Hey there...

This letter is called 'Eat. Play. Love'. We've done a lot of love and play. Let's do some eat this time. I want to share a recipe for you to try.

Being mesmerised by the sight of fresh green veggies is a trait I've inherited in my DNA. Everyone in my family goes gaga when they see a vendor sitting by the side of the street flashing farm fresh peas, or spinach, or beans, or even cucumber.

And so it happened that on my way back home I stopped at a vegetable vendor's roadside pop-up shop. I browsed around. This time what caught my fancy was a bunch of Methi (fenugreek) leaves lying right in front. I was amazed by the fresh crispness of the leaves. Proudly he showed me the slightly reddish rim that his leaves have.

Methi is bitter. I never ate fresh Methi leaves ever before.

Filled with iron, Vitamin C and Vitamin K, this little herb has many health benefits, including being anti diabetic. It also cools the body and aids in blood creation.

But hey, it tastes good too! I found this interesting recipe and tweaked it around a bit to suit my taste. Amazingly all the bitterness of the Methi leaves was gone and we were left with a wonderful Indian tasting and super healthy salad!

This is what I used

1 cup chopped organic Methi

2 cucumbers chopped in cubes

1 onion finely chopped

2 tbsp roasted and courses group peanuts

1/2 lemon juice

Sea salt

For the tadka seasoning

1 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

Asafoetida

Kadipatta

1 green chilli

Mix up the first group.

Prepare the tadka and add it to the mixture.

Voila!

--------

Bitter is not always bad.

When you realised that you were overconfident.

When your boss tells you don't have the skills you need for a project.

When physical exercise really hurts.

When your coach or mentor pushes you really hard.

When you have to make sacrifices to grab some opportunities.

When you have to risk your stability for growth.

When people you depend on, suddenly leave.

When something you really worked hard for crashes.

These situations create some bitterness. But they push you to grow and become better, stronger, and more open to life.

You know you are growing spiritually when even unpleasant situations in life don't leave a bitter taste. You are able find the sweetness even in difficult times. This is a beautiful lifelong journey.

Often bitter is better for you.

--------

6 ways that painful experiences can shape you

You become stronger.

You become more humble.

You develop empathy for others in similar situations.

You learn some things you need for future success.

You learn grit, resilience and perseverance.

You turn inwards and get in touch with yourself deeper.

Painful experiences can be a wonderful opportunity. Don’t invite them. But when they happen, learn from them. Don’t let them break you. Allow them to make you.

--------

And remember, you just need to ignite the light and let it shine.

Cause baby you're a firework!