Fabulouslyfiftyplus

How often have we heard this? 'Trust the timing'.... 'the best is yet to come'..... And other similar quotes... And towards the end of a calendar year we somehow start to believe in these uplifting statements...somewhere along the way we stop believing and go down the negative route... Why?
Is it because we feel luck is not with us? Or you just start losing faith in yourself?
Place this statement in a place you will read everyday... "today is the best day of my life" and truly believe it...

I have reached 500 followers! Thank you for your continued support. I could not have done it without each of you. 🙏🤗🎉

Who holds your remote control?

How often have you heard yourself and others say, "this person hurt me" or "I am upset because of what he/she did".....? Umpteen times, right?
No one can hurt us, upset us, do us any harm, unless we allow them to. If you pass on the control of your feelings to others, they will press the channels that suit them. Hold the remote to your life and your feelings, press those channels that bring you joy and happiness. Don't allow anything or anyone to get to you unless what they have said or done has caused you extensive damage. Recently a young friend mentioned to me about her breakup. According to her the breakup messed her up. The reason it did as per her was because towards the end of the relationship she was not treated well. Bravo to her for walking away and taking back her remote control. A bitter or unpleasant experience teaches us and strengthens us, don't allow it to break you. YOU ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR LIFE..... So live your life to first please you, if you are happy internally, you can spread happiness to those around you.


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Are we selling our souls to the Tech World?
We are all, or should I say most of us are guilty of having become slaves to our tech toys. We sit at social gatherings with 95% of our attention on our small screen in our hands…this is reality. But reality also is that we can replace our tech toys but not our loved ones. I have made a promise to myself today to keep away my mobiles when spending time with family and during meals. As much as there is gain in being part of the meta world transition, I feel we are starting to lose something very important, the human touch. The ability to converse, laugh and mingle with family and friends. Love to hear your views!

Mirror, mirror on the wall…. And no it’s not about who is the fairest of us all, as in the poetry. It’s about your self confidence, it’s being bold enough to look and admire yourself in every mirror you come across. I always stop in front of every mirror, only to admire myself and give gratitude for me. Don’t be afraid, don’t not stop to look at yourself because you are worried about what people around you will think of you. Remember this life, and how you feel about yourself is about you, and not them. So love yourself a lot, praise and admire yourself a lot and as you do, your cup will overflow with love and happiness!

Eid Mubarak! And what’s Eid without dressing up festive! So here I am dressed up in my Dubai best and celebrating in Kampala. Even a lockdown can’t take away my Eid spirit!
If we waste our time moaning and groaning about having to stay in we miss out on some of the best moments of enjoying one’s own company…. And honestly I cannot have enough of my own…So enjoy every moment of this life. Look for a positive in every situation and you will find it.

Eid Mubarak! And what’s Eid without dressing up festive! So here I am dressed up in my Dubai best and celebrating in Kampala. Even a lockdown can’t take away my Eid spirit!
If we waste our time moaning and groaning about having to stay in we miss out on some of the best moments of enjoying one’s own company…. And honestly I cannot have enough of my own company. So enjoy every moment of this life. Look for a positive in every situation and you will find it.

Journey of Self Discovery “This is Who I am ….”



“No matter who you are, no matter what you did, no matter where you've come from, you can always change, become a better version of yourself.” Madonna



The first step to starting the journey of fully embracing who you are is to use the powerful tool of Self-Acknowledgment.

Self-Acknowledgement is a two-step process of valuing our self while simultaneously working towards self-improvement. When you value yourself you celebrate YOU and further build on your passion & talents. Similarly, when you work towards changing behavior to improve the self, you give way to self-growth. Hence Self-Acknowledgement leads to a more confident and better version of you.

“This is who I am..” is an experiential personal growth & discovery session designed by The Happiness Ftt to rekindle the fire within you so you reconnect with your authentic self.

The Workshop Entails:

- Introspective talk & discussion on Self-Acknowledgement
- A deep dive into Understanding your true path & what stands in your way
- “I AM.....” Guided Meditation along with Timeline Healing Therapy
- Understand your soul planet & Purpose
- Self Reflective Exercise & Discussion

If you believe life actually begins in your 50s then you definitely have it right.... And I am speaking from my own experience. All set to launch a new business venture... Will share updates soon. Wish you love, light and health 🤍

Be that girl.... I am... And you should too!

This needs to be a daily reminder.

Current state with a grateful heart! Wishing everyone happiness, peace, love & light!

Ladies 50 Plus... This is for you!

https://youtu.be/So9gERcgEdY

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And yes I am a firm believer of "regret nothing"........ Its a waste of time and energy... You can't change the past, but you still have the future. Double up your energy and pour it into your future, it's waiting for you so do it right.

When I started this page and Instagram, it was to post meaningful blurbs and thoughts about life beyond fifty, and for those of us who have crossed it, you will agree it is fabulous. At 55 I can say it with authority that life truly begins at 50.
Since my lockdown stay in Uganda, like many of you, I reconnected with my love for cooking and posted it all here.... But then this page was not a blog for food and recipes so I created another page dedicated just for my recipes ShamCooks
Getting back to fabulously fifty plus, I have been in Kampala, Uganda for just a little over five months. It has been interesting, intriguing and all about discovery and experiencing. Will share more in my posts to follow. With Eid Al Adha on Friday, it's going to be a long weekend so I have decided to take my Mom (she too is here with me) and indulge in a staycation. Super excited for this mini travel. Can't wait to write a travel piece again. Any of you planning a staycation?

Hope everyone has had a good week.... I have been missing in action on this page but will soon be posting my week's discoveries. Gooseberries are in abundance here in Uganda. So this week, thanks to my Mum's repertoire of jam recipes, we made Gooseberry Jam.... and it has turned out so good. I will post the pictures and recipes soon. Wish you all a great weekend!

My cravings for Arabic/Lebanese food got me to make it all at home. In the picture - Pita Pockets of mini shawarma and Hummus with vegetable sticks. I decided to make it all from scratch for a working lunch at home It was actually so super easy. Will share the recipes this weekend as I need to write them out. But was excited to share the pics.

When you miss home a lot, cuisine from your hometown can make a little difference. I was delighted to dine today at the newly opened Kayali restaurant on Yusuf Lule road in Kampala. A tucked away eatery with stylish interiors offering Levant specialties. Here are some of the dishes I tried.

After months of experimenting with varieties of white bread, I finally ended up trying my hand at a whole wheat bread...with lots more added in... Oats, honey, figs, raisins, walnuts and cinnamon. And so, my first healthy bread bake... Continuing
A good first try but I definitely need to better this recipe before I share it here.

I love weekends as I get to cook many dishes. Today's brunch was a South Indian fare with a touch of Gujarat.
Idli, Dosa, Masala Dosa, Sambhar & Chutney we are all familiar with... With practice you get the dosas thin and crispy.
We are also familiar with the yellow Dhokla and red chutney, but there is also the lesser known white Dhokla with mint chutney and this can be prepared with leftover Dosa/Idli batter. Please DM for recipes.

Wish you all a great weekend.

I am always experimenting with my bread recipes. My new and super simple sandwich bread baked today... In this picture is also my kitchen towel that has travelled with me from Dubai to Uganda. It's not just another kitchen towel, it's special as was gifted to me by dear and thoughtful friends and .THF thank you both ❤️

Lunch today was in remembrance of our dear Aunt
We have all been preparing her favorite dishes. Yakhni Pulav was one of her favorites (in the picture). Yakhni can be made with Mutton or Chicken. A simple yet delicious dish, made with whole garam masala, yoghurt, onions, potatoes, coriander, green chilies, ginger, garlic, Mutton stock, coriander and cumin. I will be posting a step by step recipe in a few days. To accompany the Pulav I prepared a yoghurt and grated cucumber raita, lightly tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves. And since it's Sunday and was feeling a little indulgent, I also prepared a famous Indian street food - Kheema Baida Roti (mince meat stuffed in flatbread, dipped in egg and shallow fried), a good squeeze of lemon on top makes this dish a perfect starter.
Both these dishes can be made vegetarian. The Pulav can be made with jackfruit (soon replacing meat) and the stuffed flatbread can be made with soya mince.

Music, fragrance (perfumes) and food are truly the vehicles to transport you back to memorable events.
Two years ago I spent a lot of time in Lisbon, Portugal and since I was not off meats, ended up eating the much loved Portuguese Frango Chicken. A simple grilled chicken with salad, rice and fries. The marinade is with piri piri sauce, butter and olive oil, so as it grills the butter enhances the flavor of the spice and gives the meat a crispy topping. I was reminiscing my time in Portugal and of course had to make Frango.
The local Ugandan rice too is sticky and flavourful like the Portuguese rice. But instead of fries I boiled potatoes and tossed them in olive oil and parsley and sprinkled some Himalayan rock salt and garlic powder. I made 2 versions of the chicken, the smaller not so spicy pieces and the extra spicy large pieces. Will share recipe soon. For now enjoy my pics and drool away.

Avocados these days are being used in place of butter for making brownies, cakes and muffins. Here is my take on Avocado Flatbread (Chapatis)
1 large Avocado (Ugandan Avocados are oversized as they are the Feurte variety)
3 cups whole wheat flour or Amaranth (Rajgira)
2 cloves garlic chopped fine
2 green chillies chopped
1/4 cup fresh coriander chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin powder

Mash the avocado. Add flour and all the ingredients. Knead well. Make 6 to 8 portions (depends on size of flatbread you prefer)
Roll out as you would a Chapati/flatbread. If the dough is too sticky sprinkle more flour to roll evenly.
Place on hot pan, turning sides till it is well cooked, puffs and gets golden spots.

If using Hass Avocado use 1 1/2 cup flour. And reduce quantity of other ingredients to taste.

You can eat this plain or with a chutney or yoghurt. It's delicious, nutritious and quick to make.

Do you believe in synchro destiny? There is no reason not to. How often do we use these words "what a coincidence we met"? There are no coincidences, we manifested, that is how we met. People come into our lives to lead us towards or be part of our journey, bringing our goals and desires to fruition. And this is exactly how and I met today.... More on this in a few weeks.

Sunday Funday! I had gone off meat and chicken for a very long time, just as I had gone off dairy and gluten. Being in Uganda the past four months has changed me and my eating habits. I do consume much more of fruits and vegetables but I have started eating meat and chicken too and dairy and gluten and I seem to feel just fine. Is it my state of mind? Environment, quality of local produce? Don't have the answers but for now I am loving what I'm cooking. The dough making for baguettes needs to start a day prior and since I plan my menus in advance it helps. I also marinated the ribs 24 hours ahead and then slow cooked in the oven for over 3 hours before charing them slightly. My baguettes got baked in the morning. The salad is always a quick toss of everything. No BBQ is complete without some starch and corn on the cob... So I oven baked sweet potato fries with a good dash of spice, olive oil and Himalayan salt. Corn was so fresh and tender, it cooked quickly. A squeeze of lemon, paprika and butter on it and our lunch was ready!

East Africa meets South Asia!
A medley of flavours made up our weekend lunch today... Thanks to all my East African friends like family in Dubai, I am familiar with a lot of their specialties, and these are specific to East African Khoja cuisine. In the picture is Machi Paka (fish in coconut curry), the more famous one is kuku paka (chicken in coconut curry) and there is also Makai paka (corn on the cob in coconut curry). Whatever your choice of protein or vegetable, the recipe of the curry remains the same. It's heavy coconut cream spiced with coriander, cumin and turmeric and saute with onion, tomato and chilli paste and best enjoyed with good quality basmati rice. To add some zing, serve it with a chilli & garlic chutney. Currently residing in East Africa, it feels good to prepare these dishes. Although coconut is not a staple in Uganda as it is in Kenya and Tanzania.
I picked up these lovely bite sized aubergine yesterday during my grocery shopping and the foodie in me got the better of me, just had to prepare my all time favorite Bagharey Baingan and the two dishes complemented each other well. My sides included boiled rice, chapatis and Parsi kachumbar (not in the picture.

When you have a day packed with meetings and want a wholesome meal and it should be a quick fix, its Frittata and salad to the rescue.
My Frittata today was made with shredded cabbage, onions, yellow and red peppers, parsley, mature cheddar and Parmesana... And eggs! With a side of avocado, apple and Feta salad. Feta and cheddar locally produced by

We have all been social distancing for so long that I almost forgot what it was like to host friends for a meal at home. So yesterday, I hosted a concept I had started in Dubai. Yesterday's lunch however, unlike Dubai, was at home and the entire meal was prepared by me. Sharing with you the menu and some pictures.
MENU
Fresh Mango juice

Mung Sprouts, Apple, Beetroot & Carrot Salad
Dudhi Muthiya/Pumpkin dumplings
Kebab Rolls

Butter Chicken/Murg Makhani
Nihari
Butter Naan
Pea Pullav
Kachumbar
Condiments

Shahi Tukra
Banoffee

The Shahi Tukra recipe is courtesy my Mum in law

I used only local produce so there were some challenges, but overall my guests thoroughly enjoyed this feast. Look forward to hosting many more

This bread is for all those who love garlic bread... and cheese... and zucchini

Zucchini Cheese & Garlic Bread

3 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Cup grated zucchini
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
1tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion powder or 2 tbsp chopped spring onions
4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp crushed red chilli flakes - optional
2 large or 3 medium eggs
4 Tbsp Butter (can replace with Olive or Coconut Oil)
1 Cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese grated
1 tbsp Parmesan Cheese grated

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, zucchini, garlic powder, onion powder/chopped spring onions, cheese, dried basil, crushed red chilli flakes. Whisk eggs, add butter milk and melted butter.

Grease a 9inch Bread tin, pre heat oven to 185 C.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mix well and spoon the batter into the bread tin. Bake for approximately 45 mins. Check with a clean knife to be sure its well baked and also check the bread has moved away from the sides of the tin.

Enjoy it warm with a Salad and/or pasta or just on its own.