About - OVENTales

Hi there ,

Welcome to Oven Tales. I am Syama. I love to bake , experiment with food and generally have fun with it as do my kids :-).

I do not have an ‘aha’ moment of discovering health food. Growing up there was fresh food all around us – that definitely was the perk of growing up in south India. The tastes and flavors stayed with me as an adult and when I became a mom it became all the more important.

Food and Family

I strive to put healthy appealing options in front of my kids and try to get them involved in the kitchen . To me a wholesome , “good for you ” meal is not something that needs fancy gadgets or exotic ingredients. Good food can be made on a budget or off. Spending time in the family kitchen is more about making memories, experiencing and sharing things together than gourmet meals …

Evolving

My early foray into the kitchen, trying out mom’s and aunts’ recipes were, to put it mildly disastrous. I leant the hard way that trying to replicate food that holds a dear place in your heart isn’t always about ingredients or techniques. The special shared moments can not be replicated or neither should it. So make new moments, share it with someone near you.

That is how I started cooking my way. Food and flavors became a medium where I could mix and match colors, textures and flavors . To top it all these experiments were fun. That is what I encourage everyone to do, find your inspirations and tailor it to your taste. Food is meant to be nourishing, not just for the body but for the soul as well. It keeps you connected – to the environment , to the people , to the past and to the future.

Healthy, Fresh …

The more I started to cook/bake , the more I interested I became in sustainable , local organic food. I am a firm believer of “cooking what makes you feel good”. It should please you not just this instant but in the days to come. Many of my recipes incorporate wholesome ingredients, and I try to avoid processed , prepackaged “stuff”.

This does not mean that I avoid sugar or butter or the canned beans altogether. Everything in moderation, eat that decadent chocolate brownie, but not as the main course. Don’t tie yourself into a knot trying to make everything from scratch and serve a fancy dinner every night. A happy cook makes better dishes than an exhausted one – well may be not – but a happy cook will cook and feed you longer.

About The Recipes…

When I started cooking I was undoubtedly influenced by cook books, friends, and family . The recipes found here have evolved over time. When there are significant influences, details about the original recipes are given. Do get in touch with me if you would like to publish any of these on your site .

About Travels…

We have a serious case of wanderlust, and so far have been lucky to have seen some of the most beautiful places on earth. Traveling with kids has had its own challenges, but it puts things in a different perspective as well. You will find some of the mini adventures our family had taken here as well