CHENNAI: You ignore your health at your own peril, and one of the most important things you can do is make a healthy meal for yourself, and your kid, if you had any. Sharmila Ribeiro, a former rural development professional, knows the importance of healthy cooking, and that’s why she wrote her new book, Everyday Love – A Mother’s Guide to Healthy Cooking for Kids.
“Children should be taught to eat healthy from the beginning; only then they will make it a habit when they are older,” said Sharmila, during the launch on Tuesday, organised by the Duchess Club at Savera Hotel. “We are investing a lot in their school and college education; so they should also get a perspective on the cons of having junk food. The main idea of this book is to make mothers and thereby the children to say no to junk food,” said Sharmila.
The book, which took almost five years to complete, contains simple cooking techniques and also has over 170 dips and spreads, breakfast, lunch and snacks. It has a diverse list of cuisines starting from our own dosa and curd rice to muffins and cheesecakes. “My daughter cooks from her book and she cooks pretty well for her age,” said Bollywood director and choreographer Farah Khan, who launched the book.
“This book contains a set of guidelines about what a parent should feed his/her children. I hope the crux of the message reaches all. Health is important for people from all age groups,” added the author.
When she decided to write a book on healthy cooking, Sharmila quit her job. She had been working for 15 years. The book, which was self-published and marketed by Sharmila, has colourful photographs and illustrations. The recipes are simple and easy to understand; the book is designed in a way for parents to cook for, and with, kids.
How did she get the idea about writing a book? “I am a mother of three. Till six years ago, I was a working urban mother and I travelled a lot and really didn’t pay much attention to what my kids used to eat. After I gave up work, I realised that my younger son didn’t eat any vegetables and I had to do something about it. So, I started cooking dishes with a lot of fruits and vegetables in it in a variety of interesting ways that got them eating. I understood then that it’s actually a crisis that many mothers face; so I decided to share my experience and thus this book,” explains Sharmila.
‘Everyday Love – A Mother’s Guide to Healthy Cooking for Kids’ is available online at
www.sharmilacooksforkids.com and is priced at `899