I Made Some Korma Curry For Dinner

1. I diced up one whole garlic and one whole onion and put it in a large pot with 3 tablespoons of coconut oil.

2. A spoonful of butter or two... :)

3. Add some black pepper

4. I added one jar of Seeds Of Change Korma Curry. 

5. I stirred it all together on low heat.

6. Add your favorite vegetables. I added kale and broccoli. I'll add some potato tomorrow!

7. I added some coconut milk (1 can). Use Arroy D or Nature's brand. I didn't want to waste this can as this was given to me. 

8. I added some Shan's brand of Korma curry powder. 

 9. Add some water to dilute as the powder is very very strong by itself. 

10. Here I add my broccoli. 

11. I add some rosemary (dried). 

12. Slow cook on low medium heat but make sure to keep stirring as you slow cook this.

13. I also added diced ginger. 

The end. Here is mah delicious Korma curry. :)

Add some meat or different kind of vegetables to your liking. There are all kinds of recipes out there.

Happy Friday: Late Lunch And Produce Buys!

I went to the market with my bro and got just a few things. 

I was craving for something bad and so I made myself a salmon burger with provolone cheese and buttermilk buns. I didn't forget my kale and I didn't put any sauce on it. It was scrumptious anyways!

 *makes the background heavenly noise*

I made my green tea with lemon for detox! 

At the store they had a sale for 9 dollars a box of 12 mangos! Yay! This made me so happy. I can't wait til they get ripe in a week. 

Gotta have my bananas too!

Bulk buy of the amazing Dr. Bronner's Castile soap in baby mild and lavender. It was 9.99 per bottle and these normally run for about 15 depending where you go.

3 heads of delicious kale~

And don't forget the broccoli....

I can't wait to make some korma curry with brown rice, kale, potatoes, onions, and garlic.

Need that OJ for mah smoothies! I didn't forget you Mr. Soymilk. ^___^

Now time to study and work out. Have a great weekend everybody!

Here's a video of me introducing everything I mentioned here in this blog. :)

Just Wanted To Say Bonne Nuit (Good Night)

Just got back home from class and I'm exhausted! I wanted to go running but I think I'll get up early to do that tomorrow and go grocery shopping for some bananas and kale!

Here is a tired pic of me. mehhhhhhhh hehe ^.^;;;

Have a lovely and beautiful night my Bonbons~

To finish off the night here is a quote that I thought fit for all those stressed out students and working peeps out there.

"Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom." —James Allen

and

"Determine to live life with flair and laughter." —Maya Angelou

Happy Tuesday: Updates And A Clean Shelf

Happy Tuesday to my Bonbons! I had a good day today. How was your day? I wanted to share with you all about my spring cleaning. I love to clean because it gets my mind off of things and it's a great workout, let me tell ya! I was sweating by the time I was done with my room. This cleaning was different from my others just because I actually did more detailed cleaning. I used lemon water and baking soda with water to clean my entire room. All natural cleaners handmade by me! :) My shelf looks a lot cleaner! I dusted this baby good and wiped it off with some baking soda and water. I can't believe I was actually being productive today. GO ME! LOLZ!

Another cool thing I wanted to show you guys is my huge pitcher of delicious green tea. Did you know that green tea contain antioxidants? Why is this important? Well antioxidants attaches to the free radicals that cause cell mutations such as aging and cancer. And having the tea hot is also another important factor because it matches our body temperature better than cold drinks. Not that cold drinks are bad but this is especially important while you are eating because it takes energy to bring the cold back to the normal body temperature. This energy needs to be used for digestion so we can break down our food faster. I also made some massage oil not too long ago with jojoba oil, peppermint oil, tea tree oil, and eucalyptus. Pretty cool, huh? 

I will be doing some videos here in the near future, hence the clean room so you guys don't have to watch me in a dirty one. ^^ See you all soon!

Love you always,

Shon

I Love Kale and Kale Loves Me!

Perfect dinner. Oh so yummy!

Organic kale, olive oil (or sesame oil), sesame seeds, balsamic vineger, black pepper. Optional pieces of garlic and salt. 

Toss everything by hand if you can.

Voila! Delicious and simple kale salad. 

Shon's Word Of Advice: How To Stay Motivated

Have you ever had one of those days or week perhaps where you just don't want to do anything? This past week for me has been one of those weeks. I have been studying feverishly for mid-terms and now I'm burnt out! Anyone feeling me here? I don't want to work out, study, or even think! We all have been there and I want to share my tips on how to stay motivated.

1. Write a list. This helps me visualize what to do and prioritize.

2. Make goals extremely easy and short. This will help us actually get it done.

3. Be healthy. Easier said then done but make sure you're eating healthy, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sleep!

4. Be a self coach and tell yourself positive things such as, "I can do this!" or "nothing will stop me!" and "this will help me further myself and reach my goals!" WOOOOOOOT!

5. Put pictures or photos of things that will remind us to stay motivated. I know for some people putting up photos of Michael Phelps or Miranda Kerr will remind us to stay fit or remind us that we can push a little more.

Natural Toner: Thayer's Witch Hazel

Pros: refreshing, all natural, not stingy, soothing, good smells, great for sensitive skin, tightens and cleans pores

Cons: Pricey [10 to 12 US dollars 12 ounce bottle] XD

Overall: SATISFIED, LOVE LOVE LOVE IT <3 

Purrrrrty Eyes

I love my 100% Pure eye shadows. Natural colors all the way, baby~ ^-^v

Quote of the Day

"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations"

—Charles R. Swindoll

Happy Friday everyone!

I am so happy and it's so lovely outside. It's bright and sunny~

I wanted to share this awesome quote with you all as I feel that this applies to each and every one of us. We are capable of anything if we set our mind to it. I truly believe this. Take baby steps at a time and we will all get there.

Bought some greenery, nom nom nom! Feeling kind of green today. =^-^=

I made a green smoothie and it was super healthy.

I'm feeling really pumped today.

Getting ready for my 5K run next Saturday. I am super excited and will share pictures soon.

Love you all,

Shon

My Very First Sari!

Hello cuties! So I decided to update with a post after so long. I'm sorry it took a while as I was preparing for exams, midterms, and spring break which was last week. I needed a huge break as I was getting slightly stressed but no worries! I feel a lot better as I came back from hanging out with a friend and we went to a battleship, boardwalk, did some go karting, watching movies, and dining. It was lots of fun and I'm very thankful to my friend who pulled me away to get away from it all. I hope everyone had a lovely spring break or vacation. ^-^

The week before spring break I made some tikka masala. My goodness it was so delicious. Homemade food is obviously the best. This is a vegetarian curry made with organic potatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, himalayan pink salt, black pepper, baby spinach, baby kale, spring greens, just a dash of korma curry on top of organic brown rice. Nom nom nom...

Here's a couple photos of my sari which is the main topic of this post! I decided after work that I was going to the sari store by my house. I stepped in and it was quiet and had one person in the store. It was around 4 o' clock on a Sunday so I didn't expect it to be full of people anyways. The girl at the counter was so helpful and let me try on different ones. There are three pieces to this sari set which includes the top, petticoat, and the long wrap. She taught me how to wrap the sari around my body which took some time to get used to and I had to watch Youtube videos on it over and over again as I tried to master the folds. There were many beautiful designs, colors, and types of saris and that made it even harder to choose! I ended up with this gorgeous piece which I know you guys can't see I have full body shots of the beautiful dress but it's not loading right so I'll post some more as soon as they pull up!

Update: Here are some photos of the full dress, finally!

I love the various colors and the design on this. More photos of the dress by itself soon~

 I can't wait to get more beautiful saris which I will definitely share with you all. Please subscribe to my blog which will make me uber HAPPY~
Talk to my lovely bonbons soon! Hugs and kisses.

Love one and only,

Shon

Homemade Smoothie Fridays: Strawberries & Banana

This is a classic smoothie that everyone can make at home with your friends or kids. It's so easy!

Servings: 1 to 2

Ingredients:

• 1/2 to 1 organic banana (depending on how you like your consistency)
• Frozen or fresh strawberries
• 1 cup of milk (I chose soymilk)

You can adjust accordingly to your tastes!

Equipment:

• Blender
• Cups

Strawberries are a great source of fiber and vitamin C. It's a low fat and cholesterol food. It's delicious and full of other vitamins and minerals. What's not to love~

How to Get Rid Of Pimples Naturally

Don't you just hate those nasty buggers that pop up on your face. Pimples and acne galore! Those days we absolutely dread and for me it's almost every other day. I still have scars that are pretty bad but it's gotten a lot better since I'm on a better diet, drinking more water, and using tea tree oil and vitamin E oil. I propose natural solutions without using stuff from the drugstore. Those yucky chemicals can do more harm than good.


NATURAL SOLUTIONS OF GETTING RID OF ACNE

• Wash your face and neck on a regular basis

This is really important as this keeps your face clean and free from dirty building up on your skin. Don't overdo as this can be irritating to the skin.

• Baking soda and water

If  you already have pimples then you can use this natural remedy. Make a small paste of baking soda and a little bit of water and apply with a Q-tip over those problem areas and leave on for about 10 to 15 minutes.

• Tea Tree Oil

This is a natural antibacterial that you can apply to prevent and treat. I mix a half a tablespoon of organic coconut oil and 2 drops of tea tree oil and dap with a Q-tip and then rub it all over my face. This is my favorite go to! I do this once a day.

• Sleep

Try to get 7 to 8 hours a sleep a night. This is self-explanatory. Your body needs rest and sleep to heal those pimples as these are infections so take care of yourself!

• De-stress, de-stress, de-stress

Find ways to relax and have fun. Stress can lead to breakouts so find ways to cope with your stress without having to think too much about it. Do what I do and think happy thoughts or keep yourself occupied with activites you love to do.

• Staying Hydrated

This is important in flushing out toxins from your body. Try to drink two liters of water a day. Moisturize with a natural moisturizer every morning and night to keep your skin from drying out.

• Exercise

Try to do a light exercise like jogging three times a week for 30 minutes a day to start off if you're not used to working out.

• Spa/Sauna

This is a natural detox and a way to destress. You can knock two birds with one stone.

• Avoid over the counter products

These products contain chemicals that can be very damaging to the skin especially if you start off having sensitive skin like I do!

• Hot/Cold (Face washing)

Most of us wash our faces with warm or hot water. I suggest adding cold water wash after this for about a few minutes. Even better if you have ice cubes to run over your face. This will help tighten those pores and help prevent those large pores to collect bacteria, oil, dirt, and other things that will get stuck in your pores increasing your chances of getting breakouts.

• Good Foods

This is especially important to keep those nasty pimples away. If you eat a diet full of grease than this would make sense. Eat more raw vegetables and fruits will help keep those pimples away.

• Scar Treatment

Already have those existing acne scars? Mix vitamin E oil in your moisturizer. I've seen a decrease in my scarring pigmentation. It takes time but you'll see it getting lighter over time.

• Exfoliate (Don't Over Do It)

Some say exfoliate three times a week and some say do it once a week. If you're prone to breakouts, exfoliating is not recommended since you can spread the bacteria from the pimples to other parts of your face and this creates more pimples! I have sensitive skin and when I exfoliate my face this caused my face to overreact and break out even more. If you do the facial massage like I do with some coconut oil, vitamin E oil, and tea tree oil that is more than enough to exfoliate and get rid of dead skin cells. Sometimes it's better to do something soothing to the face then to be abrasive even if it's gentle.

Homemade Smoothie Fridays: Beets and Raspberries

Gather your ingredients:

• 1/2 of beet, chopped

• 1/3 cup of frozen or fresh raspberries

• 1 cup of orange juice

• 1 tbsp of goji berries or powder

• 1 tbsp of acai powder

I like frozen fruit since I can keep them in the fridge longer as I tend to get busy throughout the week.

I use the Navitas brand. Looking forward to trying out different ones. :)

The dirt looking stuff on top is the acai powder. 

Goji berries are great anti-oxidants and rich in vitamin A.

 Look at this rich and beautiful color. This is so yummy. It's healthy and nutritious and gives me an energy boost throughout the day! I love beets!

Benefits of beets: detox, vitamins A, B, & C, beta-carotene, beta-cyanine, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, and iron. Beets are great for everybody and pregnant women as well. (Please consult with your doctor before starting any diet regimen)

Say NO to BOTOX - All Natural Facelift

I got a comment today on how I look like I lost a lot of weight and that my face got a lot thinner. LOLZ.  I don't think I lost that much weight but I am eating healthier of course. My face looks thinner and lifted because I've been doing this lovely face massage that I learned about a year ago. I'll list my tips below and share with you all. <3

DO NOTS:

• sugary and alcoholic drinks
• Ditch the salty foods and snacks!

•  Heavy cosmetics

• Eating late at night. This can give you that bloated look in the mornings. 

DO:

• Drink 2 to 3 liters of water a day.
• Face massage 2x day with natural vitamin E oil. I've been doing it for 15 minutes each time just because I don't have all the time in the world. Sometimes I go longer but that's usually on the weekends or my days off. :) Vitamin E is a natural anti-oxidant and fights those free radicals that cause those wrinkles and saggy skin. This will keep your skin smooth and youthful longer. If you want to know how to do the massage  >Click here for my very popular post<

Here's my all time favorite face product. 11 bucks on amazon.com. 

• Healthy [detox] diet consisting of fruits and vegetables. I like to make fruit and veggie smoothies. All time favorite vegetable right now are beets! nom nom nom~
• Do some walking or just keep moving!!!

• Little makeup so your skin can breathe. Make sure to take off your makeup at night.

Let me know if you want any more tips or need more details by commenting below. Don't be shy, I'll be happy to help! :-)

I'll be doing my next post on how to make your face "look" thinner by using certain makeup products. If you want to stay current with my newest and latest post, please subscribe or add me to your circles. Thank you guys so much for reading my post. See you soon my lovely bonbons. Kisses~ Shon

Thought For The Day

Follow what you love. You can never go wrong.

Have a great weekend! I have to do some errands today so I'll be back for my homemade smoothie Fridays post.

Love you all,
Shon

How To Lose Weight Without Exercising

This may seem like a dream come true for some people or it might sound like a bogos post. Let me tell you something. You don't have to spend butt loads of money to get fit. That's the point. I'm sure Lady Gaga and Beyonce look great because they have personal trainers or what not but they have the money and resources. We don't! Lol, so for most of you guys out there we don't have that kind of money to dish out and spend like crazy. And let me ask you another question, how many of you guys actually go to the gym on a regular basis? It's hard to do if you have kids and work full time. That doesn't mean I haven't seen people do this.

I propose a kind of exercise that seems less like working. I don't go to a gym. I do walk everywhere as I don't own a car. If you try adding simple things like walking or jogging then it makes it easier. I also clean and move things around the house a lot which keeps me active and moving. The key is to keep moving and not to sit at your computer and TV all day.

Another factor into losing weight is my diet. I do eat healthy. This part you cannot cop out on. Now I don't mean to starve yourself because that is not a diet. I still eat the same amount of calories or more sometimes but I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. This causes my metabolism to increase. This doesn't sound yummy to most people I know but it'll get better. Just incorporate a few at a time. I remember my brother starting off and it was hard for him because he never ate fruits or vegetables. He incorporates one fruit and one vegetable a day now and trust me it was hard to even get to that point. This is a great improvement though! Every little bit counts and this is a gradual process and won't happen overnight.

Homemade Smoothie Fridays: Mango & Peach Smoothie

Here are my frozen fruits. I rather get real fresh fruits but sometimes with my busy schedule it's hard to keep up with. This way I can have my fruit any day without worrying about the spoiling! :)

I added banana, frozen mango, and peaches~ Nom, nom, nom

The end~ I used organic orange juice as my base. How easy was that~?!

Making Cement Using Bacteria?

You can't help but to love the fact that people everyday are finding more efficient and eco-friendly ways to create items that we need. Bricks and cement for example require over 4000 degrees F of energy to make and emits billions of tons of CO2 emissions every year.  Biomason is one company that produces bricks with environmentally friendly ways that are grown in ambient temperatures with the help of microorganisms. Bacteria can be proven to be quite effective when using them to our advantage.

They use a few items that include bacteria, urea, sand...and there are a few more

Check out their official website here.

http://www.biomason.com/

I thought I would share this interesting article with you guys. This is really inspirational!


Reference:
http://www.archdaily.com/472905/bricks-grown-from-bacteria/