Hello everyone, wishing you a good Tuesday.  I am hoping everyone is well and healthy and are ready to ride this wave out until we see rays of positive outcomes at the end of this “shelter in place”  “self quarantine” “stay at home” and “social distancing” mandate.  Speaking of words, I purposefully chose the title “Shelter in Place” as it sounds so much more gentle than the harsh “self quarantine.”

Words Matter, they are so important and can change the tone of any event with just a switch of a term.  During times of uncertainty the words we choose weigh heavily on how people perceive a situation.  Let’s choose our words wisely and with positivity, it’ll only help to alleviate the stress everyone is in right now.   Anyways, that was a side note, but really though “stay at home” right now is for the better of the community around us and for that matter the world, so if this inconvenience is what it takes to help control the virus outbreak, then let us all by all means participate in it.  And it goes without saying that if we can help those who need help; let’s do whatever we can.

Moving on to Day 1 of our work from home and learn from home schooling which was surprisingly calm and cool at our household yesterday.  I have to be honest I was worried that with all my family home, Dad working from home and two high schoolers doing remote learning and live online lectures, I thought it would be chaotic, but it was calm.  My biggest worry was about feeding them lunch and snack time because usually they are at work or school so I never really had to think about it, but I now had to make sure I had enough groceries for lunch for the entire family.

Good Old Veggie Sandwich to the Rescue

Yesterday was the first of our stay at home day and I needed a little time to gather my senses and get prepared for the days ahead.  So Monday was more of a simple lunch day.  These veggie sandwiches are my go-to lunch when I don’t want to cook but want to make a delicious lunch that everyone will enjoy.  Enter these loaded veggie sandwiches.  With the standard lettuce, tomato, onions, and cheese all piled on with pickles and marinated artichokes, this is one deliciously filling sandwich!

I usually serve this with fresh fruit but this time added a side of indulgent potato chips.

All this was finished off with a warm cup of tea for Hitesh and myself.

Healthyish Banana Bread

Day 1 also brought with it rain and cloudy skies around the Bay Area.  This cloudy weather got me in a baking mood and I made a banana and superseed bread with inspiration from my friend Rose’s recipe.  This is a healthyish banana bread that tastes great with afternoon tea, coffee or a glass of milk.  An added bonus is how wonderful the house smells as the cake is baking giving us all a well needed dose of happiness.

Stay safe, healthy and well-hydrated! 
Sending all my love your way 💕.