of fun & learning quite a few things. It’s a great way to share what you know, with the world. Give it a try & you may be surprised on how much you enjoy it!
14. WRITE A STORY OR A BOOK
If you have been contemplating on writing a story or a book, now is the best time! I wrote a fiction novel in 2015 and although I didn’t have a lot of funds at that time, I managed to self-publish it (it’s extremely easy & cheap) and it was a great feeling!
So don’t wait for the ‘right time’ to start writing something you have been wanting to. The right time is ‘Now’!
15. LEARN ABOUT THE STOCK MARKET
If you wish to invest your savings, the stock markets and mutual funds are an excellent option. The main thing is sound financial knowledge of investing your funds wisely and you can utilise this period to upgrade yourself on these topics so that you are better equipped in handling your finances.
16. MAKE A BUCKET LIST
It could be crazy whimsical list and can include bizzare things to do or places to travel to. Even though the things you wish to do may not be possible right now, it could give you perspective on what things you enjoy and what makes you happy.
17. START AGRATITUDE JOURNAL
Gratitude makes you value the things which you already have. Starting a gratitude journal is the best way to pen down the things you are grateful about and that will make you happy and feel upbeat about your life.
18. UPDATE YOUR RESUME
If you are looking for a career change, you can utilise this time to update your resume and linkedin profile and stay ahead of your peers in the job hunting game. This will help you once the world starts returning to normal. (Hope it happens soon!)
19. DECLUTTER YOUR EMAIL INBOX
Clear the spam & unwanted promotional emails & focus only on what is significant for you. A clean inbox is a productive on!
20. BE A MENTOR FOR SOMEONE
You can always share what you know with others. This helps us feel good about ourselves & also helps other people. Whether it is cooking, business, marketing, life-skills or anything else, we all have talents and can share them with the world via blogs, facebook, instagram and other social media platforms. If not, simply encouraging other people in this time of crisis is a great way to be of use to someone. Mentoring someone in the smallest of the ways is extremely satisfying.
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That’s it!
These are 20 ways in which you can spend your time at home.
There is so much to do at home, we just need to explore! If you have any more ideas, feel free to share them in the comment section below!
Hi guys, it’s Day 4 of our 10 Days, 10 Posts event.
I am sharing another recipe with all of you- Chocolate Covered Dates, stuffed with Peanut Butter.
Trust me, it sounds fancy, tastes amazing and yet is extremely simple to make. Infact, it is so simple, that I debated whether to share this recipe on the blog or not, because it is hardly any work at all. I finally decided to share it because they tasted so delicious! My husband who is my biggest critic, was quite surprised when he ate these dates and said they taste like some exotic chocolate!
Also, it doesn’t require any great skill in cooking/baking and everybody can make it!
The best part about these is that the dates add natural sweetness and you don’t really need to add white sugar. The only sugar which will be present is from the chocolate you use. You can use a darker and semi-sweet chocolate. If you are vegan like me, you can use a vegan chocolate bar or vegan chocolate chips.
Thus, this is a very uncomplicated, nutritious, mouthwatering and easy to prepare snack/dessert, perfect for those post lunch afternoons or as a quick bite with your cup of tea/coffee. It caters to all your hunger pangs & cravings!
So let’s go ahead and have a look at the recipe!
Ingredients:
10-12 pitted dates
2-4 tsps peanut butter
Melted chocolate 1 cup
Cocoa powder 1/2 tsp (optional)
Coconut flakes for topping (optional)
Granola or chopped almonds for topping (optional)
Procedure:
Take the pitted dates & make sure their slit is open
With a spoon fill the dates with peanut butter. Make sure not to overfill, else, the chocolate will not stick to the dates.
Take chocolate-chips or any plain chocolate bar and melt the chocolate in a microwave bowl. You can use 1-2 chocolate bars depending on their size. I used 3-4 tbsps of chocolate chips. I didn’t really measure, I just melted enough chocolate chips to fill 1 cup / small bowl.
To enhance the chocolate flavour even more, you can add the cocoa powder, if you wish to. It’s a completely optional step.
Dip the dates in the melted chocolate. Make sure they are covered from all sides with chocolate.
Remove the chocolate covered dates immediately after dipping and coating & place them on another plate.
Sprinkle them with any toppings of your choice like chopped almonds/ granola/coconut flakes. I used dried coconut & grated it into flakes and topped them. I also added some bits of granola from my breakfast cereal.
Refrigerate for 1-2 hours and serve.
That’s it! You are done!
Variation: You can even replace the peanut butter and place cashews or almonds inside the dates and then cover it with chocolate.
A Cupful Of Everything 