Banana Biscotti

It is often said that happiness is a state of mind.How you think in your head is how u feel in your heart.I feel that more than that understanding what makes me uncommon is an incredibly valuable thing to know which will help me in being actually happy.If someone tells me “you are different” it will make me smile..within moments.To understand more about what makes me happy, through this post,I want to take a virtual odyssey to know myself.It is sort of my self-introspection session which needs to be raised and appreciated to know more about where I m going in life.I wish to experience an accentuated sense of promise in my life along with a greater acknowledgement of the incredibly happy person that I can be. I know that such a post is unusual for a food blog but sometimes its good to be serious and write what you feel!what say? In fact, I would love to hear from everyone reading this post …what make you happy?Do you have a barometer to gauge the happiness quotient of your life?? Share it !!

I sometimes wonder can big happiness comes with small things?Like buying a small pumpkin spice candle for 2 bucks that changes the aura of my house enough to make me feel really happy and goody goody?Is it possible?Or manybe getting two fleece blankets for the price of one at Costco is worthy enough to bring smile to my lips! Maybe …I think!

For me there are quite a few small,miniature, maybe unimportant-for-some; things which make me happy.I am happy when I get a thought in my head which dosent make me restless…a thought which doesn’t carry a contingency,fear or discontent with itself ..it so heart warming.I know that I m doing good in life and my karma is on the right path.I love the smell of freshly shampooed hair.Its difficult to beat the smell of freshly washed locks,fragrant with citrus woody!I m happy when I find cash I didn?t know I had ? I reach into my pocket and find a $5 bill slipped into it from the last time I wore that jacket.I know I m not rich,but richer than I was some moments ago.Looking at the fat pink tummy of my piggy bank and thinking that its full of money gives me a sense of content deep down.Love it.I overflow with joy when I complete those 2 miles on the jogging track within the time limit I had set for myself.Each lessened second on the watch brings with itself an ultimate high!!yipee…..

Free food samples at grocery stores bring a smile to my face…even if its something which is completely useless for me! It’s just the feeling of getting something “extra” without spending a buck or putting an effort.It feels good to finish reading a fairly well written, mind-kindling novel which doesn’t have a sucking climax! It can be disheartening to suddenly realize that the time could have been spent better if it weren’t so! That’s what the thrust even while choosing the books I read.I feel elated when the scales show a drop after completing a yoga session..even if it is in decimals :)It is so joyful to drop flakes to my three pet  fishes in the my aquarium….Leo, Lily & Luna..the way they hurriedly swim to the top for food,brings with itself a satisfaction of feeding a hungry being…its so relaxing!

It is so exciting to get unexpected good ideas from no where….like adding cinnamon to a cup of hot tea, sticking pearls from an old bracelet to the buttons on a blouse or crafting a bird house out of a pizza box!I m so happy when one morning I suddenly see a sapling grown out of the seed I planted a month back….it marks end of a long wait!I love it when I catch old soaps on television. I like watching t.v. soaps or even movies with suspense endings that I?ve seen before. I find the predictability really puffy and amusing.It feels so peaceful to enter the house after a long day and still smell the incense that I lighted before GOD today morning…its so uplifting.I long to jump on the bed the day I change the sheets.Infact I sometimes compel myself to sleep..when they feel fresh,cool and clean to touch? I generally pull myself  to the corner of the spread to create just enough space to lay my body over the fresh crisp sheets…everything smells great like nobody has ever slept in this bed before. It feels so exciting to see when the stores I just shopped the other day discontinues the discounts after my  big purchase!! I know that I spent & saved just in time!!I am always ready to buy new cosmetics..it make me happy.Decking up my space on the dresser is one of my hidden pleasures.My hands actually itch if I pass the cosmetics aisle without picking up something and moving it to my trolley

Sleeping  in on a rainy day is another of my favorite thing ? as the rain beats lightly against the window, I snuggle my head deeper into the quilt.Then in between I take out my head , see the grey skies against the green plants and then again cover it up.The sound of raindrops is so very appeasing and the bed feels like an inviolable spot.Its a cozy,euphoric feeling which shoots through veins and I like to sway back to my dreamworld.The bed seems just the place where I wanna be.I m happy when I hear the right music or tunes at the right moment – it doesn?t matter what the setting or mood is, tapping the feet on the right song at that moment is one of those simple pleasures in life that instantly enlightens the spirits.Like fast, disco music in background when driving on saturday night on the highway or old romantic bollywood songs in the morning…perfect setting!When the right song jiggles against the ears the moment seems so bright regardless of what you are up to.Very often,me and P burst into laughter when we say the same thing simultaneously white chatting ? there is a moment of silence. Then,all of a sudden we blurt out the same exact set of words simultaneously again. This rare occurrence always gives us a light moment and we laugh our heart out..ha ha ha

Finishing up my happy list,I realize that life is filled with simple pleasures, the little satisfying reasons we never really value.Its all in my head, within me, waiting to be created into a memory.It is the unopened ,unmeasured treasure that I do celebrate unconsciously in my own way but fail to recognize it and value it very often.My own rarity remains to be unleashed within the time frame I want it to be.When I think and do things that make me happy, I contribute more, and I can be happier doing what I like .

I am sure that I can add so many things to the above list if I realize that a happy life consists in tranquility of mind.I don’t need to go out and search…..Its very much within me..waiting to be surfaced!

The thought of banana biscotti was a result of turning some leftover sad bananas into a happy something. I googled and found this great recipe at Annie’s Eats. I did a few changes though! I reduced the amount of sugar to 1/4 cup and did not use cinnamon chips or white chocolate.Just for fun & to make them more happy looking ,I decorated these by brushing melted tempered chocolate and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.The taste was really good.Sesame seeds added to the crunch and combined well with the gooey chocolate.Eating something completely oil-free & banana flavor was more reason to rejoice!!

Enjoy!

Sending this to Hearth & Soul #18

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