The blog, Maple and Marigold, is a love letter to our life and travels from India to Canada and places in between. Maple represents Canada and our home here, and marigold, with its colour and significance in Indian traditions, represents my Indian roots. You can read more about my journey here.
This blog is edited and maintained by me, Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma. I have other writers on the blog. They are people who I respect and admire, and I’m delighted to share their voice on MapleandMarigold.com.
The articles on the blog focus on family, food and wellness all with a multicultural flair. We share ways to make life easy, healthy, delicious and enjoyable. You can find more about working with me here.
The Food
I love food that is delicious, wholesome and easy to make. So that’s what you will see on my blog. I believe that made-from-scratch food trumps all else. At the same time, I’m not one to spend hours in the kitchen. I often find and share healthy shortcuts hence the tips in every post. My kitchen is a little complicated – we have a number of food sensitivities in the family – so the food I make is often gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and tomato-free. Often but not always. At the same time, my cooking is influenced by my childhood in India and what I have learnt from my mom. So that’s what you will find on Maple and Marigold – real-world food with big flavours. I entertain often and my friends and family have got used to being guinea pigs for food that tastes good and is also good for you.
My Family
My husband and I have moved from India to Canada, relocating cities and homes. Now with two kids, almost 5 years apart, we (seem to) have settled down in Toronto. Our extended family is in India with some in the States and the UK and you will often find us on a plane. Add that to our desire to visit a new city every year and you know the reason why there is a “Travel Diary” on my blog.
Health and Wellness
My mother has a holistic approach to life. Eat in moderation, sweat every day and do some good around you. That’s the sentiment we grew up with. one that I hope to pass on to my kids. I believe food is more than fuel and there are natural ways of healing that can be our first line of defence against any illness. From fighting the flu, boosting immunity to soothing a troubled digestive system, there’s a remedy for that. With more to come on the blog soon!
The Photos
The photographs on the blog have been taken by me. You can see the change over the years. I started taking pictures with my LG Nexus some years ago and then my Samsung S6 Edge and now most recently Samsung S8. I love the stories I can tell with just my phone. Recently I have found that I may need to start to learn to use my husband’s DSLR to get the quality I need for high-resolution images. Watch this space.
If you’re looking for more Maple and Marigold follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also follow the hashtag #MapleandMarigold, #MandMfood and #MandMtravels for more.
And then there’s video
Watch my weekly episodes on Facebook Live Here.
