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Time management - cooking, cleaning, and exercise

Discussion in 'Spotless Kitchen' started by kkrish, Apr 22, 2012.

  1. manjukps

    manjukps IL Hall of Fame

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    Hi Mega,

    No need of overnight soaking at all. Just 2 to 3 hrs should do. Soak all together after you come from office. Grind before going to bed, keep it to ferment overnight.

    Morning you can make uthappam with whatever topping you can think of right from onion to cheese. Saravana Bavan serves 7 taste 7 smaller uthappams with topping as onion, tomato, green chutney, ketchup and so on. Try with anything you like.

    Regards
    Manjukps
     
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  2. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

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    Hello ladies.

    Saturday morning I woke up late.
    There is something about sleeping after the alarm goes off; in my opinion the most delicious sleep is just after. So when the alarm went off at 5, I snapped it shut, and snuggled back in bed for a most glorious sleep until 6:30 am.

    Saturdays I vacuum all the carpeted areas, including the stairs. Then I had planned to do some gardening and then grocery shopping.

    I prefer grocery shopping on Saturdays, so that I can plan the week’s menu based on the vegetables I get. (Last week we could not go on Saturday and that threw my routine off a bit)

    I live in a place where there is just one Indian store. This store sells only “surakkai (lauki)” and “long brinjals” and sometimes Okra (ladysfnger). I am not complaining because until this store opened 10 years ago, we had to drive 3 hrs (one way) to the nearest big city.
    There is another big city about 1.5 hours (one way) drive and it was a sleepy town too until the IT boom in 2000. Now that place has some good Indian stores that sell vegetables like “Avarakkai”, “Snake gourd”, etc.

    Ok...let’s get back to Saturday.

    After breakfast and calling family in India, my husband left for important work. He said he may be out for most part of the day – until 5-6 pm.

    11-1 pm – Gardening (the weather was cool and cloudy) This was my exercise.

    1-2:30 pm – showered, had something to eat and pressure cooked dhal.

    2:45 – 4 pm – grocery shopping.
    • First went to Indian store – Got some ladys’finger, frozen tiny samosas, and some frozen grated coconut.
    • Then went to Asian store – got tomatoes, brinjal, greens, coriander and arvi. I got some fresh jack fruit too.
    • On the way back home stopped at the regular grocery and got potatoes, frozen peas, frozen spinach, and milk.
    4- 5:30 – put away the groceries. Vacuumed the house.
    5:30ish – It was cold and rainy- so definitely called for some fried stuff – I fried a few of the samosas. When hubby came home – had samosa, jackfruit and coffee. Prepared hot sambar and some plaintain roast for dinner.

    Some of our friends called.

    After dinner my husband decided to watch a movie. So I took my planner notebook with me and when there was dance and song I was writing down my menu. It was late so I could not post it last night. Here is the menu for next week.

    menu-1.JPG

    NOTE: Please do not judge our eating habits based on this. Just for this week I have this plan based on the veggies I could get. I have not included pasta, noodles, etc. for a reason. My husband comes home for lunch every day; I take lunch with me.

    After seeing the “oil-less poori” thread I decided to make poori’s for this morning’s breakfast. Kneading the dough with ice-cold water also can yield crispy pooris. The same logic applies.

    Have a great Sunday or what is left of it. Will come back in 12 hours.

    *************
    Prana, Manju - I will give my response to your feedback this evening.
     
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  3. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

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  4. kylie

    kylie Gold IL'ite

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    dear Mega,

    Time management is something I lag behind and this is why I look upto friends like u, Kamala n Manju. I have been following Kamala n Manju's posts in an attempt to fine tune my skills in this area. Hope I am able to improve on this soon.

    Love u all...
    Kylie
     
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  5. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    My dear Kamla

    Nice post. Can I join you all. I have nominated your post. Good to know about everyone's time management. Because of my health I dont work whole day. Nice to know about your routine. You have a busy routine.

    I start my cooking by 6.45 or 7 a.m. depending on the time I get up. Now since noone is there going to office I get up only at 6 a.m. My dh likes to take bath first , so at that time I log in and spend my time till he comes from bath. Then I take bath and start cooking. I cut the vegetables in the morning only and plan my menu also in the morning only. Everyday for breakfast I make Chapathi and whatever vegetable I make for lunch same for chapathi also. Mostly by 8 a.m. or 8.15 a.m. I finish my cooking depending on the menu. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays I do archana so start preparing for the pooja by 8.15 a.m. and finish it by 8.50 or 9 a.m. The days when no archana my dh has breakfast by 8.45 or 8.50 a.m. I have my breakfast later only. Then I clean the vessels. Afternoon after lunch I feel tired , so wash the vessels only after having coffee at 4.30 p.m. Evening my dh has something light only. Sometimes I prepare bread toast, aval upma or something.

    While taking bath only I wash my clothes. Once in a week or so I wash the bedsheets , pillow covers etc. Night we usually have snacks. We buy vegetables once in a week. Night I make different snacks like dosa, adai(in which I put less dal only for one cup of rice I put one spoon each of tur dal, moong dal, chana dal and make it thin batter), kozakattai, pongal etc. Night I have less vessels to wash.
     
  6. manjukps

    manjukps IL Hall of Fame

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    Welcome here Viji Aunty. Definitely your vast experience will guide us, which will be treasure for us.

    Thanks Kamala for your Menu preparation method.

    Today too my work was my exercise. Today morning my DD and parents arrived from B'lore after a short trip of 3 days for a function. DH picked up them from local bus stop. DH dropped them at their home after coffee and little chat.

    I took bath and started cooking. Didn't make B/F. While I was cooking my DH started cleaning our front 10' by 10' balcony. It has slant sheet roof from above the sunshade. That sunshade is our dumping place. All the mess couldn't be seen from outside the house as well as from inside. DS was helping him but he was really bored to clean-up almost every weekend. But this was our longtime pending work. After I finished cooking, gave all of them 3 slices of bread and a cup of tea.

    Then started helping my DH. Segregated wanted and unwanted items. DH kept back, still might be of some use items wrapped in plastic sheets. Unwanted items still lies in a corner. Now finding a person to dispose it off is a big job for me. Then washed the balcony (actually planned it to be a room, but left it as open terrace and later put the slant roof) This is more useful for us to dry clothes regularly. Apart from this there is open terrace at the back also. Then again took bath after cleaning.

    Before lunch put left out bedspreads for wash. After lunch took out the stuffing of full size teddy bear soft toy (brought from US. Brought it after disposing the stuffing there and stuffed here again in 2000, in spite of my brother's envy. But I feel I should have given it to him. In the pollution here it is turning to be a brown bear from snow white in spite of regular cleaning. Its age is almost 12 years - bought it in a garage sale for $10). Washed the fur. Yet to stuff it again. put clothes for drying. Repaired two of my artificial necklaces - attached back chain in a new one, attached hook and rings in another.

    My DH was sorting lots of cables and plugs which gets accumulated over the years. Disposed off some unwanted card board boxes. Over the years, we both are so understanding on cleaning. Had half an hour nap. DH was busy in his official work on entire saturday and the left out sunday. (Doesn't he need his share of appreciation here for being abhyandha aathukaarar - very suitable husband:clap)

    In between hearing the stories of DD stay with grand parents at my chithapa's house at B'lore. Shared her enjoyment of plays with my cousin's 2 years old son.

    Evening prepared some uthappam as tiffin and coffee. Went to parents' house around 6 pm. On the way bought vegetables for us as well as for parents. Bought some untied jasmine flowers. While talking about the function they attended and about their stay, tied the flowers. Gave some to mom and returned by 7.15. Prepared dosa for all others. Chapathi for myself and DH. Mornings mixed veg kootu was there. So didn't prepare side dish.

    Sorted vegetables around 8.30, kept in fridge. Cut kovakkai for tomorrow's first cooking. For
    DS and DH tomato rice and kovakkai fry (before bath - BB!!). For my in-laws, as they can't chew this, planning to make yam masiyal with vendhaya kuzhambu (after bath - AB!!!). I am deciding only the next day's cooking. I should bring the practice of bringing Kamala's method of the weekly plan. I may have to buy vegetable twice a week which is not so difficult here like in US. I take my activa for all local rounds. Car for out of locality.

    Boiled milk around 9.15. Told my mil to give to fil, the rest to soak for curd.

    From 9.30 in IL.

    P.S. Friends!! Tell me if I am being too elaborate.

    Regards
    Manjukps
     
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  7. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Prana
    Thank you very much for your lovely feedback. I am so glad you also belong to the same school of thought as I do. One day i read an article on how to turn housework into an aerobic workout and felt that this is a win-win situation where I and the home benefit; no need to pay for home-cleaning services or the gym.
    Welcome and do write your situation and how you manage your time.
     
  8. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Vijikka
    Welcome dear. Thank you two times. The first one for writing how you manage your time and secondly for nominating this post.
    I am honored on both counts. Your experience is something we could count on and take after. Please suggest shortcuts, and tips that we may useful.

    Thank you akka.
     
  9. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Manju
    Your Saturday and Sunday are so productive, reading them gave me a sense of completion. You are good.
    My mother decides the day's cooking based on what the early morning "keeraikaari"(greens vendor) brings and followed by the vegetable vendor. It is very practical to do so with the availability of fresh vegetables everyday at her doorstep.
    Perhaps in your situation too daily menu works well; especially with children suddenly they may want something special.
    My case is so different and I have no option bu to plan the week before. If I don't I am in for trouble. Many days I have stood in front of the fridge wasting precious minutes wondering what to cook.
    Enjoyed reading your days.
    Thank you for being such a good support and a good sport too.
     
  10. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

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    Hi ladies. Trust you all had a relaxing Sunday.
    This week as promised I will report only cooking.
    I am also a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma and am trying (the operative word is “trying”) to incorporate some of the basic rules I learnt:
    • Don’t do anything tomorrow what can be done today. (Yeah, fine, but who has the time?)
    • Organize workplace
    • Arrange everything in a flow
    **********
    After a breakfast of poori/potatoes and a light lunch of buttermilk rice, around 2pm I started my food prep.
    First I decided to get Sunday’s dinner done: Vermicelli (Semiya) mixed vegetable (frozen) biryani, raita, caluliflower kurma (planning to use the same for Wednesday’s dinner).
    2 pm:
    • Soaked kabuli channa with a pinch of baking soda.
    • Chopped one onion in slices and 4 other onions finely. Chopped tomatoes and chillies needed.
    • Made the vermicelli biryani and the raita. While biryani was cooking I cooked the cauliflower for the kurma.
    • Washed the ladysfinger and let dry.
    • Separated the stem and leaves of greens. Stored in fridge.
    It was now 3:30. I wanted a nap badly. So took one and woke around 4:15pm.
    4:15 pm – Had evening coffee. My husband had bought some fresh pineapple. Had some and put the rest back in the fridge.
    It was around 4:40 when I started my weekly prep.
    • First set tur dhal in pressure cooker
    • Chopped coriander leaves and roasted for thuvaiyal. Transferred it to a bowl and let it cool.
    • Roasted for chutney. Transferred – let it cool.
    • In the same pan, Roasted tur dhal for paruppu thuvaiyal – Transferred -let it cool.
    • Roasted for chole and let cool.
    • My ginger-garlic paste got over. So peeled some ginger and garlic and kept ready in another bowl.
    • While everything cooled, took some rice flour, besan, chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut ladysfinger in thin slices and tossed in the powder mix and placed in fridge. Reserved some ladyfinger for Friday’s sambar.
    Then grinding:
    • First the coriander chutney
    • Without washing the jar ground the chutney for Idli/dosai
    • In the same jar ground the paruppu thuvaiyal
    • Washed the mixie jar and ground the chole masala.
    • Ground the ginger garlic paste.
    • Ground for kurma and simmered the kurma.
    • While kurma was simmering, washed all the dishes that I used, and placed all the ground paste in the fridge.
    • Cleaned a big piece of ginger – pulsed it in the mixie, added salt, turmeric, and lemon juice. Tomorrow I will season with mustard and green chilies. Goes well with chapathies.
    • Using the Ultra atta-kneader- mixed atta, salt, the leftover potato curry from b’fast, some dhal and made a huge batch of chapatti dough. Separated it into portion sized balls, put them in Ziploc bags and kept one in fridge the rest in freezer.
    By the time I finished it was 7:45 pm.
    Thought I will iron clothes for next week; but my hubby was hungry. So had dinner, put away the food, washed dishes. Then one by one my sons called us and it was ten.
    Last week I could iron clothes but not pre-cook cook for the week. So I must think somehow to deal with this.
    Next week's clean up zones are living room/family room and then foyer, dining room, hallway.
    Have a great Monday. Will see you all tomorrow.
     
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