If there’s one thing that binds us, women, together, no matter what part of the world we live in is the fact that we all want to feel and look better. And, if you are a mom, then add feeding our kids delicious and nutritious meal to that list.
That’s why I started Simmer to Slimmer.
At Simmer to Slimmer, we are all about cooking and eating home cooked meals to stay healthy, fit and ultimately lose weight.
In this time and age, most of us lead busy lives and cooking at home more often than not seems like a tough ask and it’s easy to forget to prioritize the important things we need for good mental and physical health – Healthy Food and Exercise.
Ultimately, it is about making time for what matters – you, your health and that of your family. It’s always a journey, never a one-time event and I have started on mine and if this blog can help you even a tiny bit in helping you achieve your goals – I’d consider my efforts were well worth it.
Before we proceed, let me introduce myself – I’m Anu. I live in Chicago with my husband and 2 adorable daughters aged 4 and 10.
I’ve tried to create a blog here with easy to make, healthy recipes which can be made with a few basic ingredients.
I will admit I do like to indulge in moderation so don’t be surprised to see Brownies, Tiramisu and lots of dessert recipes all present here. And I’m Asian Indian by origin so I primarily have quite a few Indian recipes.
Welcome again to Simmer to Slimmer and if you would like to get in touch with me, I can be reached at anu@simmertoslimmer.com.
If you prefer social media, you can also find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
Cooking Philosophy
I like to be in and out of the kitchen in an hour so that I can spend time doing other things like reading, playing or talking to my girls or bothering the only man in our household. I always use everyday staples and am not one to stock something I would use once in a while. I use the most basic masalas/ spices and when it comes to spices, I believe less is more.
Last but the not the least – I don’t claim to be an expert cook; the more I cook, the more I learn and I post only recipes that have worked for me…sometimes after multiple trial and errors!
Some of my popular recipes are
- Idli recipe – how to make soft idlis every time
- How to make soft rotis or chapatis like a pro
- Mangalorean fish curry (Meen Gassi)
Frequently asked questions
Well, what’s with the name – Simmer to Slimmer? Simmer to Slimmer is about cooking and eating home cooked meals to stay healthy, fit and ultimately lose weight. There are probably zillions of reasons to eat home cooked food as much as possible – it is more nutritious, no MSG, no preservatives, less salt to name a few.
Now the next question – who has the time to cook food? We lead crazy busy lives – most of us do. Whether it is juggling between school, work, kids, home or managing other priorities that you may have, at the end of the day, very few of us have time to cook an elaborate meal. So what I have done is include some simple healthy recipes for everyday cooking and some not so basic recipes for days when you may want to make something special.
Cultural Influence for the recipes? I was born in Mangalore, raised in Bombay (now Mumbai), a melting pot of people from different regions in India and grew up eating a lot of South Indian, Gujarati and Punjabi food. Naturally, they have largely influenced what I cook and serve at home.
Recipes – where do I get them? Mom and my in-laws have been very kind in sharing with me the recipes that have been in the family for generations. I have included a lot of authentic recipes from my ethnic origins, the Bunt community. I hope you enjoy making them as much as I do. Also, my friends, ex-roommates and the Internet have been a big source of information on recipes that have not been part of my repertoire before.
The motivation behind it? I have always been enamored by food or should I say obsessed? I love to eat and I live to eat. But after years of eating and very little exercise, I realized my metabolism is not what it used to be. I would lay off junk food for a couple of weeks and would lose a few pounds and old habits die hard so I’d gain them right back. That’s when I decided I needed a lifestyle change..a right balance of homemade food and exercise..plus I love taking pictures..so that’s how it all started.
Commenting policy – I would love to hear from you. If you have tried variations to a recipe that I have posted here and it’s worked out well for you please let me know. I will try to include them in my recipe too! All comments are moderated so don’t waste your time trying to post something that isn’t relevant to this site.
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Will do, Anjali!
Hi Anu,
I liked your idli batter recipe for the instant pot. Can you post one for Dosa as well?
Will do, Ditsa. Dosa recipe coming soon!
Thanks anu ,tried your recipe my hubby loved it ????????however replaced the vinegar with lime ????
Hi, Shweta – Thanks for stopping by. Glad your husband liked the recipe :). Which recipe did you try?
Hi Anu,
I just wanted to let you know I stumbled onto your website via the Instapot FB page! I am going to try your whole recipe! Do you have more instapot recipes on your website? I searched but couldn’t come across any…
Thanks!
Hi, Monica – Thanks for stopping by. So far, I have made yogurt and chole using the Instant Pot. More recipes to come. Stay tuned.
Anushree