With so many small businesses being hit hard by quarantine and lockdown, it can be a crushing experience and one that might even lead to owners shutting down their outfits for good. I spoke to some entrepreneurs in the food space in Bombay to see what they had to say, on THC HeartBytes, my podcast as The Heart Chef. I even asked them for ways in which patrons could best support them at a time like this. Here I am speaking with Mavourneen Peters of Mav's Cakes & Bakes Bakery in Bandra.  Mav's Cakes & Bakes is now open for delivery & takeaway. The menu for the week will change every two weeks so do keep an eye on their social media. You can pre-order the Special Weekend items by Thursday for delivery on Saturday or Sunday. Customized cakes are on order too! You can get in touch with @MavsCakesAndBakes and place your orders by calling on 9819873959 for your takeaway orders & home delivery. PLEASE NOTE: Currently everyone here is using masks and gloves, all surfaces are repeatedly sanitized and social distancing is being strictly maintained as per regulations.  If you wanna listen to the #MetroFoodHoppers podcast episode called "No Name No Fame," which featured Mavourneen and Mav's Cakes & bakes , click this link https://open.spotify.com/episode/16fflzZVgIQj0ba6faD7Xc Do listen and share, and let me know if there's anyone you know in the small food business world, whose story should be told. I'm keen to get in touch with them. #StaySafe #StayInside Let's get through #quarantine and #lockdown, together. #BuyLocal #SMEs #SmallFoodBusiness #BandraBakery #BakedGoods #BandrBakers #FoodPodcaster #FoodPodcast #THCHeartBytes #TheHeartChef #BandraWest #ShopLocal #CoronaVirus #COVID19 

THC HEARTBYTES

Mavs Cakes & Bakes - Small food biz coping with COVID19

In this episode number 8 of THC HeartBytes, the topic is breakfast dates! I'll be sharing 5 breakfast recipes featuring dates, which are definitely a super food in a sense because while I won’t list all their amazing nutritional info, I will say that they contain 15 minerals and 23 types of amino acids, which is unheard of in any one kind of fruit. So, stock up on them dates and find ways to slip them into your dishes.

Breakfast recipes with superfood: dates

Today’s topic is all about Saints and Spinach. Oh wait, don’t get turned off just yet – patron Saints, of FOOD! And the spinach bit is a hack to save you time, money and energy if you love eating this leafy green.

Patron saints of Food & a Spinach hack

This episode is about my rather interesting interaction with MasterChef India season 2 winner, Shipra Khanna. I thought ok, here’s a cool lady, she won MasterChef India and she has an inspiring story of rising up out of domestic abuse and becoming a national icon with international recognition.  Now one of my main agendas on this podcast – I want to sincerely and seriously promote amazing women in the food world, to show support and to encourage and celebrate their invaluable contributions to the F&B industry. If you know some radical ladies who are making a mark and have impressed you, and you think more people need to know about them PLEASE share their contact info and a small note on why you think they are so incredible. Email me at theheartchef@gmail.com and I’ll be sure to take it forward. What I was pleasantly surprised to find out what that Shipra was refreshingly down to earth, cheeky and smart-funny, and really quite considerate – I witnessed this myself when a girl in the audience began sneezing and then continued for a whole minute, I’m talking body shaking powerful sneezes and Shipra stopped talking and asked her if she was ok or needed some water, and this made the event management guys actually turn the AC down which is great coz I and everybody else in that small room was freezing. Shipra was interviewed on a little stage by NDTV anchor Ambika Anand who asked her mostly predictable questions included one about whether Shipra thought the food world was a male-dominated one, to which Shipra said, “Of course it is, everyone knows that!” Sassy lady, I like! Shipra then shared her story of how she got into MasterChef India and kudos to her for giving props to her kids for motivating her creativity in the kitchen, and most of all to her mother for listening to her maternal instinct and signing Shipra up for the competition, which forced her to rise above her troubled domestic situation and her depression.  What I appreciated the most was the humility with which Shipra shared her biggest takeaway from the whole experience of winning this prestigious competition. When Shipra began taking questions from the audience I stood up and asked her whether she thought India was ready for a platform where women in the food industry were exclusively celebrated and had their efforts and talent showcased in a supportive and encouraging manner because that’s what I wanted to start with my podcast THC HeartBytes, and she replied with a wholehearted, “Yes, absolutely! It’s about time!” So, I guess it’s only fitting that I kick off this initiative with her as the first Fabulous Food Femme. More power to you Shipra, you are an inspiration to us all.

Meeting MasterChef India Shipra Khanna

With so many small businesses being hit hard by quarantine and lockdown, it can be a crushing experience and one that might even lead to owners shutting down their outfits for good. I spoke to some entrepreneurs in the food space in Bombay to see what they had to say, on THC HeartBytes, my podcast as The Heart Chef. I even asked them for ways in which patrons could best support them at a time like this. Here I am speaking with Atul Sahni of Khane Khas. This interview was recorded a couple of weeks ago. PLEASE NOTE: Currently everyone at Khane Khas is using masks and gloves, all surfaces are repeatedly sanitized and social distancing is being strictly maintained as per regulations. You can get in touch with Khane Khas on @khane_khas and place your orders by calling 9321470546/02226054605 for your takeaway orders & home delivery. If you wanna listen to the #MetroFoodHoppers podcast episode called "Punjabi Food and North Indian Cuisine," which featured Khane Khas, click this link https://open.spotify.com/episode/16fflzZVgIQj0ba6faD7Xc Do listen and share, and let me know if there's anyone you know in the small food business world, whose story should be told. I'm keen to get in touch with them. #StaySafe #StayInside Let's get through #quarantine and #lockdown, together. #BuyLocal #SMEs #SmallFoodBusiness #BandraRestaurant #PunjabiFood #FoodPodcaster #FoodPodcast #THCHeartBytes #TheHeartChef #BandraWest #ShopLocal #CoronaVirus #COVID19 This the link to the Langar video I refer to in the interview: https://youtu.be/XYOlGYZx2Fc 

Khane Khas - Small food biz Coping with COVID19

With so many small businesses being hit hard by quarantine and lockdown, it can be a crushing experience and one that might even lead to owners shutting down their outfits for good. I spoke to some entrepreneurs in the food space in Bombay to see what they had to say, on THC HeartBytes, my podcast as The Heart Chef. I even asked them for ways in which patrons could best support them at a time like this. Here I am speaking with LeeAnne of LeeAnne's Kitchen. This interview was recorded a couple of weeks ago, the update is that LeeAnne's Kitchen is now open and you can visit the store for purchasing your takeaway orders. PLEASE NOTE: Currently everyone at LeeAnne's Kitchen is using masks and gloves, all surfaces are repeatedly sanitized and social distancing is being strictly maintained as per regulations. You can get in touch with LeeAnne on @LeeAnnesKitchen and place your orders by calling 7700990028. Home delivery is offered from Churchgate to Borivali, delivery charges extra. If you wanna listen to the #MetroFoodHoppers podcast episode called "No Name, No Fame," which featured LeeAnne's Kitchen, click this link https://open.spotify.com/episode/16fflzZVgIQj0ba6faD7Xc Do listen and share, and let me know if there's anyone you know in the small food business world, whose story should be told. I'm keen to get in touch with them. #StaySafe #StayInside Let's get through #quarantine and #lockdown, together. #BuyLocal #SMEs #SmallFoodBusiness #BoutiqueBakery #FoodPodcaster #FoodPodcast #THCHeartBytes #TheHeartChef #AndheriWest #LeeAnnesKitchen #AndheriBakers #ShopLocal #CoronaVirus #COVID19 

LeeAnne's Kitchen - Small food biz Coping with COVID19

With so many small businesses being hit hard by quarantine and lockdown, it can be a crushing experience and one that might even lead to owners shutting down their outfits for good. I spoke to some entrepreneurs in the food space in Bombay to see what they had to say, on THC HeartBytes, my podcast as The Heart Chef. I even asked them for ways in which patrons could best support them at a time like this. Here I am speaking with Melwyn D'Sa of #HearschBakery in Bandra. An establishment that opened during World War 1 and until just before lockdown, still enjoyed the patronage of regulars in the area as well as those who travelled from across the city to partake of their delicious treats. PLEASE NOTE: Currently everyone at Hearsch Bakery is using masks and gloves, all surfaces are repeatedly sanitized and social distancing is being strictly maintained as per regulations. These pictures and videos were shot two years ago when I featured Hearsch Bakery on my podcast #MetroFoodHoppers in the Bandra's Old Skool Bakeries episode: https://indianexpress.com/audio/metro-food-hoppers/old-skool-bakeries/5246492/ Do listen and share, and let me know if there's anyone you know in the small food business world, whose story should be told. I'm keen to get in touch with them. #StaySafe #StayInside Let's get through #quarantine and #lockdown, together. #BuyLocal #SMEs #SmallFoodBusiness #BandraBakery #FoodPodcaster #FoodPodcast #THCHeartBytes #TheHeartChef #Bandra 

Hearsch Bakery - Small food biz Coping with COVID19

With so many small businesses being hit hard by quarantine and lockdown, it can be a crushing experience and one that might even lead to owners shutting down their outfits for good. I spoke to some entrepreneurs in the food space in Bombay to see what they had to say, on THC HeartBytes, my podcast as The Heart Chef. I even asked them for ways in which patrons could best support them at a time like this. Here I am speaking with Melwyn D'Sa of #HearschBakery in Bandra. An establishment that opened during World War 1 and until just before lockdown, still enjoyed the patronage of regulars in the area as well as those who travelled from across the city to partake of their delicious treats. PLEASE NOTE: Currently everyone at Hearsch Bakery is using masks and gloves, all surfaces are repeatedly sanitized and social distancing is being strictly maintained as per regulations. These pictures and videos were shot two years ago when I featured Hearsch Bakery on my other podcast #MetroFoodHoppers in the Bandra's Old Skool Bakeries episode: https://indianexpress.com/audio/metro-food-hoppers/old-skool-bakeries/5246492/ 

#CORONA Series: Hearsch Bakery - Small food biz affected by #COVID19

Today, I’m super kicked to tell you about this wonderful natural Red Bull made from Hibiscus flowers. After that I’ll share some info on a very scary incident that happened with me where one of my furbabies ate a human food that you should NEVER give your animal companions. It can possibly be lethal for cats but it is DEFINITELY FATAL for dogs. 

An energy drink made from flowers & a food fatal for furbabies

So, this is the fourth episode of THC HeartBytes, with interesting information about spring and harvest festivals being celebrated in India. I've also talked about some fun ways to stay cool and serve cucumbers. Have fun experimenting with the different serving suggestions!

Spring harvest festivals in India & 5 ways to stop serving boring cucumbers

Today is Friday, so of course, I’m going to talk about some Fab Food Folks in just a minute. And share some awesome popcorn flavourings you can make at home and while enjoying a horror movie marathon. I mean it is Friday the 13th - Bwahahahaha! It’s not exactly breaking news that we should be trying to eat organic as much as possible to avoid the deadly pesticides sprayed on produce and fed to livestock. That’s why it’s really cool that so many farmer’s markets are coming up across the city and that too on the weekends. This means you can actually visit them, shop at leisure, interact with some really interesting people doing wonderful things in the space of organic, vegan and what I call FREE FOOD: sugar-free, oil-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and of course, guilt-free because cruelty-free and try out delicious snacks and drinks made from healthy and natural ingredients. These markets are held on the weekend at Malad, Powai, Juhu, Chembur, Bandra, Cuffe Parade, Birla Kreeda Kendra in Girgaon, and Versova. Some are on Saturday and most are on Sunday. They’re usually open in the morning and shut by lunch time. I’ll be sharing exact timings, location, address and contact info for each market on my Facebook page, just look for The Heart Chef, I’ll be sending across the link on whatsapp. Ok so let’s not forget it’s Friday the 13th, and what’s better to snack on during a horror movie marathon that homemade popcorn? But popcorn can get boring. And there’s only so much butter you can drizzle before it starts to taste like a heart attack waiting to happen. So here are some interesting popcorn flavourings you can whip up at home, either making a couple of different batches or keep trying all till you find your fave: So you can either go simply salty, or sweet, or spicy, or sour or you could make killer combos! A sweet and salty one like salted caramel, or a sweet and spicy one such as sweet chilli, or a sweet and not so spicy one like brown sugar, cinnamon and a dash of tabasco, and oh my god, a sweet and sour one with dried mango powder, you know, amchur and either brown sugar or jaggery powder, and for those who like walking that thin line between pleasure and pain, you can go hot and sour – with lemon juice-chilli powder, or vinegar and red chilli powder. You can play with so many permutations and combinations of these, and experiment with more ingredients, the possibilities are endless. No more crappy microwave popcorn! Freedom from carcinogenic gunk that tastes good but lines your arteries for a looooong time. You know what you need to do for the popcorn-flavouring recipes, just hop on over to THC’s Facebook pg or whatsapp me your email address and say POPCORN FLAVOURING RECIPES. That was it for today’s episode, catch you on Sunday where we will Take It Easy and celebrate all the different harvest & spring festivals of India. Plus, I’ll be launching a cuke-lear attack on boring ways to eat cucumber. Because there’s at least 5 different ways to enjoy this water-rich member of the gourd family, and I’m going to share them with you. You have a good start to the weekend and I’ll talk to you next on Sunday. This is me, Simona - The Heart Chef signing off with a big hug. From my heart to yours.

Unusual Popcorn Toppings For Your Movie Marathons

Sweet basil seeds are 42% carbs, 25% fats, 20% protein, and have a load of ALA or alpha-linolenic acid, which comes from the high level of Omega-3 fatty acid present in the seeds. The best part though? They contain zero calories and are free of cholesterol. Learn more in this episode about why you should be ingesting them.

Sweet Basil Seeds & why they're good for you (+ recipe ideas)

What are cold soups? No they’re not hot soups that are allowed to get cold, those taste terrible! Cold soups are what I turn to when it’s sweltering hot outside and the face melting heat makes my appetite take a bit of a downturn. If you’re also struggling with being hungry but not really wanting to eat anything heavy, cold soups can be a real boon. They’re easy to make, you can use ingredients that boost your immunity, and they can be delicious at the same time. What’s not to love? So here are 5 cold soups that I recommend for this crazy blistering summer: Gazpacho, Melon & Kiwi, Cucumber & mint, Carrot & ginger, Watermelon & feta.

Cold soups by The Heart Chef

The first food-related WhatsApp podcast in Bombay, and perhaps in India.

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THC HEARTBYTES

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