Friday, 26 August 2016

Kitchen Korner: Avocado Pasta Salad – Two Ways



This is my take on pasta salad. I make this pasta two ways served cold and served warm the ingredients remain more or less the same.
To make this salad I use;
One cup boiled fusilli pasta – (to cook boil the pasta in salted water till tender but not mushy drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process)
One green bell pepper cubed or thinly sliced lengthways
One medium sized carrot shaved
About three stalks chopped spring onions
One medium sized tomato cubed
Half a medium red onion diced
One teaspoon oregano or mixed herbs as long as it has oregano in it I am good
Quarter teaspoon black pepper
One tablespoon olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
One tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar or white vinegar
Quarter teaspoon cayenne pepper
Half a medium Avocado – cube last just before adding to the other ingredients
Note: Wash all the vegetables before chopping

Method One – serve cold
Toss all the ingredients in a bowl apart from the avocado
Mix until perfectly combined
Add cubed avocado and gently fold into the mixture
It is ready to serve or you can leave to chill in the fridge for 10 – 15 minutes if you prefer it chilled and serve. If chilling in the fridge don’t worry the lemon juice ensures the avocado does not discolour before serving


Method Two – serve warm
Please note: This method omits the ACV/White vinegar and lemon juice
I must admit this is my favourite way of having this avocado pasta salad.
In a wok or deep frying pan pour in the olive oil and add all the chopped vegetables, oregano, cayenne and black peppers
Let them sauté or stir fry if you like for 5-7 minutes on medium heat until tender but crunchy
Turn off the heat and add the pre boiled pasta and mix until well combined
Pour in a serving bowl and gently fold in the chopped avocado and serve.
I sometimes add aubergines (eggplant) and/or courgettes (zucchini) if I have them at the time to the “serve warm” recipe; I just add them in at the same time as the other chopped veggies. This recipe serves one; you can adjust to suit your needs.

Both salads can be eaten on their own or with a grilled meat/chicken or fish accompaniment. The avocado is a great and healthier substitute for mayo #teamfitfam:)

Kitchen Korner is a series on the blog that features food prepared using ingredients that can also be used on the hair; double food hair products I like to call them. Today’s major double food hair ingredients are avocado, olive oil and ACV/White Vinegar.

Wednesday, 24 August 2016

My Grown Up Checklist!



Growing up and loving it! Growing into an adult is fun but being an adult can also be stressful sometimes what with responsibilities like bills, mortgages/rent among others. I never really had a written checklist as a new adult in my early 20s but more of a mental checklist (and I still do even though I write things down nowadays) of what I wanted to do and when I was going to do it.  It was more like I would like to travel to such and such a place by the end of the year or purchase a new laptop for example and work towards that. My grown up checklist to my 20something year old self would have looked something like this;


Travel…

And travel some more. Travel opens you up to a whole other world; it exposes you to different cultures, people, languages and broadens up your mind in ways that cannot be described. I have a much better appreciation for other cultures and groups of people thanks to my travels. If you can, travel. It does not have to cost an arm and a leg you can take advantage of the many offers available like discounted package tours, stay in hostels or bed and breakfasts as opposed to hotels to save up on costs. Travel to destinations where you have friends or family willing to accommodate you for a little while. It doesn’t even have to be outside of your country of residence you can travel to another city or town within your region. It is amazing how different two cities in one country can be. Soak up the culture as much as you can learn something new whether it is the local language or how to cook the local delicacies while on your travels. Be  a “cultural historical” type of traveler, don’t just spend your days on the beach and nights at the club go sightseeing, visit the local museum and cultural spots hang out with locals if you can. 


The London Eye, London UK



Save

Growing up I was never really taught the culture of saving I learnt how to save the hard way all by myself and I am still learning as I go on. Put something aside every week or month. You are never too old or too young to start so go ahead put something away for a rainy day/retirement or a home purchase today. Check out Personal Capital for tips on how to reach your financial goals. 


Read…

As much as you can. Go on pick up a book and read something it does not matter what just read. You will be surprised what you will find in a book. Do not limit yourself read whatever you can be it fiction/non fiction novels, academic books, self help books, religious books, newspapers or magazines just find something you like and read. Knowledge is power and reading provides plenty of it use it to your advantage. It doesn’t matter the medium whether hard copies or E-readers just read.






Give back…

To your community. People mostly assume that giving back has got to be a sort of financial or material donation like clothes and such. Not everyone will have some spare cash or used clothes or equipment to donate. If you do that is well and good, if you don’t you can also donate your time by volunteering at a local shelter, soup kitchen, charity shop, nursing home or school the list is endless. You can help with the chores, help read to the residents or teach young people life skills there is a host of activities and chores that you can help with. If you are in a position to donate both your time and money go ahead. Either way whatever you are able to do will be appreciated. 


Invest…

Wisely for a financially secure future. It can be anything from stocks and bonds or business to real estate. Personal Capital will come in handy in helping you plan for a financially secure future and also help you manage your wealth when your investments pay off. While you are busy investing financially do not forget to invest in lasting relationships with people who add value to your life. Do away with the toxic and negative people. Cheers to a great and financially secure future!

Friday, 19 August 2016

Taking Stock Three!




Making: plans really good plans  
Cooking Eating: a fruit first thing in the morning before having breakfast I have been doing it consistently everyday for a while now and I think it is a great way to start the day
Sewing Crocheting: an infinity scarf for a customer - a side business that simply fell into my laps and for which I am very much grateful
Drinking: hot cocoa it is a very chilly night in my neck of the woods
Reading: random blogs
Wanting: a getaway I need a change of environment even if just for a few days
Looking: ahead…and seeing great things on the horizon
Playing Listening: to a Q&A vlog on YouTube from one of my favourite vloggers as I type this
Wasting: nothing
Wishing: myself all the best in everything I do
Enjoying: this hot cocoa…so good!
Waiting: for all the blessings coming my way so excited!
Liking: my new non stick frying pan that I got for a steal - I am a sucker for sales
Wondering: why things sometimes happen the way they do; that’s life I guess
Loving: everything going on right now
Hoping: that I can meet up with a sister friend soon we have been planning this meet up for the longest time
Marvelling: at the wonders of Mother Nature
Needing: a couple of things that I will get soon enough
Smelling: the aroma from the food I made earlier
Wearing: a hoodie and sweatpants
Following: the Olympics; I want to go to Brazil so bad now *sigh* one day soon, one day soon
Noticing: the stain on a favourite tee and wondering where that came from
Still Knowing: that my happiness and peace of mind is a priority
Thinking: of some really wonderful people in my life God bless them all
Still Feeling: like everything is going to work out just fine…
Bookmarking: nothing at the moment
Opening: doors to new and exciting opportunities
Giggling:  I am more of a smiler:) always smiling hehehe