Recipe: Chicken and Mushroom Stir-fry!

Hi all!

Today I'd like to share with you this delicious recipe of mine. Read on if you like what you see :-)

Chicken and Mushroom Stir-fry

(serves 3 people (or two VERY hungry people)

You will need:

- About 350gms of chicken fillet (as shown in the picture below)

- About Half of a capsicum (cut as shown below)

- 1 Medium sized onion (Cut as shown below)

- salt and pepper to taste

- Garlic, chopped

- Ginger, chopped

- Mushrooms, sliced

- Tomato Puree

- Soy Sauce

- Oyster Sauce

- *Hot sauce 

- *Parmesan Cheese (grated)

- *Potatoes for French Fries or frozen French fries

- Oil for frying

Method

For the Marinade:

- Wash the chicken nicely and cut into about 1-inch cubes

- Place these cubes in a container and add salt, pepper, 3 tbsp Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp Oyster sauce, 1 tsp of chopped garlic and 1 tsp of chopped ginger to it.

- Close the lid or seal with cling film wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

The marinade

While the chicken is marinating, you can keep yourself busy by frying your french fries, and preparing the veggies for the next stage.

The boring French fries-frying process.

After your have marinated your chicken for about an hour, fry it on medium heat till it's cooked well. Make sure you don't overcook or undercook it. Just observe it, and you will know :-)

Doesn't look that tempting yet, but smells delicious!

Now comes the fun part!

- Put 1-2 tbsp of oil in a pan

- Saute the mushrooms with 1 teaspoon of garlic, salt and pepper on medium heat

- After about 2 minutes, add onion and capsicum.

Love this combination!

- Saute for a few more minutes till you feel the onion and capsicum pieces begin to slightly soften.

- Now add about 2 tbsp of Soy sauce, 2 tbsp of Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp of hot sauce (depends on how hot you want it to be), and about 2 tbsp of tomato puree.

- Stir it and let it cook for a while.

- You can add half a glass of water to it to lighten the consistency.

- Now add your chicken pieces into it.

- Cover the lid and let the flavors combine and strengthen the taste for about 5-7 minutes on low heat. 

- Make sure you are there to monitor it. We don't want to burn it at this stage!

Your chicken and mushroom stir-fry is now ready!

If you want, add grated cheese to your french fries and bake for about 5-7 minutes in your oven for an extra delicious treat!

...And Voila! My dear friends, your food is ready! Enjoy it! 

I served mine with Arabian bread and these delicious mouth watering French Fries, you can serve yours with rice, veggies or anything you feel like having that day!

Have a great day everyone!

Health: A Miracle Cure for Sore Throat and Cough

Hey guys!

I hope you are all in the best of health and not affected by changes in weather as I am here. If you are one of the unlucky ones who have been attacked by a deadly cough that has not been cured in spite of several medications and herbal options, you have come to the right place.

The past 40 days have been hell for me. I have had this cough that really doesn't want to leave. I gave up hope on doctors after they prescribed 3 different antibiotics to me on each visit, which didn't work at all. I suffered the side effects of taking too much medication: weakness, loss of concentration, weight loss, depression and so on. I just gave up trying.

This is not one of those pages where I gush about a wonderful solution to something and ask you to pay for it in the end. This is a free miraculous cure that is found in your kitchen; offered from me to you with the hope that you will share it with everyone as it was shared with me.

Here's what you need.

- A Lime

- A tablespoon of Soy Sauce

Method and Directions:

- Cut your lime in half.

- Pour the Soy sauce into the lime

- Squeeze the mixture into your mouth and swallow it.

PS. DO NOT try to taste it. It is NOT a pleasant combination!

Some of you may wonder why we need the soy sauce. Well, according to my research, soy sauce neutralizes the acidity of the lime to make it drinkable. It does not really take any part in curing the cough.

I can proudly say that I am 95% better now; and what helped me is this mixture. Of course, along with that, I took lots of warm water, ginger tea and so on, but this is the one that brought immediate relief.

I thank this lovely lady I know for sharing this with me. It doesn't sound like much of a big deal, but if you have been suffering as much as I did, you will know how much it means.

Hope you all have a good day! In my next post, I will be sharing a delicious recipe that you don't want to miss, so please keep checking! :)

Health: Let's go Herbal with Ginger Tea!

It's been nearly three weeks now since I have had my nasty, chesty cough. It is really annoying and I just can't seem to get rid of it. I have completed my antibiotics dosage, a bottle of cough syrup, lots of warm water, eaten lots of fruits and veggies, but nope! The cough wants to stay! Once I cough, I just can't stop. (Thank you for the slogan, Pringles!)

So yeah, I have gone through various kinds of medicines and decided to completely go herbal now.

I have now decided to turn to folk medicine, and the first one I tried is one from my own folks! (my sweet mother)

My mother always told me to boil a few pieces of ginger in water and drink it when I have a cold or fever, it instantly warms the body and makes us feel better.

Ginger, for many centuries, has been a natural remedy for various problems.

Below is a list of some of the ailments ginger can cure:
• Stimulates digestion
• Naturally freshens breath
• Relieves nausea, including dizziness from motion sickness
• Helps lower cholesterol
• Relieves gas and bloating
• Soothes common cold symptoms, including respiratory infections
• Eases menstrual cramps
• Relieves headaches
• Helps stop diarrhea
• Believed to have anti-cancer properties

(Source: http://stacienaczelnik.hubpages.com/hub/Ginger-The-Benefits-How-to-Use)

Today I decided on researching more about ginger. I found this really nice ginger tea recipe here.

(Image from: http://linahansonblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/lemon_ginger_tea.jpg)

Basically, you have to grate ginger, add crushed garlic and boil the mixture in water for a few minutes. Once it has boiled, add a tablespoon of honey and squeeze a wedge of lemon into it and drink it warm. You will feel the difference instantly!

I tried it today, it was really strong and the taste wasn't that good, but it really helped relieve my cough.

If you decide to try it, make sure you inhale it while it is boiling and while you drink it.

All the above ingredients have different health benefits.
Garlic is considered a natural antibiotic. Lemon boosts the immune system. Ginger has the above mentioned benefits and honey contains antioxidants that help sooth sore throat.

I think it is much better than all the stuff that we get at hospitals that apparently didn't work for me this time.

I will keep drinking this for a few days and let you know if it worked!

Have a  great weekend guys!

Rambles: Operation H Begins Today!

If you read my last post, you will see that I was feeling blue prior to my 25th Birthday. Reaching Quarter of a century freaked me out a bit, but I was still happy that I was still on a roll with my work, balancing everything that I did, updating my blogs often and so on.

Then came the D-Day - my birthday. I had a great time celebrating with my loved ones. It was really overwhelming receiving all the wishes, cutting the cakes and feeling like a princess for a day.

Unfortunately, the same day, I started to fall sick. I got fever and sore throat, and I was like Uh-oh!

Since then, I have been fighting a never ending cold, on and off fever and horrendous cough (I thank my colleagues and housemates for bearing with the ugly sounds I produce as a result of that he he!).

Falling sick changes a lot of things. It sometimes makes one feel down, uninspired and weak. The same thing happened to me. I lost all my design motivation, fashion sense and my cheerfulness.

I became a grouch.

As I recover slowly, I have now decided to once again push myself to resume my life prior to falling sick.

I call this Operation H. H standing for Healthy, Happy and Hungry.

Image from: http://freelancefolder.com/self-motivation/

Healthy - Eating/drinking healthy again to stay fit, glowing and pimple-free.

Happy - Getting back to doing what makes me happy - hobbies, fitness, design etc

Hungry - Feel Passionate about what I do, and stay motivated to do more and more...and more.

So this is my plan, and I would love it if you would all do the same. Let's get the Operation H started, shall we? :-)

Have a great day you all!

Rambles: Birthday Blues

Guess what? In a week's time, I will be a quarter of a century old, and that makes me feel so...old!

I mean, I remember the time I was 18 and I always wanted to stay 18. Now here I am 7 years later, wondering what have I really done for my life, loved ones, my career?

In a week, I will be 25. In one week, I want to make a notable difference in my life. 

I feel like I am doing last minute shopping here. Trying to get everything done before it's time!

I always used to multi-task, now I over multi-task. For instance, while am blogging right now, I have a video open for editing, a page on Groupon that I am read to sign up for, a video tutorial on on Youtube that I am watching and this other random website I have open. All this while I am sipping my morning coffee at my desk at work! It's a quiet morning so far, no pending jobs, so it's not bad for some personal pleasures.

Anyway, these are actually signs of panic, I guess, and that makes me feel...sad. For the past two years, I lived my life in routine work. Going to work, coming home, dinner, sleep. Nothing great done here, no socializing. Just daily routine.

image from: http://www.toyanddolls4u.com/product_image/3560.jpg

It feels like I have suddenly woken up. I had been taking my life for granted. There is so much that can be done in every extra minute that we get. There is so much to do! 

In fact, let me stop writing now and get back to my work. Let me try make this week the most remarkable week of my life :)

Have a great day!

Nooreen

Rambles: Zero Expectations and a Positive Mindset

Hey guys!

Hope you all had a good weekend. Today I want to share with you my new motto in life.

It's having Zero expectations and a Positive Mindset

Have you ever experienced one or more or all of the following:
- Been promised something and ended up not getting it?
- Been promised more than what you got?
- Had great plans with loved ones that ended up getting cancelled?
- Really cared about a friend who didn't give a damn in return?


All this leads to disappointment if you are really EXPECTING it and looking forward to it.

 http://www.i-change.biz/blog/?p=394

From what I feel, it is better to not expect anything till it actually happens, and then have a blast with it! Expecting something, waiting for it, no matter how confirmed it seems, is a mistake, because the universe works in strange ways, while we are looking forward to something, something else is happening on the other side that changes the turn of events.

At the same time, this does not mean that we have to do this in a pessimistic way. We can hold the excitement of it for when it really happens. Then there are no disappointments and only joy!


The keyword here is taking it easy. Not over-analyzing things.

Also, if you have a goal, don't rush it just to expect results. Enjoy the JOURNEY of achieving this goal. This will increase the chances of achieving it. Be passionate about the goal. Love working on it.
Success will eventually come, but if you only linger on the thought of expecting results, then you will only be disappointed.

Remember, this is just my opinion and if you can feel free to differ :)

Have a great day everyone!

Recipe: Funky Veggie Omelette

Are you really, really hungry and need something appetizing to eat but have no patience to prepare something big?

Are you sick of eating the traditional omelette or sunny side up?

Here's a funky omelette recipe to your rescue!

What you need:
- A medium size tomato, chopped without the pulp
- An onion, chopped
- a clove of garlic, crushed
- chilli powder/pepper
- salt to taste
- mushrooms, chopped
- cheese (optional)
- potato cubes, fried (optional)
- a pinch of turmeric powder
- oil or butter

Method:
- Beat 2 eggs in a bowl, add in the tomato, onion, garlic, salt, turmeric, chilli/pepper. set aside
- Add a tbsp of oil or butter in a frying pan, and saute the mushrooms in it for a minute on low heat.
- Add the fried potato in it and spread out the mushroom and potatoes evenly over the frying pan.
- Add your beaten omelette mixture to it and let it cook for a while
- Flip the omelette to the other side, being careful to not break it.
- Cook for about 2-3 more minutes
- Add cheese to the omelette and fold it in half
- Tadaa! Funky omelette is ready to devour!

image from: http://a1.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/5/69b79c1e449124f0b4bb6e2435014579/l.jpg

You can eat that plain, or with bread. It's really delicious!

Book Review: Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Hi all! Today I will be writing a mini-review on this book I read recently. It is by Sophie Kinsella, and it's called Twenties Girl.

The story is about a twenty seven year old woman who attends her great-aunt's funeral and discovers that she can actually see her deceased great aunt who is on a mission to find her dragonfly necklace before she can rest in peace.

The young woman on the other hand has recently broken up with her boyfriend and is also undergoing problems at work.

With the great aunt, the young woman goes through several exciting adventures, and they form a great bond together.

As interesting as the story-line is by itself, there is something else that really touched me about it.

The great aunt was a really old and neglected person before she passed away. No one knew her or bothered about her. When she appears as a spirit, she is back in her twenties and has a lovely adventurous personality. It makes me realize that people don't really grow old, their body limits them to do the things they want to do. They would still love to dance, go out and do everything younger people do.
Growing older doesn't mean one has to behave in a limited way, that is depression, not ageing! It is all in the mind.

This book is a great read. It made me feel more alive and increased my respect for people of all ages and kept me entertained while it lasted! :)

Make sure you read it!

Beauty: Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom Eau de Toilette

A few weeks back, I got the Japanese Cherry Blossom Eau de Toilette as a gift. There are very few perfumes that I like because I prefer light scents that one can not sniff from a mile away. Those that do not cause headaches and are just good enough to make you smell good and fresh for a long period of time.

I am happy to say that this perfume is one of them. It comes in a 50ml bottle, which is not that big, but good enough for the price we pay for it. It has a romantic flowery/fruity scent and at the same time, it is not excessively flowery or fruity. It is just a perfect blend making it ideal for young to older women.

The packaging is really cute as well, it successfully brings out the "romance" concept of the perfume with the use of pink in its cover together with illustrations of cherry blossoms.

I love it, and I totally recommend it for all! :)

Rambles: How to Judge People

I have had this in my mind for a while and thought of sharing this Nooreenism with you.

http://pofgblog.com/2011/02/17/why-i-dont-judge-people/5-0-2/

- Judge people by their Morals, not their Religion

- Judge people by their Capabilities, not their Education

- Judge people by their Actions, not their Words

- Judge people by their Present, not Their past

- Judge people by who they are, not who we want them to be.

...But if possible, don't judge at all, for who are we to judge in the first place!

Live and Let Live :)

Beauty: My experience with MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation

A few months back, I posted a review on the Estee Lauder Mineral foundation and how wonderful it was.In spite of its wonderful qualities, I also mentioned that it didn't stay on for very long and had to be reapplied after a few hours (especially if you had to wear it all day long).

Anyway, recently, I decided to put my MAC studio fix fluid foundation again and due to its wonderful coverage with just a bit of product, I fell in love with it and began applying it on a daily basis.



image from http://megsmakeup.com/meghead/dvbourassa/fav-product-1/mac-studio-fix-fluid

BIG MISTAKE!!! I didn't notice this immediately, but after a while I realized that I was breaking out everyday! a new zit every day on my cheeks!

I thought maybe my cleansing regime wasn't very good, so I made sure I was more careful and removed every trace of makeup. Then I thought it was because of my coffee addiction, so I cut down coffee. Nope! the pimples kept popping up! 

Then one day, I felt strong nostalgia over my Estee Lauder foundation. I missed the natural radiant look it gave. So I put it on again, and as usual, reapplied over the next days (till now); and guess what? my daily zits have stopped! 

I feel relieved to have finally found the cause and a solution. 

But then again, we should also note that not everyone's skin is the same and what doesn't work for me can work for others. I have friends who use MAC foundation, and it doesn't affect them. My mother also uses MAC and she has no break outs. 

 suggest you give it a try if you want proper coverage, but if you have sudden break outs, you know what the cause is. 

Please note that am not trashing this brand/product. I am just sharing my own personal experience with this specific type of foundation by MAC. 

Thanks for reading, and have an awesome day everyone! :)

Rambles: Recurring Number - everywhere!

Hello Bloggers and Blog readers!

I had taken a little break from blogging as I tried adjusting to my new lifestyle. With tons of things to juggle at once, it became a bit difficult to blog daily.
Well, here I am today, down with a cold and a perfect opportunity to share something personal with you all.

Have you ever learned about something or someone that we never knew existed and suddenly they're everywhere? on the radio, uttered from everyone's lips and on every billboard you see? quite common, right?
Now what would it mean if we saw this particular thing for years and years? without obsessing over it or deliberately looking for it?

That's my story.

I have been seeing a number for the past 4-5 years. It's the number 43. I know, there is a movie just like that (The Number 23); but I have been experiencing this before I even heard about the movie.

I don't know if there is any meaning behind it, but sometimes it gets a bit uncomfortable for me to see it everywhere. When I look at the time, its XX:43. If I look at my laptop battery status, its on 43%, when I look at the views on my Youtube video, its 43,000 and so on.

Once, I was in my room preparing to sleep in the dark, my phone was lying next to me, untouched. It suddenly does a network search and the backlight goes on, guess what I see? 10:43pm.
and then the light goes off again.

If I deliberately look for it, expecting to see it, it won't be there. It's just when I subconsciously look at something when I see it.

I was never one to believe in numerology or superstitions, but this thing really makes me wonder, since it's been going on for years now. After dad passed away, it stopped for a while. Now  for the past 6 months or so, it's back.

I have heard several interpretations of it. Some say its a good thing, some say it's bad, I have no idea what to believe in.

Some people make fun of it and some people say it's just in my head. I feel you can't judge till you have experienced it for yourself. I have met a few people who see the same number or some other number and they are just as confused as I am, but with this confusion, I feel a sense of comfort, knowing that I am not alone.

If you bump into my blog and come across this post, and coincidentally happen to experience the same, please feel free to post a comment and share your story.

Have a good Sunday evening with your families and loved ones :)

Recipe: Enter Paradise with my Good old Chai!

Nothing beats the feeling of enjoying a hot cup of Chai after a busy and tiring day! There are several different ways of making tea. Different people use different techniques and ingredients. It's more of a cultural thing.

I am here to share my recipe today. I have had people request me in the middle of the night to make tea for them in the past, so there must be something good about it :)

Ingredients: (serves 2)
2.5 cups of water
1/2 cup of skimmed milk
1.5 tsp Tea leaves
1 small piece of cinnamon stick - broken into tiny pieces
1 or 2 cardamom pods - slightly opened from one side
2 tsp sugar

*If you want to use evaporated creamer, use 3 cups of water and 1/4 cup of creamer instead*

Method:
- Add the water into a small pan and place it on low heat.
- Add water, sugar, tea leaves and the spices
- When it starts to boil, add the milk in it. You can increase or decrease the quantity of the milk according to your preference.
- Leave it to boil for some time.
- Sieve it into 2 cups and you hot refreshing aromatic tea is ready to relax you!

(Image from http://www.careeningsegue.com/cool-pictures-tea-infusion-cups-mugs/spiced-chai-tea/)

For better satisfaction, sip it with some nice relaxing music in the background and feel the stress leave your body and utmost peace enter your soul.

Feels like heaven, doesn't it? ;)

5 tips to get rid of The Belly Fat

 Ladies, if you are blessed with a naturally flat tummy, you are damn lucky! You should worship it! *humbly bowing down to your tummy*

If you are like me and the other less fortunate women in the belly department, I am here to help with what little I know.

Let us first understand that in order to have a flat tummy, we need to watch our overall health. Trying to get rid of the tummy alone will only be a temporary solution. We need to improve our lifestyle in general.

1. Fibers are a woman's best friend.
- Fibers are basically carbs that can not be digested. Fiber is present in plant-based food. Since it can not be digested, it aids in cleaning the toxins from the body, hence leaving us healthy and healing problems such as constipation.
Fiber also gives us the feeling of being 'full' within minutes and does not make us feel hungry often. 
Because of the above reasons, it is advisable to include more fibers in our diet if we want to lose weight. , Let us not forget that is is also a VERY healthy option and does not necessarily have to be boring or tastless, you can always add some of your creativity in it so as to enjoy what you eat.
Some foods you can eat with high fiber content: Apples with the skin, beans, lentils, prunes, broccoli, baked potato, carrots and so on.

2. Say no to Sucrose!
- Okay so the simple sugars we consume, that give us what we call a "sweet tooth" is the most addictive and pleasurable form of sugar in my opinion. Fructose (from fruits) and Lactose (from milk) is the healthier form. Sugar, when taken in a limit, is good to provide us with energy. If in excess, it's converted to Fat.
So now we know what form of sugar is a wiser option for consumption to control our weight. However, consuming it once in a while should not be a problem, after all, what's life, if we don't live it, right?!

3. Crunches
- Start by doing crunches the proper way, about 20 times till you get used to it and then challenge yourself further by increasing the number of reps.

Below is one of the traditional types of crunches, as you gain practice, you can experiment with other types.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, and place your hands on each side of your head. (refer to picture (a))
- Make sure your lower back is flat against the floor.
- Contract your abs and slowly life your shoulder blades about 30 degrees off the floor
- Make sure your neck is straight and your chin is facing up.
- Exhale while lifting, and hold this position for a few seconds (you don't have to hold your breath).
- Lower your shoulders slowly while keeping your abs contracted.
- Repeat.
- You can also do the same with your legs lifted up (refer to picture (b)), by moving your knees closer towards your chest while you lift your shoulder blades, and moving your knees away while lowering yourself. I personally find this more effective.

Picture (a) - taken from http://www.daily-fit.com/abdominals.html

Picture (b) - taken from http://www.examiner.com/home-fitness-in-allentown/fit-tip-of-the-week-crunches

4. Side Dumbbell bends
- If you are one of those least fortunate people like me with body prone to side flabs (or love handles as some might call it), then this is the ideal workout for you.
All you have to do is hold a dumbbell in each hand, stand shoulder width apart. and bend on each side, as far as you can, till you feel the stretch, and then do the same on the other side. Repeat.
Make sure you only bend your waist and not your knees. Also make sure your dumbbells are not too heavy. This exercise can cause injury or back pain if it's not done properly. Don't overdo it.

5. Last but not the least, it is important to know that one can not spot reduce a part of your body. Accompanying the above with cardio, stretching and so on can make it easier to attain an overall good physique; making you feel fit and healthy! Accompany all the above with a lot of water and vitamins and you will be one healthy, happy person :)


Hope you found this post useful, special thanks to my personal trainer and nutritionist Mostafa for his special training and advice. Good Luck and have a good weekend!

Rambles: Why I Turned Vegetarian: My Story.

It's been 2 weeks since I turned vegetarian. So far, there has been no regrets involved in my decision :)

Why did I make this decision? you may wonder.
Well, ever since I was a little girl, I was a true bird lover. I would feed pigeons, chickens and any kind of feathered species that would visit me at/outside home.

It was so touching to see the birds eat the food I fed them. I would even place a huge tray of water and watch the pigeons splash the water everywhere :)
There was a farm near my house, so whenever I opened my house gate, all the chickens would speed  towards the gate and inside my house. That was the most adorable thing to watch. I learned new tricks everyday. I learned that when you want to call a chicken, all you have to do is make smacking sounds with  your lips and they will come towards you.

Then I had to move house and leave all my feathered friends behind me. That was a very heartbreaking moment.

Now how is that related to vegetarianism? It's Simple. How could I eat my little friends?
That time, when I suggested this idea to my mom, she said that I was still growing and I needed sufficient amount of protein.
Now that I am all grown up (and overgrown :P) I feel its the perfect time for me to do that. I can now cook several healthy dishes on my own with different sources of protein. I can finally feel like am doing something worthwhile.

I also had a terrible visual in my head while having chicken salad two weeks ago that led me to me to be more sure of this decision and stop spontaneously.

I am finally at peace with myself :)

Hope you enjoyed my little story. Have a great day everyone! :)

*Please note that I am just sharing my  story and am in no way trying to turn people off from eating whatever they want to eat, everyone has their own beliefs, and I respect that*

Rambles: Bad habits

Okay, so I discussed my good and healthy habits in my previous post. Now it's time for the bad ones!!!

1. Coffee, of course.
- People close to me know that I am a big time coffee-addict! I not only drink coffee, I also think coffee and sleep coffee. Okay, that's a bit of an exageration, but I do drink up to 3 cups a day and wish I could have more.

The bad thing about it is that I don't want to quit. I do want to reduce to 2 cups, but I really enjoy my coffee time!
Strange thing about that is that I used to hate coffee before, I used to have it as medicine during my school days, and now I yearn for its smell, its taste, its effect on me *sigh*

My third cup usually makes me feel dizzy, so I try not to have it in short intervals.
This is one bad habit that I am quite okay with.


2. Out of Focus.
This is a very shameful confession. I sometimes tend to lose my concentration while talking to a person because I end up looking at 'how' they talk to me, their body language, their confidence etc and I tend to lose focus on "what" they are telling me! So if you suddenly heard a "mmmm" as a response from me, it probably means I have drifted off to a psychological-analyzing-zombie state. lol! Don't freak out though, there is nothing bad that I think about the person. I just like to observe.


3. Thinking too much?
- I guess this is the worst habit I have. I tend to over-analyze EVERYTHING about myself. I can spend hours with myself, just thinking about things. My mind works 24/7. I also tend to read between non-existent lines when people say something.


4.  Forgiveness.
I know forgiving is a big thing, but for me, I am either your best friend or your worst enemy. It is very hard for me to forget something. Even though I try to forgive, I will still hold a slight grudge against you. I tend to give my 100% to someone or something until I get let down. It's not like I would take revenge or anything, I just stop giving a damn.

5. Room Cluttered with clothes
- I have this very weird habit from childhood. My dad would always say he felt dizzy entering my room because I tend to pile up my clothes in a huge mountain on a selected location, e.g. a chair. till they reach a point of toppling over, then I finally put them back to their designated places :D

So, these are FEW of my bad habits/behavioral problems he he.

Enjoy reading! Have a great day everyone!

Recipe: Veggie Burgers

Burgers are one of the most addictive foods loved by the majority of the world. Made in different styles and ingredients, there is a burger to satisfy every taste bud in the world. I am one of those people who loves burgers.

Going vegetarian recently didn't stop me from having burgers. I decided to make my own style of veggie burger! The key in making veggie burgers is to make it as yummy as possible in order to match the standards of the um...non-veg burgers.

Below is my recipe. I am sure as I get more practice in cooking vegetarian meals, the quality and creativity in my burgers will also improve, but for now, this worked great for me! I LOVED them!!

Delicious Veggie burgers  (http://www.vegansoapbox.com/veggie-burgers-vs-beef-burgers/)

*Please note that the image above is just for illustration purpose, and will be replaced once I have my own*

Ingredients:
Canned Chick Peas
Canned Green peas
Boiled Potatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed/chopped
salt
pepper
chilli powder/green chilli, chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
Breadcrumbs
1 egg
oil
Tomato, sliced
burger buns


Method
- Put the Chick peas, green peas and boiled potatoes in the blender or mash it all with a fork and set aside.
- Put 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and saute the onions until golden brown.
- Add garlic, chilli, salt pepper to the onions
- Add the tomato paste.
- Turn off the stove, mix the mashed mixture of potatoes and peas into the onion mixture, add a few table spoons of breadcrumbs inside it.
- Make patties from the mixture.
- Now take a bowl and beat an egg in it.
- Put some breadcrumbs in a separate plate
- Dip the patties into the egg, and then roll it over the breadcrumbs
- take a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and fry your patties on both sides on medium heat till it becomes nice and crispy from the outside
- Place the patties in the burger buns, followed by a tomato slice on top.
- Your delicious, crispy burger is ready to be devoured!

Recipes: Healthy Habits

We always discuss bad habits and addictions, but we rarely share our good stuff!

I think it would motivate the people next to us and spread the goodness!
Below are some of my (very few) good habits that I have forced myself to develop over time.

1. Drinking lots of water.

- That's what we are always asked to do, but for me personally, I tend to look really pale and dehydrated when I don't take enough. My skin looks darker and I look terribly sick. So i make sure I drink water continuously wherever I am. I don't mind the frequent trips to the restroom as a result.Water can even eliminate the unnecessary hunger pangs we get at odd times. Always have a bottle of water with you If it's in front of you, you will remember to have it often.

2. Yoghurt
-I eat flavored yoghurt every morning. Of course, eating natural yoghurt is much better, but I really hate that. So I substitute with the flavoured one. Sometimes, I take 2 servings. One for breafkast with bread/cereal fruit, and the other at around 3 or 4 pm. It keeps me from getting sick often, leaves me feeling refreshed and healthy.

3. Lunch and Dinner
- During lunch, I try to avoid carbs. If I ordered Fish for lunch, I will ask for extra veggies and instead of the fries. My carbs intake is mainly from bread. Once or twice a week, I will have fries or rice. I usually order salad for lunch. If i get tired of fresh veggie salad, I would go for Caesar salad or just poached veggies. For dinner, I usually eat Feta cheese and Tomato sandwich or tuna sandwich. If am in the mood to cook, I might cook a nice and simple vegetarian meal.

4. Working out
- I try to work out everyday. Sitting all day in front of a computer ends up making me feel all hunched and tired at the end of the day. Sometimes I get a backache as well. So what I do is, once I get home, I do some stretching exercises, a few leg lifts and of course some 300 crunches a day (working towards my six pack dream! haha). I notice that my back pain stops immediately after that.

5. Hunger pangs
- When I get hungry between meals, I munch on fresh fruits or veggies. My new favorite is sliced cucumbers. A good snack for school or work would be slicing up carrots and cucumbers with a few drops of lemon on it. Apples is another favourite.

I admit I am turning into a veggie freak these days. Considering the fact that I used to hate veggies just 2 years back is very surprising to me, but hey! It's a good habit so am enjoying and loving every moment of it!

Having mentioned the top 5 good and healthy habits, I would like to add that I do also have a few bad habits, but I will leave that for another blog post!!! :)

I hope whoever came across this post would try to embrace the above for themselves. I would also love to read about your healthy habits, so lets share the positivity! :)

Rambles: Changes!

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last blogged. I am ashamed that I let myself get so busy to stop something I love so much!

So, what's new in my life?
Well, with May, came changes. I made some spontaneous decisions on my lifestyle and I am proud to say, I am loving them all! Mind you, by spontaneous, I mean, within 5-10 minutes. That's because I don't really believe in planning. Never works for me.

Firstly, I got a haircut. I left the style to the stylist. I didn't care what he did as long as it looked different, and I love the outcome!

Next, I got my nose pierced - again. The first time, my nose had rejected it. This time, I got it done on the left side and it's doing pretty well so far :)

I also decided to work my a** off to get my six-pack that I have been dreaming about for years. Well, for starters, get rid of the fat to make space for the packs...haha. I can feel the difference already. I feel more active and motivated!

I also turned Vegetarian! Well, not completely, but I omitted Beef, Chicken and Mutton from my diet. I replaced that with more veggies, fruits, beans, yoghurt and fish. I have also reduced rice from my diet. It not only feels right, it is much healthier this way! I will write more detailed blog posts about some of these changes separately.

I don't know what led me to do all the above, but I believe that change is important, especially if it's a positive change. If you have been thinking of doing something and can't seem to decide when to start, I say, just go for it. Don't think too much. I feel gradual change is much more difficult than spontaneous change. At least, that's how it works for me.

My advice, don't do too much of one thing for so long that you get bored with yourself. Try new things. Make positive changes in your life. Dream big, and work towards your dreams!

Rambles: What pisses me off at shopping malls!

Warning: This is a rant post!

I thought I would share with you some of the things that piss me off the most at Malaysian Shopping Malls. I say Malaysian, because I don't know how the system is in other countries.

1. What I see in Malaysia, are extremely rude salesmen, trying to "help" customers to shop. They tag along behind you as soon as you enter the store and don't leave your side. For me, It takes away the freedom of looking at the stuff nicely because you have a salesperson practically stuck behind you, it kind of pressurizes me.
Yesterday I went shopping and this sales lady rudely jumped in front of me, without a "May I help you" or a smile, and then followed me around like I was going to steal their stuff. I got so angry, I deliberately walked round and round the same rack a few times till she got the message and stopped following me.

ADVICE: If you are a salesperson and you want to help, ask once if the person needs assistance. If the person says "no, thanks, just looking", move away! If you don't trust the customer, go stare at the CCTV recordings or something, you might lose potential customers if you keep following them around!!

2. If you are a beautician working at some cosmetics counter, don't stop people and mention their flaws to them very directly and suggest solutions. I am sure there is a more polite way of suggesting a product!

I met this manner-less character yesterday while I made my way to one of the counters. This lady jumped in my way and suggested a cream to lighten "my dark lips". Hello! I know my flaws and I don't need a person coming over to me and mentioning them to me like that! I managed to escape and head towards the counter I was aiming for. On my way back, I saw the same predator hunting for another prey. I saw her spot a young woman who was with her friends and I saw her wildly gesturing with her hands; pointing under her eyes to indicate she has some stupid cream available for the woman's under eye circles.
I know, my description makes her look like a chimp. well, she did look like one. Maybe I should have suggested an evolution cream to her!

3. I went to a store a couple of weeks back and bought a nice pendant and necklace for my friend. Then I headed over to the shoes section to check them out with the necklace in my hand. The salesperson came after me and asked if I was buying the necklace. I told her yes I was. She rudely snatched it from me and placed it on the counter without a word or a smile, like I was going to steal it or something.
Before I made the payment, I asked her her name so I can make a complaint later, but I decided to just let it go later on.

So guys, above are the few of the many things that take the fun of shopping away from us. Strangely, all the above mentioned things share a common cause: SALESMEN!

Now since we have touched this topic, I might as well point out another thing about sales-ladies.
Firstly, Working at a makeup store promoting makeup, does NOT mean you have to put on the entire stores' make up at one go! Humongous fake eye lashes, Bright pink cheeks, heavy glitter on the lids with colourful eye shadow, will not tempt people to purchase the make up. Well, atleast it wont tempt me! I personally LOVED the flawless natural make up the girl from Estee lauder at Parkson Alamanda applied. It looked beautiful!

So girls, if you are a saleslady reading this, and you have made through this post without getting offended and took the positive message from it, remember to SMILE, BE POLITE, HELPFUL and STOP STALKING. Yup, just the kind of things yo' mama taught you.

PS. No keyboards were destroyed during the writing of this post.

Fitness: Work those Abs baby!

We recently got this awesome workout machine called "CAP: AB roller with mat" that makes working out much more fun! It aids in doing crunches the proper way and more smoothly as compared to doing them the conventional way.

This baby has encouraged me once again to work harder on my life-long six-pack dream! Even though I have gained a lot of weight recently, I am going to try my best to stay focused this time.

All you have to do is place your head on the little cushion, place your arms on the arm rests, hold the grips in front of you and begin your crunches! Because of the rocking system at the bottom, it is easier to lift your shoulders and maintain the correct posture while doing so.

I can totally feel the difference after using it a few times!

Of course, apart from using this machine, I also do some other exercises and stretching to make it more effective. It is important to not just rely on this machine, after all, who wants toned abs with a humongous lower body?!

The one we got costs about RM109 in the market, that is around US$36. The last time I hit the mall, it was on 50% discount! so that's an awesome deal that I truly recommend for all! Consider it an investment for your health and body.

This Ab roller comes with a mat, a counter that calculates the time, calories and number of crunches done, and batteries.

So for those who would like to invest in a good machine to aid in their workouts, this is the one for you!

I got it from my Papa! - *A tribute to my wonderful father*

Hello All!

As most of the people around me know, I lost my father nearly 2 years back. Considering how fast time passes, 2 years is not that long ago.

There has not been a single day where I haven't thought about him. Whether it's just missing him, or remembering him through someone's words or actions.

I thought it was a good idea to compile a few things that he taught me, as a tribute to his love and care all the years we had him.

1. Always smile.
- This is one thing I inherited from my father rather than learn from him. My dad would always smile no matter how stressed out he was, which is probably why whenever I visualize him, I picture his charming smile and twinkling eyes.

I have noticed I do that too no matter how stressed I feel inside. I smile at everyone I know or don't know. I think it makes a big difference by reducing the stress level and building friendships with people :)

2. Don't lose your character
- Dad always gave this advice "If Wealth is lost, nothing is lost. If Health is lost, Something is lost, but if Character is lost, EVERYTHING is lost."
How true is that!  I feel people lose their character first in order to achieve the least important: Money!

I believe no matter now high or low your position is, maintain a good character. In a world where everything runs through politics, money and power, it is easy to fall into this mess and become tangled in it, hence losing oneself more and more.
I say, just be smart and alert. Don't lose yourself in the dirt.

 3. Be giving
- Whether its knowledge, money or time. Share it! Dad was always very giving, helping all those in need. Never wait for a time when you are rich to be able to help someone. Give whatever little amount you have got. Giving is the key to happiness, not receiving.
I see people spending a huge amount of money in shopping, but when it comes to giving a tiny amount to a person in need, people happen to be "broke."

4. Never stop learning
- Dad always gave first priority to education. He was always so encouraging. I remember how he used to reward me with gifts when I got good grades. How he agreed to let me come to Malaysia to study and was even nice enough to come till Malaysia to see I have settled down well here.
He was also always learning one thing or another himself and used to be full of creative ideas! You were truly inspiring, dad!

5. Perfectionism
- Dad was a perfectionist. A tiny dot out of place and he would do it all over again! He had an eye of an eagle. He wouldn't sleep till he had completed his work perfectly.

This is not always a good thing for me though, it's more of an OCD, the unfinished work tends to bug me to the point of having nightmares all night about it, but I am proud of the fact that I try to perfect the things I like or do.


So dad, this is for you. A little thank you for the things you taught me directly and indirectly. I am so proud to have you as my dad. Your teachings, your love and your memories will always remain part of me. What you did for us will never be forgotten. I love you.

Rest in Peace <3

Recipe: Beef Stroganoff

Hey all!
It's been long since I posted a recipe. That's because I haven't cooked in a long time! I woke up in a cooking mood today so I decided to make Beef Stroganoff with potatoes and veggies (Initial plan was to accompany that with homemade garlic bread but I didn't have enough butter to do so).

For those who would like to know how I make Beef Stroganoff, the recipe is below :-)

Ingredients:
- 0.5kg tenderloin steak (depends on how many stomachs you are feeding) - cut into thin strips
- 2 cloves garlic - mashed
- 1/2 tsp ginger paste
- soy sauce
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup yoghurt
- 1 tbsp white flour
- water
- 1 medium onion - chopped
- Button mushrooms - sliced
- butter or oil

Method:
- Marinate the beef with the garlic, ginger, about 1tbsp of soy sauce and pepper for at least 30mins to 1hour in the refrigerator.
- In a frying pan, put some butter or oil and fry the beef strips till browned on both sides. Add some salt to taste while frying the beef.
- Set aside the beef.
- In the same pan, fry the onions until soft and golden brown and set aside together with the beef.
- Remove any excess oil/butter, and add mushrooms in the same pan and saute in medium heat.
- Now add 1 cup of yoghurt, followed by a mixture of 1 tbsp of flour in 1/4 cup of water. This will thicken the sauce.
- Now add the beef and onion mixture into the mushroom sauce, add extra ingredients as per your taste - You can add extra soy sauce, or salt and pepper if you wish, as well as some water if you prefer to have more gravy.
- Let it cook for about 10 minutes.
- Your Beef Stroganoff is now ready! Enjoy with Pasta, mashed potatoes, garlic bread or rice!

PS. The Soy sauce is my own addition, you can eliminate it from this recipe if you wish. I use it because I like the extra taste and colour of soy sauce in my food :)

Beef Stroganoff with Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli and Cauliflower

Beauty: Hair Rebonding Nightmare

Ladies, get your tissues ready to weep for me. This is a sad one.

When I first came to Malaysia back in 2007, I was a full-time geek, but I had nice, curly hair. I could straighten it when I wanted or I could leave it curly. Pure bliss.

As time went on, my geekiness took over me. I had no time to play around with my hair anymore.
I then learned about Hair Rebonding - The miracle hair cure for people like me!
Hair rebonding is a permanent hair straightening method (well, until your hair grows, that is). It is a tedious process of first breaking your natural hair bonds, and then creating new bonds). It takes about 3-7hours to get it done (from my experiences), depending on your hair type. After it's done, you can not wash, tie or let your hair get wet for a minimum of three days.

With your rebonded hair, you can be worry-free for at least 4-6 months. It is a pretty expensive method, but it saves a lot of time at the end of the day so if you think of it this way, it's worth it!

As for me, it was a huge mistake!
Once you rebond your hair, you are stuck with it for a long time! Considering how fast my hair grows, I had to get it retouched every 3 months! damn expensive and damaging, right? On top of that, I couldn't style my at all. It ended up looking straight, flat and lifeless.

The worse thing is, you can not get your hair permed while your hair is rebonded. You have to let it grow out completely before you can do that. So in order to get my naturally curly hair back, I had to wait while it grew.

It has now been a little over a year since I last rebonded my hair. I have about 2 inches of rebonded hair left, the rest is curly! But thanks to Hair straightening irons, I can fix that problem.

I think in a month or two, I should have my curly hair back! :) Keeping my fingers crossed!

For those considering this straightening method, think twice. If you have naturally straight hair and you want to make it straighter and shinier, it might be worth it for you, but for the others, I recommend relaxing your hair, or just styling it with hair straighters or curlers. Your hair will look much more healthier with more volume.

Rambles: Confessions of a Coffee Addict

Hi. I am Nooreen, and I am a Coffee Addict.

Mention Latte, Mocha or just plain White Coffee and I am all yours!

As cheap as that may make me sound, my caffeine addiction is getting worse. The fact that I used to hate coffee in the past is what worries me more.

The thing is, I have never been a morning person, and having to wake up early in the mornings everyday led me to start having coffee to give me a boost as tea wouldn't help much.

Then I started having a cup an hour or two after lunch to overcome post-lunch laziness.

Now, I have reached a point where I need a cup immediately after waking, another cup about two hours later, and the third one during the post-lunch laziness period.

I am kind of curious to know what number I will reach if I don't do something about it immediately.

I don't plan to stop it completely, I mean I don't mind the wake-up coffee. I just feel the other two cups are not necessary and I want to avoid the long-term effects of having too much coffee.

I would really appreciate some tips on how to overcome this. Is there a better tasting substitute? PLEASE HELP! :(

Rambles: How to feel good when you are sick

Hello All!

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I have been unwell this past week; been stuck with flu and fever, and we all know how much that drains all the energy off our bodies; making us look- and feel like zombies!

Those of you who know me personally also know that I get sick easily. I drink lots of orange juice - I get a sore throat that starts of the flu-fever series, I stay up too late for 3 days in a row - I get a sore throat...and so on.

I have therefore decided to share some tips with you all below on how to feel good when not feeling well. These are from my own experiences and my way of adapting to such times.

So how do we feel good at such times?
- The most important thing to do is to stay positive! Wait, don't go away yet! I know you have heard this statement several times before. Maybe I should say, don't have negative thoughts! Be DETERMINED to get well and REFUSE to feel sick. Make great plans for yourself to do when you are fine. This way you will look forward to recovering, hence recover faster.

- Dress up and look good no matter how you feel. By doing this, all attention from people goes on the way you are dressed instead of how sick your face looks! Get complimented rather than asked why you look sick or tired. You will feel a hundred times better this way.

- Surround yourself with friends, loved ones or do something that you enjoy such as reading a good book or listening to music. Make sure you don't get lonely. Avoid being alone except for when you are resting (and you should get plenty of rest as well).


In short, to feel good when you are sick, just pretend that you are not sick. Continue as normal :)

PS. Pretending to be normal doesn't mean that we should not take advantage of the situation by getting extra TLC from loved ones. There is no harm in getting pampered, as long as your mindset is positive :)

Rambles: The Magic of Urine!

As disgusting as the title may sound, this is some serious sh*t! :)
I was always aware of Urine therapy being a traditional healing practice, but I didn't really think deeply about it until recently. I was complaining about Acne to my friends, when one of them said "maybe you can apply urine on your face!" I thought she was joking at first, but she convinced me that she was pretty serious by sharing a story of someone she knows, who does that and has a lovely, glowing complexion as a result!

Apparently, all you have to do is when you wake up, pee in a cup or a cotton pad and apply then all over your face for about 5 minutes, then wash it off (obviously).

I was really fascinated by that! I mean, how can something we excrete be so good for our face? I then did some extra research, and lo and behold! it was true! every person who has tried it had great things to say about it!

Below are the pros and cons I read from the reviews:
Pros: Free of charge, No side effects, 100% effective
Cons: You're applying pee on your face! Pee!

I did some further research (ain't I pathetic?) and I found out the following:
• Urine is best applied when fresh.
• It should not be applied on open wounds.
• It should not be used if one is on strong medication.

Urine has several other benefits that you can read here if you like: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/urine-therapy-for-skin.html

I, personally, have not reached that stage of desperation to do that yet. My acne problem is not that severe (touch wood!) I don't know how I feel about this practice personally, but if it works for others, good for them! :) For me, it was just an interesting topic to discuss with you all!

Have a good weekend!

Rambles: The world is going nuts!

Hello all!
I have been bed-ridden all day with a high fever and cold. Being too weak to do any work, I decided to check out the happenings of the world. I had not really gotten the chance to take a deeper look at the situation in Japan, so I started doing some research and honestly, my heart goes out to Japan and all those who have been affected by the Tsunami. I pray things get back to normal soon and no further catastrophe befalls any country again.

I then came across this one Youtube video that truly disgusted me. It is about this UCLA Student Alexandra Wallace, who portrays total insensitivity towards the Tsunami, Racism against Asians, and lots of pride for being American.
I won't start any stereotypical comments as I saw most people doing, but seriously, this girl needs to learn some manners!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoLLEZlpUxk

Next, I came across this very interesting link talking about Signs that we are approaching the end of the world and Jesus is near.
This article had several links to it that took me the entire day to go through, and truly shocked me! Check it out for yourself when you have the time.

http://bossip.com/355158/revelations-signs-were-in-the-end-of-days-and-jesus-is-near12006/

The above link is a 12-page article, with several sub-links attached to it. It talks about how the world has changed tremendously at present. Large amounts of unexplained deaths of animals, mudslides, parents killing their children, children killing their parents, Crimes against women committed by men becoming worse, drugs cases and so on.

All these problems make me think why such things didn't happen as often in the past and happens now? What is the cause?
I personally think it is the advancement of Technology, Media and Loss of faith in God and Religion that causes the above.

- Technology:
The more we become "technologically advanced," the more we are relying on machines and polluting our environment.

- Media
The media has been portraying things that should not really be shown to young children as it affects their development. I can't believe how openly we can see X-rated content nowadays. We can not blame people later on for committing crimes as they have been exposed to these 'ideas' from their childhood! My friend recently told me how her little nephew and his friend started fighting at school recently. The parents later realized he reenacted the fighting move from a cartoon series he watched.
And seriously, speaking of the influence of Media, Lady Gaga's 'creative' costumes should be banned!! We shouldn't be surprised if we saw kids roaming the streets in Lady Gaga 'clothes' in the near future.

The media has also been hiding certain facts about countries that the world should know about. The world is not what we see in news channels. The world is what the media censors from us till the truth leaks! Pointing fingers at Muslims. The unfairness in Iran that was not heard of until recently,  The beauty of African countries that the media fails to show often, apart from the game parks that makes the world think we live among the elephants and lions, and we are all infected with HIV. Come on! get real! What I know so far is from the people around me and from my research. so I don't blame those who point fingers without knowing anything because they haven't taken their time to do some research.

- Loss of Faith
Nowadays, mentioning "God" or "Allah" becomes something once has to think twice about. Mind you, I mention it nonetheless. I feel it is one's wish if they want to believe in God or not. My only point is, by following the teachings of most religions, we used to learn about peace, humanity, compassion, honesty and so on. And the world was a much better place. Now people are turning into atheists; and making up their own rules as they go on. There are some atheists and free-thinkers I know who are generally good people with good values, thanks to their upbringing, but there are others who have totally lost track of their lives. I think belief in God gives us a sense of security and keeps us on the right track at the end of the day.

From the link posted above, I read of a 10 year old boy who killed his own mother because she didn't let him play his video game.
What can one say about that?
- He got the idea from somewhere.
- He had access to a gun at such a young age.
- He clearly didn't know what was right or wrong or have the fear of God in him.


If you made through this post, thank you! This was me partly venting and partly sharing my findings of my day.
PS. The above was just MY views and opinions. Am not looking for global support here. So feel free to differ but don't judge! :)

Goodnight all!

Rambles: Buddha's Hand Amulet.

Hello all! Today I would like to share with you this lovely gift that my boss gifted me and my colleagues when he got back from his trip to Taiwan recently.

This pendant is actually known as "Buddha's Hand" and is made from Jade. It is meant to bring good fortune to the wearers.

I was really fascinated by this amulet. I love the way it is hand-carved and carries such a deep meaning behind it. I therefore decided to do some further research on it.

I learnt some interesting facts about it:
- It has been worn for thousands of years by Buddhists (and Non-Buddhists).
- It is considered improper if worn below the chest.
- One should not point directly at it.
- One should not enter any inappropriate places while wearing it.
- The hand gesture symbolizes granting of wishes.

I would love to know more about it, so if anyone who comes across this article has any more information, please share! Also, if I have given any wrong information here, do not hesitate to correct me :)

Well, that's it for tonight. Goodnight all! :)

Beauty: Estee Lauder Nutritious Radiant Health Skin Care Collection

Hello all! It's been quite a long time since my last blog post. My apologies!

Today I thought of sharing with you these great beauty products I have been using that have made a HUGE difference in my opinion!

Lately, I have been breaking out a lot and I have been confused as to what could be the possible cause. My Nandos hot sauce addiction with every meal? my new facial mask? the Clean and Clear facial cleanser set I recently purchased? over-indulging on coffee? my MAC studio fix foundation? Well this remains a mystery for now, but I decided to stop all of the above, with the exception of coffee, of course, and try to figure out what works best for me.

Out of all the above, I suspected my MAC foundation and the Nandos hot sauce to be the major causes...so I went hunting for a better foundation.
I stopped by the Estee Lauder counter, and the nice lady there gave me two options for foundations...the Double Wear stay-in-place makeup; which is a bit heavy and long lasting (15 hours) and the Nutritious Vita-Mineral Makeup SPF 10 which is more skin-friendly, lighter and more natural looking.
Since I needed my skin to breathe a bit more after the heavy MAC foundation I wore previously (my biggest regret)...I purchased the Nutritious foundation together with the Nutritious Vita-Mineral Loose Powder  SPF 15.
I must say, I love it! my skin looks much more natural and fresh compared to the matte look MAC gave me. It doesn't stay on for that long though so I do have to re-apply some of the loose powder occasionally.
Since am out of the house from morning till night, I feel this is a much healthier option for my skin.

I got lots of other samples in the Nutritious Radiant Health Skin Care Collection together with my purchases. I got the Nutritious cleanser, that acts as a cleanser in the morning, and a mask at night. I also got the eye gel, moisturizer and toner in the same range.

I must say, I had a love-at-first-wash experience with the face wash! Omg, you won't believe the instant transformation I went through! From tired, dull skin to super-clean glowing face. I loved it and went to purchase that immediately!
Since these products are quite pricey, I will hold myself from purchasing the others for a while. The ones that I purchased were those that I felt were really worth it.
I was told by the lady that I will be getting some white heads from the cleanser for some time as my face undergoes deep cleansing. so at the moment, I can not say my break outs have stopped, but they have definitely reduced and my skin feels much cleaner, healthier and fresher.

The above collection is made from Pomegranate and is meant to make our face more radiant. I would totally recommend it for those suffering from acne/dull/tired skin. It is an investment worth making!

That's all for now, I will be back soon with more Nooreenisms! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Goodnight :)

Recipe: Minced beef spaghetti (Persian-inspired)

Today I share with you my spaghetti recipe that I created myself inspired by Persian cooking techniques and this delicious meal I had, cooked by a dear friend from Persia.

It doesn't take much time to cook and it's home-made, so you get to make it according to your own taste :)

Ingredients for the sauce
- minced beef
- 2 medium sized tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1/2 medium sized capsicum (chopped)
- Chili (chopped)
- 1 clove of garlic (crushed)
- 1 or 2 potatoes (thinly sliced)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 3/4 cup of water
- 1 tbsp oil

Method:
- Heat the oil in a pan, and fry the onions till slightly soft. Then add the potatoes.
- When onion turns golden brown in colour, add the capsicum, garlic and chili. Keep stirring the mixture.
- After about 2 minutes, add the minced beef, salt and pepper and continue stirring.
- When the minced beef has changed colour, add the chopped tomatoes.
- Let the flavours combine for about 3 minutes, then add the soy sauce, oyster sauce and tomato paste followed by about 3/4 cup of water.
- let it simmer on low heat for about 5-7 minutes. Occasionally stir the mixture so it doesnt settle at the bottom.
- Your sauce is ready for step 2.

PS. do not worry about the potatoes being raw. This will be fixed in step 2.

Step 2.
Ingredients:
- Spaghetti
- Water
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp oil

Method:
- Fill 3/4 of your pan with water and bring to boil on high heat
- add salt and oil
- add the spaghetti
- Now let it simmer on high heat for about 7 mins till the spaghetti is half cooked and soft from the outside.
- Turn off the heat and drain the noodles.

Now comes the fun part.
- In an empty pan, add a bit of oil and spread it around the base of the pan.
- Now add some spaghetti at the bottom, followed by some of the prepared sauce on top.
- Now repeat the steps layering the spaghetti and the sauce and ending with a layer of spaghetti on the top.
- Now set the stove on high heat for about a minute, then set it on low heat, adding 1/4 cup of water and covering the pan. cook the pasta on indirect heat this time (you can place the pan on top of a frying pan if you don't have the proper tool for indirect cooking).
- After about 20minutes, check if the pasta is cooked. If not, leave it for a further 5-10minutes.

Your pasta is now ready and should look like this.

 Now you can mix all the contents of the pan together making sure the layered sauce is mixed with the pasta nicely.
The end result should be something like this:

I know it seems like a tedious process, but what I usually do is multitask by cutting veggies while meat defrosts, cook the sauce while the pasta boils, etc. This saves a lot of time.

Hope you enjoyed this recipe.
Have a good Sunday! :)

Rambles: "Politeness" shocks people

You know what, I am very sad to say that we have reached a point in this world where being polite means "we want something from you" or something that does not exist anymore.

I say this because:

1. I never witness much of it here in Malaysia.
- I remember I once tripped on a few steps in public and I saw this girl giggling her a** off behind me. I don't know what was so funny for her, but I felt sorry for her sad life, reaching a situation where she had to get joy from other people's weak moments.

- It shocks people when I am polite.
- I take the taxi every morning and I always wish the taxi driver "Good morning" when I sit in the car.
One day, as I got into the car, I greeted the driver (I hadn't seen him before). He told me that in his 7 years of working as a taxi driver, he had never heard anyone say that to him before.

That made me feel really sad for him, but I felt good to make a tiny difference in his day.

Today I had a similar experience...I was walking over to my taxi and on the way, I wished all the drivers a good morning. One of the older ones said "Wow you are so good, you say good morning to all of us." I was kind of embarrassed by that as I didn't know how to respond to that.

I just wonder how much effort it takes to smile at a person, greet them, say thank  you or acknowledge their existence in any way. Making this effort will make a difference.

Remember, no matter how good you look, how attractive you are or what position you hold. You are as just the same as every other person, so treat everyone the way you want to be treated.

Love you all!