Thursday, February 27, 2014

Happy Days 1-10

As you may have seen
I've joined the 
#100HappyDays project.
And to ensure I don't loose 
momento,
I've decided to share my happiness
every 1o days.
(In case you missed them on
Instagram
or Facebook)

So here's my first 10 days
of happiness.

Day 1 - blueberry waffles

Day 2 - an afternoon of NCIS

Day 3 - Coffee with mates

Day 4 - lunch with Lara

Day 5 - a very berry smoothie

Day 6 - Sushi date with my favourite boy

Day 7 - Long Islands with a view

Day 8 - Lego Movie

Day 9 - Coffee with a new friend

Day 10 - Going to see the elementary musical with my boy






Saturday, February 22, 2014

100 Happy Days

About a week ago,
a friend of mine posted on Facebook
how she got her luggage wrapped for free
at Jo'burg airport.
She hashtagged her post with
#100HappyDays.

Hmmm....
I thought.

The next day,
she posted again about meeting a friend
and again 
there was
#100HappyDays.

Well now I want to know what's going on.
Someone commented to her about this
and she replied how she was starting
her happy journey.

Wanting to know more
I looked it up and found what
is all about. 

So here's the deal
for 100 days
you take a picture of something that makes you happy
and you share it.
Sounds easy
right?
Well here's the thing.
Apparently
70% of those people who start the challenge
do not complete it.
They either forget.
Or don't find something that made them happy.
Or cheat.
Cheat you ask?
Well yes.
Not intentionally.
But think of it this way.
I have a great day 
and have some great moments.
I share one of them today
and think of sharing the other one 
tomorrow.
But then is that really another day of happiness?

The idea is to find something 
each day.
Not a whole bunch of things on one day
and spread it out for the days you have nothing.

Think you can do it?
Care to join me?


Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Cooking with Swarn

We had another amazing class with Swarn.
I've decided
whatever we cook on the Tuesday
my cook makes for the family on Wednesday.
That way, 
I know how it should taste.
Yes I know...
very snobby of me.

But seriously.
This week's menu was amazing.
Fish in Coconut Curry
Jeera Rice
Kadhai Paneer
and
Naan.

Can you say yummy?

Flour, salt, sugar, ghee/oil and instant yeast for the naans

Onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, red chilies, salt, cumin, garam masala
and vinegar for the coconut curry sauce

Fry the fish

Adding coconut for the fish sauce

Swarn showing us how to roll naans

The sauce for the paneer

Fish has been added

Naan is ready

Paneer is ready



Monday, February 17, 2014

Defy - Sara B. Larson

I decided to join
The Story Siren's 
The idea is, 
each month you read a
Young Adult novel
by a debut author.

For January,
I picked
Defy
by Sara B. Larson.

Defy is the story of Alexa Hollen.
Her parents are killed during a war
by a sorcerer.
She can either be held captive
and shoved into a birthing centre
(basically where girls are repeatedly raped
until they get pregant)
or she can guise herself as a boy
and serve as part of the prince's guards.

She chooses the later.

For three years she pretends she's a boy.
Then one night,
while trying to protect the prince,
she, the prince and fellow guard, Rylan
are abducted.
Rylan admits he always knew she was a girl.
The prince,
who gave the impression of being an idiot,
turns out to be a nice guy.
Oh, and he suspected she was a girl too.

See where this is going?
So now Alexa has two men in love with her.
A prince and a guard.
Who do you think she'll choose?

But Defy is a little more than that too.
Alexa learns she wasn't the only one keeping secrets.
She is given the opportunity to help the prince
end this war
and bring peace to the land.

But at what cost?


Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Cooking With Swarn

Being back in Dar
also means returning to
Cooking with Swarn.
Yes I know I don't cook.
That's the best part of
Cooking with Swarn.
I don't have to!
I get to watch my fellow classmates
participate in some great cooking skills
and enjoy their labour!

This week's menu was
beef kebabs,
vegetable kebabs,
coconut chutney
and
garlic chilli chutney.

Red chillies

Blended with vinegar and garlic added to heated oil.

Add tomato paste

Shredded coconut

Add some green chillies

Add yogurt and coriander leaves

Blend together

Mince, onions, green chillies, mint leaves and coriander leaves.

Add soaked bread to bind it

Start rolling

Shredded cabbage, beans, cauliflower, green peas, and carrots

Add potatoes, salt, coriander, garam masala, cumin, black pepper, lemon juice and bread to bind


Dinner is ready!