[Dip] Basil Yogurt & Spicy Salsa

Happy Merdeka!

What a wonderful way of celebrating this quiet public holiday - a bunch of us gathered at Jenna's house to watch the Twilight Saga series. When there are movie marathons, there are chips. And when there are chips, there has to be dips! So with Jenna's last minute request, I went through my fridge to see what I could come up with...

Basil Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:
- 8 oz sugar-free Natural Yogurt
- sweet Basil leaves, chopped
- Garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- Salt to taste

Simply mix in the Basil and chopped garlic together in a bowl. Fold in the yogurt and mix thoroughly until the leaves are evenly seen. Add in the lemon juice and salt then stir. Decorate with some basil stem. Voila! Simple and delicious!

Spicy Salsa Dip

Ingredients:
- 2 regular red Tomatoes
- 5 yellow Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 Chili Padi's
- 3 Garlic cloves
- 1 Shallot
- 2 stalks Thyme leaves
- 2 tsp Lemon juice

Simply chop everything into small cubes and place them into a food blender (other than the yellow cherry tomatoes). Do not blend for too long because you wouldn't want to be getting Salsa juice in the end. Finally stir in the finely diced yellow cherry tomatoes. Garnish with some Thyme.

The Basil yogurt dip is pretty quick 'n easy. On top of that, it had to yummylicious for two bowls of it to be finished off in such a short period of time compared to the salsa. Just in case you were wondering, yes, I do eat yogurt. In fact, I like yogurt very much. I don't drink milk for health reasons, I never really liked milk anyway, but I don't mind yogurt and other products which contain traces of milk. Like cheese, I don't mind eating it, just not too much of it. So I suppose only the Salsa dip would be suitable for the pure vegans.

Have fun chippin' and dippin'!

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Traditional Yin & Yang Sambal

To all the chili fans out there, this would be perfect for your daily chili tooth gratification!
Not only is the spiciness up to expectation, but it also makes a healthy dip considering its non-processed. All ingredients are fresh and preservative free!

Ingredients for Green sambal:
- Green chili padi
- Ginger
- 1/2 juice from Lemon
- dash of Salt

Ingredients for Red sambal:
- Red chili padi
- fresh Turmeric
- 1 Shallot

Yes it is that simple! Simply blend all the ingredients together in a food processor =) if you fancy a heavier taste, go ahead and add in some chopped garlic & herbs. You can even use the sambal as a cooking ingredient, like how I used it to stir-fry "Sambal Petai with Kampung Eggs" - this is for the demi-vegans who do not mind free-range eggs:

Be warned that just a little bit of the chili will drive you bonkers, it really is SPICY!

Papaya Smoothie

Sorry about the big "gap" in between! I just got back from Sarawak for work and I foresee myself traveling a lot in the coming month. However, I do hope to be able to update this site as often as I can, so keep reading! =)

Due to the busy schedule, I haven't had a lot of time to experiment new recipes, but here is a simple papaya smoothie made with soy instead of milk, the recipe is very simple (makes 2 glasses)



- 1 glass drinking water
- Ice cubes (personal preference)
- 1/2 newly riped Papaya
- 2 tbs Soya Milk powder

Simply blend everything together following the sequence above! I recommend the ingredients be blended for at least 1 1/2 minutes to prevent any papaya chunks and to achieve a smooth and creamy texture. Simply filling & nutritious! Makes a perfect mid-afternoon snack, especially when your sweet tooth is itching =P like mine. I have gained a lot of weight after all the heavy 3 meals a day and kek lapis from Sarawak, so I am saying no to sweet food for a while and substituting my junkies with other healthy options.

Next attempt -yogurt! Which is also my temporary craze =) no promises but shall try my best

[Dip] Chilli Padi Guacamole

I personally do not encourage the consumption of imported food, of which Avocado is one of them because they do not contribute to sustainability. However, a little Avocado in our diet once in a while may bring about many health benefits - regulating blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, improving skin quality, etc. This explains why Avocados have recently gained its popularity by winning over the hearts of many health watchers, so please do not hesitate to give them a try =)

Although Avocados can be a little bland for our Malaysian taste buds, this creamy rich fruit is indeed very nutritious and can be added into our diets and recipes in so many ways! I was inspired by the famous Mexican recipe and tried creating a more local-friendly dip - Chilli Padi Guacamole



Guacamole is best served as a dip with light crackers. Being a student, I always opt for quick, easy and affordable healthy food. I only took about 20 minutes to prepare this for my lunch at work, and yet my Guacamole on toast was so satisfying.

Here are the ingredients as you can see (makes approx. 1 cup):


- 1 ripe Avocado, mashed
- 1 Tomato, diced
- Ginger, chopped
- 2 Garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 Shallot clove, chopped
- 3 Chilli Padi's, chopped (personal preference, I personally wanted a very spicy Guacamole)
- juice from 1/2 Lemon
- Thyme leaves, chopped

1) Blend together ginger, garlic, chilli padi, shallots and lemon juice in a food blender until fine.
2) Mash the Avocado and blend it with the other ingredients for about 20 seconds making sure the texture is not too fine and watery.
3) Remove Avocado puree from blender. Stir in finely diced tomatoes and a little Thyme. Garnish with more chopped Thyme before serving.

Ain't that simple?
In fact, one serving is more than enough to cover 2 of my meals. Mmm...

Skin Problems?

A couple of weeks back, I slapped on a SK-II hydrating mask on my face before going to bed one night. I woke up from my sleep in the morning with chapped and flaky skin around my upper lip. I then proceeded using a lot of lip balm thinking my lips were dry until the point where the flakes started spreading. It was horrendous, I literally had to hide myself in my room because I was so embarrassed, plus my skin was so itchy and dry! *grr stupid RM49 mask*

My friend from church who is also a doctor advised me to purchase steroid cream for rashes from a Pharmacy and apply it on my skin allergy area. He also mentioned that it may take about a month to heal. At that point of time I was literally screaming &*(#)@&*)^$*@&*)$^@#*)$^@#&!!! I didn't have a choice and so I bought Hydrocortisone and started applying it on the infected area.

However, on that evening itself, my relative recommended a skin lotion by Melaleuca on my face. It's an eco-friendly product given it's 100% chemical-free nature and not forgetting the bottle is made from corn which makes it biodegradable (we're using eco-friendly & chemical-free household products at home now which is a really good start)

Guess what? My rashes disappeared in 2 days! =DDD

Not only that, I decided to throw away all my skincare products and rely on this lotion entirely. My skin feels so much better now, just like a baby's! Highly recommend it.

Renew, by Melaleuca

[Spread] Black Tahini Hummus

I am not too sure how familiar does the word 'hummus' sound to you, but this popular Lebanese spread certainly did not sound familiar to me before I discovered how delicious it tastes with pita bread when I tried it at Marmalade, Bangsar. So I attempted to come up with my very own Black Tahini Hummus

Tahini is one of the main ingredients in hummus. To keep it simple and comfortable to the ear, it is actually sesame seed paste. So before I started making the hummus, I prepared my own Tahini by simply blending 3 tablespoons of black sesame seeds with a tablespoon of olive oil in a food blender.

Ingredients for Hummus (makes approx. 18oz):

- 300 gm Garbanzo beans (chic peas)
- Tahini (made from 3 tbs black sesame seeds)
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 5 garlic cloves
- 3 tbs olive oil
- Drinking water (personal preference)
- Salt & Pepper (personal preference)

1) Firstly, soak Garbanzo beans in filtered water for at least 6 hours.
2) Boil the beans in water until soft enough to mash.
3) Mash the beans while mixing in lemon juice, oil and salt.
4) Combine Tahini and blend everything in a food blender. Add drinking water a little by little to ease blending. Add more if you would like a softer, mushier texture.
5) Pour everything into an empty glass bottle OR garnish with some parsley to be served on the spot.

Voila! =)

[Smoothie] Snow White

Want shiny and silky hair? How about smooth and healthy skin?

I'm sure all of you have heard of Snow White's beauty - lips as red as apple, hair as black as ebony and skin as white as snow.

Black sesame seeds contain a high amount of vitamin E which helps get rid of dullness while promoting shine in our hair and skin. So here I proudly present to all the girls out there (and vain boys =P) my very own Snow White

Here are the ingredients (serves one):

- 1 glass (240ml) warm water
- 2 tbs (25g) Biogreen organic low-cane sugar Soy milk powder
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds
- 2 tsp black sesame powder

Simply blend the soy milk in a blender, gradually adding in the sesame powder and sesame seeds. Blend at medium-low speed for about 30 seconds. I suggest that you serve it quick before the sesame seeds settle at the bottom of the blender.

decorate the foamy top with lil' black sesame seeds before serving

I adore how the black sesame powder does not turn the soya milk black but forms a couple of beautiful sandy layers just below the foamy top

Yum away!

[Smoothie] Spicy Lemon Soy

This lip smacking nutritious smoothie has to be one of my favourite ones yet, but this only applies to those who fancy spices and soy milk. I made this for breakfast in the morning and I couldn't get enough of it, mmm...

Many of you may have heard the 'dark side' of soy milk and are afraid of drinking it. Now it's time to unmask these truths:

[Myth Buster #1] Too much soy milk can cause a built up of uric acid in the body which may lead to Gout
A relative of mine consulted a 'specialist' in this area, she has started her own brand (Biogreen) of organic soy milk and she revealed that uric acid is only caused by the shells of soya beans. So if you ever want to make your own soy milk at home, do remember to soak the beans and remove the shells beforehand.

[Myth Buster #2] Soy milk makes men gay
Read this article: http://www.soymilkquick.com/shouldmenworry.php

Ever since i've decided to ditch all forms of dairy product, I became a fan of the organic brand Biogreen which was recommended by a relative of mine. I am currently consuming the Biogreen organic Low Cane Sugar Soy Milk, Beta Oat Milk, 5 Grain Nutrient Bars & Biogreen Pink Lady Oatmilk. The oat milk and soy milk range are great alternatives to dairy products and are very nutritious. I'd highly recommend these beverages over the ready-made ones you buy in supermarkets because you can control the amount of sugar added in & achieve the creamy texture you want individually. On top of that, they are organic! Nothing secures me more than feeding my body with safe products.


With that said, these are the ingredients for the spicy soy smoothie (serves one):

- Ginger slices (amount according to your preference)
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed Lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 4 tbs. Biogreen soy milk powder
- 1 glass (240ml) of warm water

1. Blend ginger with lemon juice with a little water until all ginger has been finely blended.
2. Add in the rest of the water and the soy milk powder, continue blending for about 10 seconds.
3. Add in the Cinnamon powder and manually blend it for another couple of seconds.

You'll most likely get a very foamy texture with a tinge of brown from the Cinnamon after blending everything together. Make sure you pour it into a glass quickly before the Cinnamon settles at the bottom of the blender. Decorate the foamy top with a little more Cinnamon powder before serving this creamy smoothie to your guests!

[Salad] Sunny Salad

I made this a night before for lunch at the office one day. Turned out better than I expected, here is the recipe (serves one):

- 1 handful of Iceberg/Crisphead lettuce, chopped
- 1 handful of Romaine lettuce
- 1 tomato, cut into quarters
- 7 raw almonds, chopped into halves
- 2 tablespoons of ready-chopped dried apricots

Dressing:

- 1 tablespoon Heinz mustard
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Simply toss everything together to get a lovely even coating on all the vegetables.
I highly recommend that this salad be made the night before / couple of hours before eating to allow the fragrance of the sesame oil to sink in.
Bon Appétit!

[Detox Smoothie] Kiss Monday

My unhealthy sitting-on-the-chair-facing-the-computer-from-9 to 5 job has made me aware of my eating habits and therefore I can be rather picky and health conscious when it comes to my daily meals during the weekdays. However, I will not refuse to ignore my sweet tooth during the weekends. Weekends are usually the time where I treat myself with whatever I want to eat, in appropriate portions.

So after a weekend full of junkies, I like to start my week with an energy-boosting and detoxifying beverage to get rid of all that toxins accumulated during the weekend. Start your Monday mornings with a Kiss Monday. This simple recipe taken on an empty stomach in the morning will help you flush out the unwanted junks by noon. I usually drink this at about 8.30-9am and my stomach will start stirring by the time I arrive at the office, which means, toilet time!



Here are the ingredients (serves one):

- 1/2 cup (120ml) drinking water
- 1 newly ripen Kiwi fruits, diced
- 1/2 lemon, squeezed into juice
- 5 small-medium sized strawberries cut into halves
- 2 tbs raw honey (some vegans do not consume honey so this is optional)

Blend in everything together and VOILA!

I especially adore the luscious kiss of pink that the strawberries give to the smoothie, simply gorgeous!