My 34th birthday celebration

My 34th birthday was simple and quiet one. I had spent time with one of my best friend at my favourite cafe followed by visiting my grandma and cell group for the night. I brought the rainbow cake which i had with my friend for my celebration to let my grandma to try.I guess it was also her first time to try rainbow cake as well as salmon pie.

I was like totally overwhelmed that my cell leader and his wife baked a sea salt caramel brownie for me. Cos for me being the noti one in cell group I would not expect them to bake a cake for me. I know my cell leader cares for me yet somehow or rather i felt that it was hard to share things with him.

Here's the picture of my birthday cake

If  you are keen in trying the sea salt caramel brownie, do head over to the facebook page a slice of love to order one.

Post elections feelings of GE2015

Seriously, the feelings of the post election of GE2015 were of mixed feelings. Firstly, though PAP has won again there is still a sense of uncertainty of the future. My thoughts are would the newly elected members of the parliament be able to handle the work.

Secondly, would the policies be catered to be more for the poor and the lower middle income for the next few years? I would not deny that the foreign talents are willing to take in all the shitty jobs that we locals shun but there ought to be a need for minimum wage for the locals else we would not be able to sustain our basic living. If the cost of living is going higher, the poor and the lower middle income would not be able to sustain. It will end up the next general election for votes to be going more towards the opposition.

Thirdly, would fresh graduates be able to find job easily? Seriously, I found it hard for myself to find work in the field of psychology that I had study in university and had to find myself succumb back to those lowly paid admin jobs whereby the pay have been slashed down due to the influx of foreign talents. Would there be better accreditation in Singapore for the field of psychology so that we could practice elsewhere rather than only Singapore?

Fourthly, would the pap youth wing be able to able to produce better leaders so as to lead Singapore to SG100? Seriously, I worry on this cos I do not know if the young leaders from PAP would work hard to build on MR Lee Kuan Yew's legacy.

Last but not least, I do hope that the elected members of the parliament would work hard to build a better Singapore with better governance and that the country will continue to prosper.

Japchae

Ingredients

150g of sweet potato noodles or dried glass noodles

1 tablespoon of oil

3 cloves of minced garlic

150g of beef or chicken cut into very thin strips

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

2 tablespoon of light soya sauce

150g of  puay leng (spinach), leaves trimmed

2 carrots cut into match sticks

2 spring onions cut into short lengths

4 fresh shiitake mushrooms with stems trimmed and caps sliced

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 teaspoon of corn flour

1 tablespoon of oyster sauce mixed with water

Steps

1. First cut the chicken into thin slices and marinate with the corn flour, 1 teaspoon of  light soya sauce, a dash of pepper and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.

2. Cut the carrots, mushrooms, spring onions.

3. Boil the water  and add the sweet potato noodles and cooked it till soft.  Once soft, drain off  the water and set aside.

4. Stir fry the garlic till golden brown and fragrant. Add in the chicken or beef, sesame oil  and 1 tablespoon of light soya sauce and stir fry till browned. Add the vegetables in to stir fry till tender.

5. Add in the glass noodles and toss well to combine the seasoning with the sugar, salt and remaining oyster sauce. Sprinkle with black pepper and serve hot .

** A note to take: this might be a bit bland for you guys out there  so adjust the seasoning accordingly. I try to cook as bland as possible for health sake of my family and friends.

Bodyweight Exercise - You Are Your Own Gym Novice Circuit Training

Previously, I was looking into some light exercise. Now I have decided to try out a mini circuit training at home. So this is the video I am going to use. So do share with me if the work out is working out for you as well.

Empowering Women on Money Sense Matters

As part of my routine for personal development that I aimed to bring forth to you people out there, I happened to chance upon Genecia's online webinars for women entrepreneurs via Facebook marketing ads.

I started to register for my first online webinar that is more catered to online pricing psychology for customers. I did learn a few things from the webinar. I would said that Genecia really did a very good job even though when she is sick at times to deliver an impactful content based webinar for us to learn from her. When I am writing this post, it was already my third week in following Genecia's online webinars. In fact, I applied on one of her techniques that were taught on the webinar. I saw a response immediately the next day. In fact, running a business without a mentor is hard. I learnt it in a hard way trying to find myself a suitable mentor throughout the time since the day I started my business.

Like myself, being wanting to be a women entrepreneur needs lots of courage and also support from like- minded people. To have a community of like- minded women entrepreneurs to come together to support one another and to learn from a successful women entrepreneur, we could have prevented ourselves from making mistakes that other people made before. What's more the trainer Genecia is willing to help to empower all the fellow women entrepreneurs. Seriously, I saw the effort that she put in to help those who attends her webinars.

Thus, I would like to encourage those who are interested in learning how to start your business to attend her Online webinars on Wednesday.

Here's the link to Genecia's write up: http://www.geneciaalluora.com/launch-guide

To register for her online webinar, please register at http://www.geneciaalluora.com/7-figure-launch-secrets

Do you let me know how we could support one by leaving your comments

Vocal group The Neales are keeping it in the family | Britain's Got Tale...

This is a nice clip which I watched on family performing together in such a warm manner. Spend time with your family.

Cancellation of the make up class

It is disappointing to post that the make up is cancelled. It is the first time that I worked with a professional make up artist and the class has to be cancel due to the make up artist suffer an eye injury.

For those who are still keen on the make up workshop, please email me at akimoto_emi05@yahoo.com.sg.


Meanwhile, I would just like to say to the make up artist Joyce get well soon ! Looking forward to really host a make up workshop at the best minimal cost to thank my readers.

Giveaway: Basic make up class with free stiff shoulder treatment for first 3 sign ups

This will be the first time I am doing a giveaway on make up class as I am collaborating with a professional make up artist to do it .

Course details will be :
- Identifying the colour of your foundation
- a day make up
-a night make up

Date:16th August 2015
Time: 2.30pm-5,30pm
Venue: 81 Macpherson lane  #01-53

Profile of Makeup Artist

Joyce Forensia is a certified Make Up Artist trained under Make Up Forever Pro Academy in Singapore, specializing in Beauty and Fashion make up.

With 6 years of experience in beauty blogging, Joyce Forensia was a two time finalist in the Singapore Best Beauty Blog Category under the Singapore blog awards back in 2011 and 2012. She has also hosted several workshops on Skin Care and Make up through her blogging journey.

Joyce Forensia aims to bring confidence to women by sharing her knowledge and professional skills.

Interested participants, what you can do is to email me at akimoto_emi05@yahoo.com.sg at $20  for the class with light refreshments. For those who register, there will be a free stiff shoulder treatment.

Different skirt shapes

I hope this picture of different skirt shapes will help women out there to help to identify what will help them to look better according to their body shape.

For me , as I am a apple shape  I would choose skirts that are like A-line, straight and knife pleated.

Media Invite: SG Eat With Us

As the #SG50 Jubilee Celebration continues throughout the month of August, how could we forget about something which will bind all of us together as Singaporeans which is home cooked local food.

I guessed the feeling of kampong spirit and home cooked local food are going to be lost soon if we do not do something about it.

I attended the official opening of this event by starting to have the biggest popiah party in Singapore book of records.

That is in the morning at ard 10.30am

Next, it was time to try out dishes from the 12 home cooked chefs

Madam Tee serves us her authentic xing hwa cuisine 

Cha Hoon（杂粉）

 Cha Hoon  is considered a poor man’s dish  as it is a dish where leftovers were put into a pot together with pumpkin and left to boil with bee hoon or mee sua in the olden days.  The dish picks up the leftover food thus ensuring no wastage.  However, I find it flavourful and suitable for the young and old.

Mdm Esther on the left sharing with us on her braised duck buns

I did not managed to get to taste the braised duck buns, so perhaps you guys can go try it out.

Lemongrass satay by Mdm Eliza

This dish is something which is quite innovative to use the lemongrass to be the stick holding on to the satay. The satay is made up of minced meat where it is marinated with herbs and spices. It is supposed to be eaten with the satay sauce dip.

Ms Cynthia from the baking biatch

Mango tofu cheesecake

The mango tofu cheese cake is something which is very light. Suitable for ladies who are scared to gain weight to consume.

Ngoh Hiang by Lim's and Lee's families

I would say this dish is best served hot.

Dhoklas by Maya Tekwani

Something unique and does not feel sinful after eating unless u are on a low carb high fat diet. It is not oily and leaves u craving for more.

Po Co Rice

 Unique version of popiah that is made from steamed grated coconut with rice and various food with it. Started by a burmese grandfather who prepared this dish as a form of food for the children

Inside of how the Po Co Rice looks like 

Ayam  Masak Merah 

This dish is done by Mdm Noridayu as a form of passing on the legacy of her mom. Something that money cannot buy,love can buy. No money can replace the mother's love for a child.

Laksa by Mdm Noorbee

For more information, check out the programme highlights  by heading to  http://www.sgeatwithus.sg/#!sgeatwithus-celebrates-by-the-bay/ceya

Have fun spending your national day holidays at #SGeatwithus...

Eyebrow shape solutions for all face shapes.

Blessings

Today, I visited my friend to help her to do spa services for her back. Her kind daddy, uncle rocky made my favourite fried wantans for me to eat. Feel so blessed cos uncle rocky always make an effort to remember what is my favourite food when I have dinner at their place. Thanks uncle rocky for making the extra expensive fried wantans.

Knife skill - Is it important in cooking ?

Knife skill is an art which I personally feel that is important for cooking. The way a person cut the ingredients is important. Sometimes cooking the dish requires the ingredient to be cut in a certain way so that the dish will taste either more crunchy or can help a family to have more dishes.

There are various type of cutting skills.  They are the slice, the chop, the  back slice and the rock chop.

Today I am showing the video on the slice

Hope this will help for the budding chefs to master the knife skills just like me ...constantly learning new ways for cutting with the knife.

Relationship Wednesdays- How to have self control discipline and ruling over your feelings

There are many at times where we would not hesitate to consider other's feelings when there is an argument . I guess the following video could teach us something on how to have self control in order to discipline and rule over your own feelings. Enjoy

 

10 things you must give up to move forward

There are many things I feel I need to work on from these 10 points to help myself to move forward in life. Finding the solutions can be a pain yet if I don't do I will never be able to live in the present. Hope you guys out there can learn and find some solutions to it if you are continuously living in the past.

Bagel Styled Donuts

Based on the cooking theme for the best cooking blog which is local delight, I have decided to make donuts by using the bread maker.

However, as my family is getting more health conscious I have decided to make bagel styled donuts as it contains less calories.

Recipe

Ingredient
280g of bread flour
3 tbsp of sugar
1 tsp of salt
2 tsp of vegetable oil ( I used olive oil)
180 ml of water
1 tsp of instant yeast

Steps

1. Put all the ingredients to the bread maker and press mode 9
2. After 1 hr, it should end.
3. Next,it is to measure the bread dough on the size of the donuts you want to create.
4. Cover it with a wet cloth for about 40 mins
5. Start to deep fry
6. Cover it with brown sugar or chocolate sauce,

Cooking demo by Ms Theresa Wong from Panasonic for the Singapore Blog Awards 2015.

On 20th June 2015, I attended the cooking demo by Ms Theresa Wong from Panasonic for the Singapore Blog Awards 2015 as jointly organized with omy. Although this year is my second year in attending this cooking demo, I learnt new things. For example, I learnt that the cake mode function of the bread maker could be used to aid in making kaya. Kaya being my favourite comfort food can now be easily done without having me to stand most of the time to keep on stirring the kaya. Besides that, having a powerful hand blender is also important cos it helps to make the kaya smooth.

Here're  some pictures of the process of making kaya using the cake mode of the bread maker

We had a volunteer, Elaine learning how to make kaya as her son loves Kaya.

She did the mixing with the guidance from Theresa.

While when using the cake mode,the stirring of the Kaya is still needed once in a while.It is best to use the plastic spatula to do the stirring.So that you do not scrape off the metal stuff in the baking tin.

Yes, no longer one will need to go out to buy kaya with perservatives if one owns the bread maker.

Next, we looked at learning how to cook the herbal emperor chicken by using the steam function of the microwave oven.

To me, a microwave oven would only consist of the microwave functions. However, this model NN-CS894 consist of the functions like steaming using pure steam, microwave, grilling, defrosting of food and many more.

Key feature of the turbo steam function

One thing that Theresa mentioned that the microwave oven could do pure steam mode instead of using the microwave style of steam mode. All you need to do is to put some water in the tray to enable this pure steam mode to be able to function. Please do not use the recycled water from the tray to use it to cook the food. There will be a notification when the water level is too low and will not be able to steam. So one must top up the water level to allow the steaming function to function again.

The herbal emperor chicken was tender and succulent when eating it. Sorry no pictures can be shown cos the time when i got to taste the chicken it was almost on the finishing end. I hardly could believe that it was cooked by microwave cos since young I never had any meals which was cooked via microwave.

 Most importantly is that having this microwave oven not only allow us to have healthy cooking.It also allow us to do cooking without much hassle, no more dirty kitchen after cooking and the cleaning of this oven is easy.

14 Types of Girlfriends- A just for laugh video on relationships

I like this video cos it is just for laugh and some really do make me laugh like mad.. hope that brightens ur day

Chicken Satay Pizza

This chicken satay pizza is partially done with the help of Panasonic bread maker. I used the bread maker to make the pizza dough.

Thick crust version of the satay pizza 

Thin crust version of the satay pizza


I made the pizza crust by using the mode 12 for pizza dough. As per the recipe in the user manual, I use the following ingredients just that instead of getting milk powder I use low fat Meiji fresh milk.

Recipe for the Chicken Satay Pizza

Ingredients :
1 packet of pan fried chicken satay pizza from ntuc 
pineapple slices
japanese cucumber
onion 
mozarella cheese 

Steps:
1. Use the bread maker to make the pizza dough
2.  Pan fry satay with the sauce
3. Place the pizza dough on the tray for baking if you are using an oven. I used my roasting pan to make the pizza so i heat up the pot to A on small fire then I place the pizza dough.
4. I place the pan fried satay and other ingredients.
5. I baked the pizza from A to C and I got the two lovely pizzas as shown before.

Happy 端午节

Today is  端午节 , a festival which is mostly commonly known to commemorate the death of the poet cum  minster Qu Yuan in Singapore local context. How the rice dumpling came about is that people drops the sticky rice balls into the river in bid to save the body of Qu Yuan from being eaten.

In Singapore. there are many flavours of the rice dumpling. The types that are commonly found would be Bak zhang and nonya  flavour.

Photo courtesy of so shiok.com

photo courtesy from dongyuan.com.sg

 I love the bak zhang the most .... so each year i look forward to eat the bak zhang from my grand auntie. Cos her bak zhang consist of salted egg yolk, chest nut, mushroom and pork belly.
Have fun to learn how to wrap bak zhang today. You may learn it at the following link- http://fatboo.com/2013/07/how-to-wrap-bak-chang-top-10-tips.html