Finding peace

Look what happened when I tried to find some quiet time to meditate.

The minute I settled in, crossed my legs and closed my eyes, this fella scrambled on.

Check-in

I write this from my hotel room in JB. Tomorrow I have a full day workshop in the fabrication yard. Last week I was stuck in a ridiculous training session for the whole week. Classes started at 7.30 am and ended around 6 - 7 pm.

To cap off the relaxing week, we had an exam the last day. The week was capped with an exam, AND I came down with food poisoning.

Valentine's Day was spent eating banana leaf rice (really excellent, by the way). We spent a lovely Saturday eating, shopping and resting. Then I spent my entire Sunday catching up on the week's work and ended up working until 1 am. The week before I spent 2 days in another mind-numbing workshop AND we had friends over for housewarming/CNY twice.

I am EXHAUSTED.

Yesterday was the first time I worked out in about 2 months. It felt wonderful moving again, but I am sore.

What I am into these days:

1) IntotheGloss - More like obsessed. I stumbled upon this super cool site via one of my favourite blogs, then got really really hooked on reading about people's beauty routines. I love how they talk about their backgrounds, their philosophy when it comes to maintaining their skin (diet or product or both). Some of my favourite Top Shelf posts are this haute hippie cold-pressed juice bar owner's, this simple routine by a model-turned social entrepreneur.

I'm also lovin' this BEST OF list. And this fabulous post is really making me rue not opting for a bathtub in our home.

2) Oils - I'm really into them, - Cleansing oil, oil in my hair, on my skin.

I first purchased Neutrogena's cleansing oil, which was a mistake. My skin got red and splotchy, and I absolutely despise the synthethic scent. I switched to Shu Uemura's instead, looking up online on how exactly to use it (Massage it into dry skin, use water to lather and then rinse) and - and what a difference! Red patches GONE. My skin feels soft and lost its tight feeling. Neutrogena relegated to cleansing my feet and elbows now.

I also use coconut oil in my hair. I massage a good amount in my scalp and hair, potter about for a few hours, then rinse out with shampoo. My hair is all thick and glossy, for the first time in like, ten years maybe?

 I still use my all-time favourite H20+ sea salt-almond oil scrub. The price (for a body scrub) is a little off-putting (a large jar costs RM150 but it does last at least a couple of months), but I do want to experiment with making my own salt-or-sugar scrub when it's finished.

Oh, and another product ITG got me hooked on - Fresh Sugar Face Polish. Use this after cleansing, and the brown sugar, strawberry seeds, plum and grape seed oils really do wonders. Glow I believe is the word we're looking for.

What I started:
1) Yoga. Started, with ONE class. But to be continued - with all the crazy work stuff ongoing I want to learn to unwind and breathe.

2) I also started listening to this before bedtime (ITG again, I know). Anything to get more out my short(er) hours of sleep!

3) I made it a priority to do less social networking and more reading in bed. One of my greatest pleasures is reading in bed. I have finished 2 books so far this January - so excellent progress made there.

4) Oh, and on that same note, I have also been devouring magazines (January'14 issues of Fortune 2014, FastCompany, Vanity Fair, and Vogue India). I treated myself to a 1-year subscription of Monocle Magazine.

Holiday Gift Guide 2013

This year I've gone slightly more atas than the last, I admit. But hey, as one ages, one would expect one's tastes to mature as well.

I personally own and regularly use everything listed here, and they just elevate everyday routines - be it a handsome coffee press that you can bring everywhere, luxurious tea, lovely but reasonably priced bath products, or that special piece that completes an outfit.

I have also tried to include stuff that are made or developed locally - it's nice to support local businesses and the quality of these products are really good. What's not to like?

1) TWG Teas and accessories
Good tea is life-changing, and for once, easily available. The Earl Grey is wonderfully fragrant without being cloying, and the Tokyo Singapore is my favourite way to end a long day. You know - me in pyjamas, the airconditioning on, the duvet on my legs, a good book and a steaming cup of tea. Bliss. Get your fix at Pavillion KL or KLIA.

2) Bodum Travel Coffee Press and/or Milk Frother
Simple, elegant yet durable, we spotted the travel press at Ben's Independent Grocer and purchased on the spot. The press comes with a regular cap, so it doubles up as a nice tumbler which I can fill it with my smoothie mixture for days when I don't have the time to brew coffee. The battery-operated milk frother is a nice tool for those barista wannabes.

2) British India home scented candle
Made from palm oil. I only have the citronella, a scent which never grows old for me and of which I am a little obsessed with. It reminds me of our spa vacation in Phuket - totally what I want for chilling out to.

4) Argan oil.
Purchase from here. I use it on my neck and to repair my horrible cuticles, which have never looked better. Attach an instruction sheet (copy it from the website).

5) 100% cashmere scarf
I am, I am proud to say, a most skilled eBay huntress. Some of my proudest purchases include my magnificient Tods Bauletto bag at 30% off its normal price, a Mulberry Bayswater, a beautifully waterproof Longchamp and a BCBG jumpsuit. I was busy scouring eBay for a soft blanket/throw for cosy nights in on the sofa, and came across this site. Delivery was fast and efficient, and the product is so so soft and light. But don't be fooled though - it does a much better job shielding me from the cold of the office than its cheaper but fancier-looking counterparts.

6) 34Thirtyfour leather cuff
A slightly edgy, but still elegant cuff made from buttery leather that ages beautifully, from this Malaysian-born brand that folks in the know are raving about. Their bags are slightly more expensive than I'd like, but there is no doubt on the quality of their work. Maybe next time....

7) Electrolux Powermix Silent Blender

I was actually forced to purchase this behemoth when my little Japanese blender devoured the last of its own rubber washers. That, my friends, is the problem with buying stuff from those noisy stalls in the mall that always seem to draw a curious audience - the stuff you buy from some obscure brand will probably be discontinued after a year and you end up scrapping a (granted, ugly and cheap) perfectly good blender just because you can't buy the washer that goes with it.
Since we were just getting into our smoothie groove, I had to get another blender. I knew what I wanted - a glass jug that stays clear even if I blend ice and other hard stuff, and a food mill attachment. I finally settled on this silent monster, and am really happy with its performance so far. Oh, and the blue light that comes on during the blending is kinda cool.

9) Tanamera toiletries and spice massage ball
I love this local brand. The brown soap is a mainstay in my shower. It has these wonderful rice beads that gently exfoliate as it cleans. Tanamera products are made with local spices ans herbs - citronella, rice, ginger, hibiscus, pandanus. Who needs lavender and rose and we have jasmine and citronella?
The massage ball is great for calming stressed-out muscles and relieving pain. So easy to use too - just heat in the microwave. As it soothes the aches and pains it releases some wonderfully spicy scent that comforts and warms (It goes very well with with the situation described in Item #1, as you can probably tell). Oh, and bonus - you can purchase online!

Oh, and what's Christmas without a little Wish List of my own? Here's what I would love to receive this year, for being such a good girl:

1) Kindle Paperwhite
2) The entire "Homeland" series
3) For Shonda Rhimes to produce Gray's Anatomy Season 10
4) Some time off to just chill at home
5) KitchenAid
6) Small copper pan
7) Zara shopping vouchers

Blending it down

I've recently started making smoothies for breakfast. I've been constantly exhausted lately, and I really don't want to be. There's just so much to do and accomplish! Work has been piling up and requires more energy than ever, I want to do all of the above plus bake and entertain (which I have, two weeks in a row), and go out with friends.

Breakfast has never been my suit. I love the idea of breakfast and breakfast foods (waffles, bacon, sausages, baked eggs), but my stomach has the tendency to react violently in the mornings. There was a point when I spent every morning rushing for the toilet. This went on for a couple of weeks. So I more often than not skip the meal, making do with a cup of coffee and a few biscuits.

In an attempt to feel better, I have been making myself smoothies, blending soymilk, oats and a banana in the morning and drinking this for breakfast. It's way more convenient than my usual hot oatmeal concoction - no need to cut up the banana and I can drink this during the drive to work. It gives me a nice boost of energy and helps me not feel like a ravenous lunatic by lunchtime.

I really love my morning fixes smoothie fix now - you basically get all the goodness of whole, fresh foods in a convenient, yummy mixture that tastes more like a treat than anything else. I expect I'll get bored with the combination soon, so of course other experimentations are in order. I'm thinking papaya, peanut butter, avocados, coconut milk/juice, almonds, chia seeds, toasted wheat germ, just to name a few of the stuff I might put in.

But all that fancy stuff can really add up, and it really doesn't have to. Just a few (mostly) cheap, basic ingredients have worked so well for me. .

The addition of the molasses really does it for me. I pay about 30 bucks for a large bottle, and consume 1 - 2 tablespoons today. Funny enough I purchased the molasses to bake Thomas Keller's chocolate chip cookies, which called for 1 tablespoon of molasses for an entire batch of cookies. So what was i going to do with the rest of the bottle?.

To my pleasant surprise there is a whole host of health benefits to consuming this stuff. A good source of iron, magnesium and calcium, plus the fact that it metabolises very slowly (unlike refined sugar)..

It makes a much better addition than honey or agave nectar, I think..

Your Basic, cheap, easy smoothie:.

1 banana (I refuse to buy the Dole brand bananas stores all over the Klang Valley are selling these days. Why pay for the fruit to be shipped all the way from South America by a giant American corporation when our own backyard yields sweeter, better-textured stuff???.

1 cup soymilk (organic and unsweetened).
2 tablespoons instant oats (I use Quaker).
1 - 2 tablespoons unsulphured blackstrap molasses (optional, but highly recommended).
Whiz everything in a blender and serve (duh). To bulk up Ak's smoothie I add 1 tbsp of peanut butter to his version. So I double the amounts above, whiz then pour out half for me. I then add the peanut butter and whiz again for AK's smoothie..

Avocado Smoothie (a meal in itself).

I made this for my younger brother, who loves avocado and is looking to bulk up. Just spoon the insides of 2 avocadoes (or 1 avocado and 1 banana) into a blender, add a handful of ice cubes and a teaspoon of sugar. Add a little cold water to help get everything going. You should get a smooth, sorbet-like texture. Taste and adjust the sweetness, or you might want to add a bit of lime juice for a little kick. If it's too thick, add more cold water and blitz again..

Oh, and as a general guide, here's a list of best and worst vegetables to eat I got off the web.

"Worst" List, buy them organic if you can afford it:

- Peaches
- Apples
- Sweet bell peppers
- Celery
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Lettuce
- Grapes
- Pears
- Spinach
- Potatoes

"Best" Produce, i.e. save your money and buy regular:
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Banana
- Kiwi
- Asparagus
- Sweet peas (frozen)
- Mango
- Pineapple
- Sweet corn (frozen)
- Avocado
- Onion

Foolproof granola

I'v made granola a couple of times now, and while I still search for that perfect savoury granola recipe, I think I finally landed on a recipe for the sweet version that's pretty much foolproof.

Granola Recipe (foolproof)

1 kg rolled oats (I buy them in 1 kg packets)
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 egg white and 1 whole egg
3/4 cup natural sugar

Mix and match 2 - 3 of these (or all). Note all nuts must be raw.
1 cup peanuts, skins on
1/2 cup each of roughly chopped almonds and cashews
1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

I don't add dried fruit, simply because I don't like most dried fruit (except maybe coconut flakes), but feel free to add them with the nuts.

Preheat oven to 160 deg C. Spray 2 trays with nonstick spray.
In a glass measuring jug, combine the oils, egg and egg white, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. I find pre-mixing the sugar with the wet ingridients easier - the sugar tends to pile at the bottom of the bowl if mixed with the dry.
Mix the oats and nuts in a large bowl.
Pour the sugar-oil-egg-vanilla-salt mixture into the dry, and stir to combine.
Try to make sure that everything is mixed as evenly as possible.
Pack the mixture into 2 trays (10 x 14"). Pack them as tightly as possible - this is what will make your granola cluster and clump.
Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, until the granola appears a dark golden brown.
Don't take them out too pale - it's the crisp caramelization that you want here. You might want to rotate your trays halfway through baking, or use foil to cover and prevent "hotspots" from turning too brown.
Cool, then break into clumps. I use a butter knife.
Store in airtight containers.

Keeping house, naturally

When we first moved in, AK's dad got us a whole suite of cleaning fluids - spray on glass cleaner, Vim (that pasty white cream thingy), insecticide spray. Well I ditched all of that.

I read snippets of the effects of the chemicals we use in our everyday lives while trying to decide whether or not to purchase Jessica Alba's book, The Honest Life, which I stumbled on while trying to decide if I should or should not get Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook. I do confess, I spend too much time on Amazon.com. Anyway, I didn't get Jessica's book.

Instead I just Googled homemade cleaners, and experimented on my own. Here's what I've changed:

- Used vinegar and water to clean tiles, disinfect washing sponges and best of all, on ant trails.

- To disinfect the tile countertops in my wet kitchen, I mix in half vinegar/half hot water and wipe the tiles. I also spray vinegar on where ants like to gather, like near Boo's food dish and the waste bin.

- Replaced VIM with coarse salt. For scrubbing grout, and (nothing works better, I swear) my stainless steel sink and pots, I just scrub with coarse salt. - Used hot vinegar to clean toilets

- Used a combination of vinegar and water to clean tile floors. They do need a second round with just water, though, to ensure that the vinengar doesn't stay and possibly corrode the tiles. I see no evidence of this happenning (the site claimed that it's safe for ceramic tiles, and mine are), and tested the solution on a small area before proceeding with the full thing.

- OK, why do glass cleaners even need to exist in the first place?? All I do is spray windows with water, wipe down with scrunched up newspapers and I have gleaming windows. It's been fun experimenting, and I love the fact that I have an (almost) toxin-free home.

I used to experiment with so-called environmentally-sound cleaners, but I really don't need to anymore.

Oh, and one more thing - if you plan on doing this, buy good vinegar, not the foul-smelling, super-cheap stuff that comes in plastic containers. Those smell foul. Good white corn-derived vinegar (I like Heinz) is what I use, and the smell goes away after it dries. The cheap stuff doesn't. It's not expensive, given its versatility and is probably still way cheaper than any cleaning solution

HOME-made Greek Yoghurt

Home.

I never thought I'd be savouring this word so much.

All the bits and pieces have finally come together. We took delivery or our new sofa and my newly beloved, full stainless-steel French-door Electrolux fridge (sometimes I feel like giving it a big hug), and purchased white Ikea shelves to store and display our book collection. Now there's plenty of food (and space) in the fridge, Boo has (rather quickly, I might add) reserved his spot on the sofa, and the shelves are filled with reads colleted over the years, with some space to spare. We even have a couple of plants - a giant money tree to fill the corner next to the shelves, mint in the kitchen and rosemary in the living room (because it's so perfect I want to show it off). I'll be sharing some photos when I'm ready.

What a long way we've come.

And I made Greek Yoghurt, following this impeccable recipe to the word (the one for the Greek version, that is). Smooth, thick and luscious, and with just a hint of a tang, it came out better than I expected. We've been eating big dollops of it with honey, and I've also been blending it into our smoothies (another post on that one coming up soon).

Now to get that wedding over and done with.