Foodies exchange program at healthfood desivideshi...

Yes, it is a strange sight on my blog as I have seldom participated in blog events and celebrations. I often tell my friends that I am a socially reluctant species. Most people do not believe as I can talk for hours on end with them. The thing is, I am very reclusive and enjoy my own space normally, till I meet someone who I can see matching my vibes. And then there are no reservations :-)

Remember reading somewhere sometime back that it is a typical Virgo behavior. May be that is the reason you don't see me socialising much in the blogosphere.

The sleepy blogger in me got a sweet surprise when a blog friend Charis sent me a mail asking if I would like to be a part of this Foodies' exchange program. Sweet just because Charis is just so who likes baking wonderful cupcakes. Surprise because I thought no one would ask me for such a thing as I have dodged many a times before.

So the sweet girl that Charis is, persuaded me to be a part of it, and as I see other bloggers posting Foodies exchange pictures and details, I am pleasantly surprised at the development of new friendships within the blogging community. Good work Charis, I found a new friend in Renuka Nadkarni.

And see what all she sent me in a packet. How a paper bag can carry love :-)

The love for food I mean :-)

All of 18 blogger signed up for this exchange of surprise foodie tidbits and some love wrapped around. Renuka of Pinch of Salt sent me a packet quite early last month.

The stash contained a pretty napkin...

A cute little jar of Buckwheat groats...

A packet of palm candy. It is called Taal misri in Hindi and I use it in my Fennel tea mostly. As if she knew I use it. The packet will be opened once I finish my last pack of a kilo of palm candy.

And there was this packet of dry dates...the natural sweetener in many of my cakes and crackers...

Another packet had these Stone flowers, Called Dagad phool in Hindi . It is a lichen in fact, and is used in some South Indian spice mixes and some biryani recipes.

A pack of Puttu flour. This is a powder of red rice, used to make steamed rice cakes with coconut and jaggery. I am waiting to try the recipe soon.

Apart from these, there were three types of chikki (brittle). A pack of four square flax seeds chikki, a pack of a peanut chikki and a pack of roasted gram chikki shaped like balls.

Every single thing is going to be used in a healthy way. The way I have made a Buckwheat soup and a savory pancake with Zucchini.

These crackers would use the dry dates and of course the Palm candy would go for my summer special Fennel tea. And may be I'll make a spice powder called Goda masala using the Dagadphool. The Puttu cake is on my list too if I don't use this powder for making my savory idlies.

Thanks a lot Charis for initiating this and Renuka for choosing such thoughtful ingredients for me. She knew I use mostly organic products so most of these were organic too.

These ingredient would sure make me post some new recipes using them.