Love to cook? Today, Anita Jaisinghani shares some kitchen hacks for Ayurvedic home remedies. Especially, as moms, it’s important to be able to cook for your kids and family yourself.  

Anita Jaisinghani, the chef & co-owner of Pondicheri was born and raised in India and is of Sindhi descent. She developed a love for food early on in her life however trained and practiced as a microbiologist. Transitioning as a stay-at-home mother for her two children in Canada first and then Houston, she gradually developed her love of food into a career, beginning with an out-of-home catering business & selling chutneys through Whole Foods. 

Anita’s first restaurant job was at the famous Café Annie, where she worked in the pastry department for 2 years. Following her time at Café Annie, Anita opened Indika in 2001 serving deeply personal dishes that illustrated her desire to portray Indian food in a new light. Pondicheri, followed in 2011, expanding with the opening of the Bake Lab + Shop in 2014 and its first out-of-state outpost in New York City in the summer of 2016. 

With all of her kaleidoscopic menus, Anita combines the complexities of Indian cuisine with leanings toward the ancient body of wisdom of Ayurveda, the magic of spices & the goodness of fresh, local ingredients.

Listen in as Anita shares her delicious journey of living out her passions and sharing her message with other moms!

In this episode, you will hear:

• Why cook for yourself vs. rely on others to feed you even as a busy mom?
• Why you should just eat whatever is in season in your area
• Even if you are a working and single mom aim for at least one family meal a day and this is how
• Is it possible to pursue your dreams and raise well-adjusted kids? Anita did it. 
• It’s cheaper to prevent a disease than treat it.
• Eating at home once a day is within your reach in 2023
• Home-made tea ideas to prevent illnesses or care for a cold for a family
• The case for exploring the medicinal properties of herbs
• Using saffron as a viable antidepressant
• Cumin as a heating spice that is a phytonutrient useful for cold weather environments 
• Anita’s take on recipes as a creative exploration vs. strict instructions
• How to avoid picky eaters unlike Melissa your host
• Anita’s approach to bringing Indian culture to U.S. restaurant patrons vs. as an expression of your heritage at home
• Is it doable to write a cookbook as a single mom (to teens) who runs restaurants? Anita laughed at this thought and shared a true story that you will get.
• Why Anita wrote Masala
• The timeline behind what it took for Anita to find the confidence to write and share her voice in a digestible book
• Mom guilt as a business owner while her kids were young and how Anita prioritized her days early on; networking and publicity were deprioritized those days

 

SHARE this episode with a mom who enjoys reading nonfiction and/or is writing her own. 

Similar Episodes:

2023: Upcoming Guests, Self-Publishing Book Journey Updates, DM For Free eBook “Mommy Shift: Reentry Strategy For Working Moms,” Episode 160

https://www.melissallarena.com/2023-upcoming-guests-self-publishing-book-journey-updates-dm-for-free-ebook-mommy-shift-reentry-strategy-for-working-moms-episode-160/ 

On Substack: 10 Home Remedies To Aggressively Fight A Virus: Perfect for moms who are just NOT having it this cold, flu, RSV season: https://melissallarena.substack.com/p/10-home-remedies-to-aggressively 

Supporting Resources:

Cookbook: Masala: Recipes from India, the Land of Spices: https://amzn.to/3GQDsNU 

Website: www.pondicheri.com 

Instagram: @pondicheri

Twitter: @pondicheri

Facebook: @pondicheri

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to my podcast for moms who read and want to write a nonfiction book? I’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. 

I’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast for writer moms. 

Grab your FREE chapter of my upcoming book entitled: Quit acting like a mom: Embark on a journey not intended for moms to reawaken your imagination and give yourself permission to explore options that will set your creative self free!

Here’s the link: https://www.melissallarena.com/waitlist/ 

In the FREE chapter, you will instantly receive, get ready to:

• See how I rewrote the “mom scripts” I inherited as a second-generation Latina who was raised to assume that becoming a mom was akin to a dream death sentence; can you relate?
• Be taken back to the days when you were free to be whoever the heck you wished to be; watch how I relived my glory days so you can do the same without having to run away from your home to join the circus
• Get a jolt of energy to reclaim your former free and spirited self into this season of your life as you continue to explore your interests as seriously as you do those of your school-age kids; uncover how to bring back your ambitious self today and have the energy to execute too

Meanwhile, check out what moms like you have to say about this chapter and my upcoming book overall! Get your free chapter today! Don’t you want to feel alive again? You know who raises happy kids? Happy moms. So here is what other moms have to say…

“This chapter is about getting in touch with your creative, playful, imaginative side. The part of yourself that perhaps felt freer before you became a parent, before you chose your identity and had a lot of responsibilities weighing you down. In helping you get in touch with your more playful, creative self, it not only helps you on a path toward greater happiness and fulfillment, but it also helps you to feel more fulfilled as a parent.” – Mom/PR

“The words: imagination, play, and fun are not the usual things we as mothers think of when wondering how to get a grip back on our career and I believe it provides a really fresh take and lots of food for thought for mothers reading it. I think that the tone is so energetic and fresh that is why I would pick it up.” – Latina Mom/Positive Psychology Coach

“Melissa is a mom of three with big dreams who tells it like it is. She draws on her own experiences and the experiences of professionals she’s interviewed for her podcast to reflect on the plight of the mother. How do women conform to or challenge the traditional “mom script”? If you’re a mom, what can you do to break the “cultural glass ceiling” to be yourself and a great parent, all without having to force yourself into a mom mold that doesn’t fit you? Melissa is like a great friend, honest and wise, and funny, telling you about her life and asking you to reflect on yours. This book is a great purchase for moms in every stage of life.” – Aspiring Novelist, Librarian and Mom To Two Kiddos.

“For moms like me, the pandemic was an opportunity to re-evaluate and course-correct things in our lives we weren’t thrilled with. Coming out of this period, sluggish yet motivated, so many of us can use this book to help us wake up! If you’re looking to refresh, reenergize, and yes, reimagine a better version of your life, this book is for you. I loved the hilarious, yet poignant stories about motherhood today and the window into the world of those who’ve gone for it – and did it.” – Mom In A Biracial Relationship Who Left A Corporate Career

“In her book, Melissa shows us that motherhood does not have to be a pause or an end of your pre-child self. With guidance from her podcast guests, she encourages us to think big, find what lights us up, think big, and move towards our goals with the steps that fit the reality of our lives as they are today. In doing so we honor and inspire our child(ren), and our own inner child.” – Single Mom To A 12-Year Old Boy

Go to www.melissallarena.com/waitlist   

Let’s follow one another on Instagram! Say hi. Let me know if you learned something new in this week’s episode. 

https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena   

Now, for a BIG private coaching opportunity for 3 moms in January! I want to get 2023 started RIGHT!

So many of you have been jerked around by the pandemic, motherhood, crappy childcare, micromanaging bosses, or unreasonable timelines in your former jobs or current jobs. You want to uncover what you do want to pursue today. You want to figure out what skills are transferable. You want to get back on the horse and this time take the reins in your career. If this is you then, I want to work with you starting this January to help you figure out what you want to pursue with complete clarity, confidence, and awareness of who wants you and where you can provide the maximum point of impact so you can get compensated your worth!

I am accepting 3-moms only in this January cohort and if you are serious about redefining what you do and how you contribute then this is your chance to have me by your side every single step of the way until you have complete clarity or an actual job offer in your hand. Our coaching relationship can come in two flavors – I will help you uncover your best next career that aligns with your real purpose and/or I will help take you that last mile to see to it that you get your dream job offer. I’ll be with you every single step of the way. You get to decide how far you wish to take your career!

Please understand this is your chance to have the support, reassurance, and expertise you need to ensure that your time out of the market does not hurt your odds for the right role or opportunity for YOU only.  Again, this is if you want to uncover your purpose today and/or re-enter the job market. This is especially helpful if the roles out there today are unlike the ones that were available when you were last in the market especially if you never worked virtually or are unfamiliar with social media etc.

Want to read case studies?: https://www.melissallarena.com/thank-you-appt/

Send me a DM to Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ if this opportunity is exactly what you want right now. My gift to you will be a free copy of my first book ever: the Mommy Shift: A reentry Strategy for Working Moms today. DM me the word: SHIFT.  That’s free and has no strings attached.  If you want a partnership to go from not knowing where you fit professionally to knowing where you belong then we will hop on Zoom to discuss what an all-in coaching partnership looks like. Here’s the deal. I am working on my book right now and January is when I will be focusing all of my coaching efforts in 2023 so take advantage! I lot has changed in the job market and you don’t want to miss out on the new roles/options out there!

Loving this content? Join other moms like yourself on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=30901620