A Christmas Dessert - Aletria (Rich pasta pudding)

Christmas is in a matter of days, YAY! Every family holds some sort of tradition as to what they place on their dinner tables over the festive season. Being of Portuguese descent, our waistlines seem to expand over this time of year (mine does anyway) as a result of all the delicious foods that are laid before me at our table, everything from Bacalhau (cod fish) which is our traditional Christmas evening meal, to all sorts of sweet desserts that one looks forward to all year around. Today I’m going to share with you a recipe for a dessert that makes an appearance in our home every year, it’s easy and tastes so good! Here it goes.

Ingredients

100g Vermicelli (A very thin pasta, can be bought at your local supermarket)

500ml Milk (any)

125g Castor Sugar

Strip of lemon rind

1 Stick of cinnamon

45ml Butter

4 Egg Yolks

Ground Cinnamon

Method

1. Boil the Vermicelli in 750ml water for 5 minutes and then drain.
2. Add the milk, sugar, lemon rind and cinnamon stick to the Vermicelli. Bring to a boil and simmer until soft.
3. Add the butter and beaten egg yolks. Simmer just long enough to cook the egg yolks.
4. Pour into a large serving dish, dust with cinnamon and serve.

This pudding is best eaten on the day that it is made, cold.

It is the perfect accompaniment to your Christmas dinner, my family and I really enjoy it! We hope that you do too

S

Xoxo

*As seen in, Mimi Jardim’s, Cooking the Portuguese way in South Africa, Page 137

November Favourites

 I haven’t done a ‘my favourites’ post for quite some time so I do believe it is well overdue. In South Africa, November is a time for summer, sun and some serious fun with a hint of Christmas fever, so it’s only right that our products match the summer vibes. Let’s take a closer look and get this favourites party started…

First off on my favourites list is the Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal clay face mask. It kind of sounds like a health guru meal of some sort but I don’t think I have ever come across a facial mask that cares for my skin as much as this one does, it purifies your pores and deeply cleanses as well. I have always tried to be quite cautious as to what products I use on my skin because I have always had very sensitive skin that can be prone to break outs. The first time I purchased this product I purchased the small sachet which I think had four uses in one, just to try it out (I think this is a really cool way to try out a new product instead of committing to the larger 175ml bottle right off the bat) I liked this product so much that the following time I was at my local pharmacy retailer, I put a bottle in my basket right away. It is rich in Vitamin E with, as the bottle says, avocado and oatmeal altogether culminating in the provision of long lasting softness while deeply cleansing your skin, not to mention that it smells great too. Undoubtedly an A+ in my books!

The next product on my favourites list is the Maybelline, Baby Skin, instant pore eraser. This product is at the top of my list of primers, it is lightweight and instantly erases the pores that you want to hide of which we all have a few. I think the best property of this particular primer is that it leaves my skin feeling so soft before I’ve even put any make-up on, as well as its matte finish to my make up look. It is a pretty small tube for the price you are paying but I do feel that having a good primer is important to have so next time you’re in store, get your hands on this cute little mint coloured tube of quality.

I can’t seem to stop raving about latest Garnier product to hit the shelves, Micellar Cleansing Water. (I have previously done a full review on the product so if you’d like to know a lot more on what I’m about to tell you then have a look at my previous post titled “Product Review – Micellar Water” of which the link I will post below.) This bottle of gold has got to be the nicest make up remover that I have ever come across, it is ideal for the late night, dance your pants off, then to McDonalds, get home and pass out kind of lazy girl who couldn’t be bothered to remove her make up, trust me, this product makes your life easier. It’s gentle on your skin, it removes ALL your make up without you even having to rinse your face thereafter. Micellar cleansing water contains no alcohol so it isn’t harsh on your skin making it ideal for your eye area. Ladies I love this product and I really think it’s great value for money.

http://shezdoeslife.blogspot.co.za/2015/10/product-review-micellar-water.html

Finally, we have the newest member to my nail polish collection, YAY. This one is 011, love my golden pumps. This little gem forms part of Essence’s limited Christmas edition collection called “Merry Berry”. I’m sure that by now you all know that I’m pretty into the Essence brand so naturally when this collection hit the shelves I had to be first in line (I will post a review on the rest of the collection within the next little while). This is a top coat which has a generous splashing of gold glitter, but it’s not the usual shaped glitter we have in a lot of our other nail polishes, these little flicks are all different shaped and sized which makes for an exciting new Christmas vibe to your nails. Can we all just please take a minute to look at the adorable packaging...The bobble top is perfect for the Christmas feel of this collection and actually reminiscent of a particular Dior nail polish... I love it! The first time I used it over white nail polish, I loved it but what stuck out to me is the fact that my nail polish didn’t chip this top coat assisted in my nail polish lasting about six days… Impressive I know! #Like

 So that concludes my November favourites my loves, I hope it was informative to you and that you’ll go out and try some of them out, I’d also love to hear what your summer favourites are.

S

xoxo

Victoria's Secret fashion show 2015

 Okay ladies so let’s be upfront and honest with ourselves here, we’ve all pictured ourselves as a Victoria Secret model, whether we’d like to admit it or not.

Well it’s that time of the year again where forty-seven amazing models, including our very own South African Candice Swanepoel, get decked out in seventy-five different looks and strut their stuff on the lit up catwalk. This year the event (held at New York’s 69^th Regiment Armory on the 10^th of November) featured the fresh faced 20-year-old Kendall Jenner who made her debut as an angel.

 This year’s show proved to be a revolving door of underwear, wings and incredibly long legs. From hippy inspired looks to butterfly adorned bra’s followed by a Swarovski covered body suit and a song by ‘The Weeknd’. Other artists included the talented Ellie Goulding and the pretty Selena Gomez to mention but a few.

When we think of the Victoria’s Secret show other than the beautiful women and exciting performers on stage we all look forward to the years ‘Fantasy Bra’ and let me tell you that this year’s bra fell nothing short of spectacular. Adorned with diamonds, blue topaz and yellow sapphires set in 18 carat gold the piece came in at a whopping $ 2 million, created by the esteemed “Mouawad” jewellers. Lily Aldridge was the lucky lady selected to walk the walkway showcasing the beautiful piece, lucky girl. Ever heard the expression “feeling like a million bucks?”.  

These are just tantalising bits and whispers of the unveilings of the evening, definitely more than enough to entice you all to tune in on your television screens on Tuesday, 8^th December 2015 10/9c CBS to catch the full show in all its glory…

I know I’ll be watching and day dreaming about wearing those wings myself again this year ;)

S

xoxo

Strawberry Pavlova

This dessert is definitely one of my top 5 favourite guilty pleasures! Between my aunt and my boyfriends grandmother I really don’t know which is better, all I know is that I doubt I’d ever turn down a slice of this heavenly dessert! Here’s the recipe for you to try it out for yourself.

Ingredients

Cake Tin/ Baking sheet

4 Large egg whites

225g Castor Sugar

2 Level teaspoons of Cornflour

2 teaspoons, white wine vinegar

Filling:

300ml Whipping/ pouring double cream, whipped

350g Strawberries, halved/ sliced

 Method

1.   

           Preheat the oven to 160C/ Fan, 140C/ Gas, 3. Lay a sheet of the non-stick baking parchment on the baking sheet and mark 23 cm circle on it.

2.      Put egg whites into a large bowl and whisk until stiff and cloud like. Add the sugar a teaspoon at a time, whisking well after each addition, until all the sugar has been added. Blend the cornflour and vinegar together and whisk into the meringue mixture. Spread the meringue out to cover the circle on the no-stick baking parchment, building up sides so they are higher than the middle.

3.      Place in the oven but, immediately reduce the temperature by 10 degrees. Bake for about an hour until firm to the touch and a pale beige colour. Turn the oven off and allow pavlova to become quite cold while still in the oven. If you keep the oven door closed you will encourage a more marshmallowy meringue.

4.      Remove the cold pavlova from the baking sheet and parchment, sliding it onto a serving plate. Top with the whipped cream and strawberries, then chill for about an hour before serving

I personally love when the outside of the meringue is crisp and the centre is marshmallow like, topped with fruit and some sort of chocolate, either ‘Whispers’ or a crushed ‘Flake’. YUM! I think I’m starting to crave a slice now… Hehe. I really hope this recipe becomes one of your favourites too…

S

xoxo

 As seen in "Mary Berry, 100 cakes and bakes" Page 164

The end of an era...A dedication

Only a few weeks old here

I was present the day you took your first breath and when you learned how to crawl. I watched you put your bag on your back and walk through the gates on your first day of school (which I thought was adorable). I stood in the crowd applauding you the day you were elected a Prefect in Grade 7. I did your hair and waved goodbye when you climbed out the car for your first social.

 

I held your hand on your first day in high school and stood firm next to you in our matching green dresses. We got to take 2011 by storm together and it felt as though in just a blink of an eye you sped right through High School, until now, you’re standing before Mom and I as a beautiful young woman with the whole world laid at your feet. 

MD 2015

2015, what a year it has been. The final year every girl dreams about…The opportunities that lay ahead of you and the exciting time of preparing for Matric Dance, It was such a special time that Mom and I got to share with you (you looked absolutely stunning). The moment I saw you in that blue dress, I couldn’t help but get teary eyed (you may be 18 but you’re still my curly haired baby sister) and by the sounds of things you had a great evening. I know it’s something that you will always hold in your heart. 

Valediction Evening

 I think it hit me square In the face when I was sitting next to you at your Valediction, your headmistress began talking about how far you have all come and at that moment I realised that you aren’t a little girl anymore and that this is the end of an era. You’ve done it, you made it through 12 gruelling years of school. Not that each day was met with sunshine and rainbows but you persevered, held your head high and you marched on with determination. I am SO proud of you! What I’d like for you to know dear little sister is this; never stop being who you really are. Stay the strong, beautiful, intelligent, remarkable young woman that you are.

Your first day at PHSG & my last

You’ve gotten this far in life with hard work and perseverance, keep going, you are definitely a force to be reckoned with (Hehe). I want to wish you all the best of luck for your finals, you’ve got this sis, stay strong, it’s the home stretch and I know you are going to knock it out of the park

.

Next year will be the start of something new and exciting “the big wide world”. In everything that you do remember this, you are the daughter of a King and you are never alone, you always have a friend in Jesus. Most of all, stay true to yourself, fight for what you believe in and follow your dreams. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Philippians 4:13

Mommy and I are always here to support you and we love you!

On your special day

  

 Good Luck Sissy!

 S & D

 xoxo

Product Review - Micellar Water

I have read so many reviews on this product, all of them concluding with the same fantastic results, so I figured that I’d better try it out myself so I that I could be sure this product wasn’t too good to be true. I am happy to report that, after my own use and experience, it is as good as everyone has been saying! I’d even go as far as saying that it could well be the holy grail of all make up removers.

The product in question: Garnier® Micellar Cleansing Water. It removes make up, cleanses and soothes, all without having to rinse your face after use. BINGO! #winning

First off, this is perfect for the ‘lazy’ girl who quite frankly couldn’t be too bothered about the removal of her make up (let’s be honest though, I think we all have days like that). It can be used for your face, lips and eyes and it has no fragrance. I have accidently swamped a cotton pad with this product and am happy to announce that my eyes did not burn at all when I was removing my eye make up which is a bonus because nobody likes to be temporarily blinded as is the case with usual alcohol based removers.  It is a hypoallergenic product and suitable for sensitive skin which is great news for me because I have very sensitive skin that can break out on demand.

BEFORE

 

AFTER

Girls please don’t mistake this product for a toner, because it ISN’T! Toners can often strip your skin of essential oils and most contain alcohol. Garnier® Micellar Cleansing Water contains 0% alcohol and does not strip away essential skin cells and oil. It simply removes all your make up effectively without any fuss after a kick-ass night on the town. Right now I am using Garnier ©, Pure active, Daily pore reducing toner.
Two very different products.
 

This product retails for R 79.95 at your nearest Clicks store. 200 uses out of a 400ml bottle, it’s too good to pass up! (Unless you swamp the cotton ball)

*For my readers abroad, that’s about $6 US Dollars and 5€ Euros, more than affordable for any cosmetic bag or vanity case out there!  I really hope that you ladies go for it and get your hands on a bottle of this stuff, you really won’t be disappointed!

S
xoxo

Power Breakfast

Okay so those of you who follow my Instagram feed will know that I recently got my little hands on the new Women’s Health, “Lift To Get Lean, a beginner’s guide to fitness & strength training in 3 simple steps” written by celebrity personal trainer, Holly Perkins.

I promise that once I have finished the book that I will share some of her pearls of wisdom regarding women’s fitness but for now I couldn’t help but share one of the recipes from the book simply because it’s something you can whip up before rushing out the door and still know that you had a substantial breakfast meal. Trust me, this is a good one.

Pumped-up banana-pecan oatmeal

¼ cup quick cooked Irish oatmeal

½ cup water

½ scoop of vanilla whey protein powder

1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

A pinch of salt

¼ cup of fat free milk

1 Banana, sliced

1 Teaspoon pecan pieces

1. In a microwave bowl, whip together the oatmeal, water, protein powder, cinnamon and salt.
2. Microwave mixture on high for 90 seconds
3. Top with milk, banana and pecans

Per Serving: 389 calories, 18g protein, 63g Carbohydrates, 9g total fat ( 2g saturated fat), 9g fibre, 349g sodium.

Ladies if you are looking for a quick, easy and carbohydrate conscious recipe for breakfast then give this a go. Personally I’d swap out the banana for a different fruit, maybe an apple but other than that this is a fantastic way to start off your day. Give it a go, would love to hear your thoughts on it

S

xoxo

 *As seen in Women's Health, Lift to get lean, Holly Perkins

Spring Favorites

So since the month of Spring is upon us I thought it would be a good idea to share some of my favourite spring time products with you.

I think that by now, everybody and their dog have heard of, seen and jumped onto the L.A. Girl concealer wagon. I have too. These babies come in an array of shades to fulfil your cover up and contour needs. Yippee! This crease resistant concealer is lightweight but provides the coverage you want, especially if you carry Gucci handbags under your eyes like I do, without making you look like your make up was caked onto your face. The packaging is super convenient with a simple squeeze tube and smooth brush applicator. I find that the brush isn’t ideal for blending so I tend to use my own blending brush for this part but nonetheless it does the job. I’ve only been using this product for about a week or so and a little goes a long way, I can already see that these are going to be a regular in my concealer drawer.

I tend to have unruly hair especially with the humidity in the South African summer so some sort of frizz control product is never too far from me. Currently, I have “oil of Morrocco, Argan oil” by Marc Anthony at hand. It’s new on the shelves in that line of products so I figured I’d give it a go. I am yet to be disappointed. It contains a unique combination of ultra-light Mediterranean olive oil and Argan oil infused with Shea butter. I think this equals a very happy head of hair. The Keratin in this product deeply penetrates while the Vitamin E nourishes, leaving your hair glossy and smooth, perfect for those hot summer days where the last thing you want to do is have to deal with a continuous bad hair day.

Oh how I have raved on and on about ‘Oh so Heavenly’ bubble balms, practically all over my social media feeds and you’re all probably so sick of hearing it but let me explain to you why I’m raving: I have thick Portuguese lips, I cannot ever part with my lip balm, I panic when I forget it at home or misplace it. In turn, I have tried dozens of lip products to keep my lips moisturized and happy so as you can imagine as soon as I saw these on the shelves at Clicks I jump right on it. The first thing I love about these is the adorable names, there are 3 to choose from, “Chocolate Caress”, “Strawberry Smooch” and “Cupcake Kisses”. The names alone make you want to buy them, they also have an uncanny resemblance to the “EOS” lip balms, I haven’t used those before so I can’t really comment on their quality. I do however love these “OSH” bubble balms, they are long lasting and really keep my lips moisturized and their packaging is really cute. Of all 3 ‘Strawberry smooch’ is my favourite… 

Since it’s the beautiful month of September I figured that my nail polish should be bright and happy so I got my hands on Rita Ora’s “Peachella” (408) from Rimmel®. There are several other colours in this range but I think I instantly fell in love with this coral hue. This polish is shiny and long lasting; I’ll definitely be going back for more. Thumbs up from me.

I think that every girl not only likes to look good but smell good as well and that’s where these Nivea products fall in. They keep my skin so moisturized and happy, not to mention that they smell phenomenal! I have two in my bathroom right now. The first of which is “Happy Time” shower cream, containing Bamboo Milk and an uplifting scent of Orange Blossom. The smell of oranges in this product is lovely and so appropriate for spring. The other is called “Powerfruit Fresh” shower gel, containing revitalizing Acai Berry and antioxidants of blueberry. I’ve only just realised this but I think I may have a thing for fruity smelling shower gels… You won’t regret putting these into your shopping baskets.

There you have it my loves, five of my spring favourites, I hope that you find yourself purchasing some of these products and enjoying them as much as I do

S

xoxo

Asian Delight- Chicken Stir Fry

It’s been a while since I last posted a recipe to excite your taste buds and I think a vast majority of us seem to like Asian food (I’m a sucker for sushi myself). This recipe is fantastic for your next Asian inspired dinner party or chill sesh with a couple of friends, it’s quick and easy and you can add ingredients to your heart’s desire. 

Ingredients

Marinade:

1 Garlic clove, crushed

30ml (2T) Soy Sauce

Juice & grated rind of 1 Lime

Stir Fry:

30 ml (2T) oil/ 15ml (1T) sesame oil

4 Chicken breast fillets, sliced into strips

2 cm piece of ginger, crushed

2 Red Chillies, seeded and chopped finely

60ml (1/4 cup) Chicken stock

30ml (2T) Soy Sauce

30ml (2T) Oyster/ fish sauce

30ml (2T) Chopped Chives

100g Cashew Nuts & Roughly chopped basil (Optional)

1.      Mix all marinade ingredients together and allow chicken to marinate for 30 minutes (This is where you can break out the wine while you wait)

2.      Heat the oil in a large pan/ wok and stir fry the chicken for 3 minutes.

3.      Add the ginger, garlic and chillies. Stir fry for a further 2-3 minutes.

4.      Mix the stock and soy sauce with the oyster/fish sauce and add.

5.      Simmer for about 3 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

6.      Scatter nuts, chives, basil on top and serve immediately with sticky rice.

Simple, easy and delicious little recipe am I right? Definitely one of my favourites. Let me know how this goes down at home… Would love to hear from you

S

xoxo

Featured in: “Let’s cook. Top 500 recipes” Compiled by Carmen Niehaus