How a veggie-dodging village girl became your science-loving nutrition coach—plus the 5-minute Masala Oats that saved my night shifts
I grew up in a tiny village where breakfast meant fresh buffalo milk and lunch meant roti, dal and whatever vegetables sprouted in season. Trouble was—I loathed vegetables. At Ganesha-Blessed Public School veggies were mandatory tiffin items; we even had to pack a spoon so the teacher could check there were no undercover samosas. I mastered the art of hiding mango pickle inside my parathas, hoping the fiery tang would distract from the sneaky okra lurking beside it.
Every afternoon my class teacher patrolled the aisles, spoon poised like a customs officer. “Sakshi, vegetables?” she’d ask. Caught, I’d chew my spoonfuls of bhindi, eyes on the blackboard, promising myself Someday I’ll invent a veggie-free menu!
Fast-forward a decade: I’m an aeronautical engineer logging red-eye flights for Air India and IndiGo. Night shifts, airport layovers and cockpit coffee taught me fast that our bodies are engines—and engines sputter without the right fuel. The veggie-dodging kid turned into the crew member swapping spice hacks with home cooks in Kochi and loading millet rotis in her cabin bag from Jaipur. Motherhood raised the bar even higher, and soon I’d collected a nutrition certification, a law gold medal, and more food journals than flight logs.
Today, while I pursue a PhD and coach clients, I still lean on one humble recipe born in those sleepless aviation nights. It’s my 5-minute Masala Oats—fiery enough to please the pickle-loving child I was, balanced enough to power an Airbus worth of deadlines.
5-Minute Masala Oats (Night-Shift & Morning-Rush Approved)
| Ingredient | Amount |
| Rolled oats | ½ cup |
| Ghee / cold-pressed oil | 1 tsp |
| Onion, finely chopped | 1 Tbsp |
| Tomato, finely chopped | 2 Tbsp |
| Mixed veg (carrot, peas, capsicum), tiny dice | ¼ cup |
| Ginger-garlic paste | ½ tsp |
| Turmeric + cumin + chilli powder | ¼ tsp each |
| Water / thin buttermilk | 1¼ cups |
| Salt & pepper | To taste |
| Fresh coriander & squeeze of lime | For the finish |
Method
- Dry-roast oats in a pan on low heat for 2 minutes until lightly golden and nutty. Tip into a bowl.
- In the same pan add ghee. Sauté onion + ginger-garlic 30 sec; add tomato & spices, cook till pulpy.
- Toss in diced veg, stir 1 minute. Return oats.
- Pour water/buttermilk, season, simmer 3 minutes—oats swell, veggies soften, kitchen smells like home.
- Finish with coriander & lime. Eat with a spoon (my teacher would approve).
Macros (approx.): 260 kcal | 9 g protein | 38 g carbs | 8 g fat | 6 g fibre
Your Turn
I’d love to hear your “food-fuel” moment. Was it a hostel mess menu, a marathon training epiphany, or a grandmother’s secret spice that flipped the switch?
Share it in the comments below or tag me on Instagram @nutritionby_sakshi—bonus points if you post a photo of your own Masala Oats!
Together we’ll keep rewriting that nourishing story—one veggie-packed spoonful at a time.
