A Surprise Delivery

17 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Shopping

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My orders from Human Nature just last Tuesday arrived today!  That’s fast!

It came in this custom-made box with Human Nature’s logo in the front panel (very recyclable!):  

Look what’s inside!   I immediately tried the Citronella Bug Spray and I now smell of lemon-scented citronella hehe!    The smell was kind of strong when I first put it, but after a minute it was faint already so  you don’t have to worry about smelling of citronella the whole day.   Neither does a faint smell indicate that it won’t be able to effectively repel the mosquitoes.  It will still work that way.

Aside from being an insect repellant, citronella oil is used as an aromatherapy oil.   According to this website, when citronella oil is diluted properly in a base oil and is applied to skin, it produces a mild sensation of warmth – which relieves painful muscles and joints. Mentally, the aroma of citronella oil may help with nervous fatigue due to its clarifying properties. It can also ease pressure of migraines and headaches. Citronella oil blends well with cedarwood, orange, geranium, lemon and bergamot – however, you should only use essential oils under those specialised in the field.

Do you also use citronella oil?  How effective did you find it?

 

Online Shopping at Human Nature

15 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by in Shopping

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I love online shopping!  It’s very convenient and is actually cheaper (even after factoring in the shipping cost) because you shop at the comfort of your home, away from the temptation of taking merienda or snacks at the mall, and from buying the things you don’t really need.

So when I learned about Human Nature’s online shopping facility (click here to register), I immediately registered there.  Armed with a list of their products that I want to try (after a very satisfactory product review), I happily clicked away.

Here’s what in my order cart:

Citronella Bug Spray.  This all natural, DEET-free formulation is infused with organic virgin coconut oil (VCO) – known for its skin-healing, moisturizing and anti-microbial benefits – organic citronella oil - a well-known insect repellent, and organic lemongrass essential oil together with rosemary and lavender essential oils give a pleasant aroma that’s good for you but bad for the mosquitoes and bugs.  I love the smell of citronella and this is especially useful now that we are experiencing rains (after a long summer!) and no sooner will we battle with flu-causing mosquitoes! 

Natural Strengthening Shampoo.  Clinically proven to reduce hair fall by 80% and thicken the hair by 90% after 4 weeks of continuous use, Human Nature’s Natural Strengthening Shampoo is infused with hydrolyzed protein to fortify your hair, and Philippine coco nectar, a revolutionary ingredient that bursts with amino acids, vitamins and minerals. The breakthrough CREAMFoam® technology acts like a lotion to moisturize your hair and scalp, leaving you with hair so much stronger, healthier and shinier!  I have very thin hair that’s prone to breakage and hair fall.  I am very excited to use this product because I think the commercial ones are not doing my hair any good.    

Anti-Bacterial Pocket Hand Soap.  How many times have you used a public restroom only to find there was no soap?  Human Nature has taken note of the need to have a handy soap with us all the time and made their Acapulco Anti-Bacterial Hand Soap into a handy pocket size!   This is going to be very useful for me as I travel as part of my work and I am very much aware of the lack of anti-bacterial soap in most public toilets.  That’s why I always have with me a small bottle of alcohol to disinfect.   But now, with this pocket soap, I don’t have to worry about getting dry hands too! 

Payment check-out was a breeze.  It’s nice that they accept PayPal because it’s more secure than paying directly with your credit cards.  As for the shipping fee, I was charged only P45.00 for the above items (3 pieces).   Not bad, not bad!   Can’t wait for the delivery!

 

More Food Adventure at Bohol Bee Farm

14 Monday May 2012

Posted by in Food

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Remember my post about Bohol Bee Farm?  That was the first stop in our overnight trip to Bohol last month.   We had a 100% organic and very filling lunch there, and then savored that again the following day on our way back to Cebu.

Now don’t think there weren’t many food choices in Bohol (there are, in fact, plenty of local restaurants to try), but its signature organic dishes are something  that you don’t find everyday (especially here in Manila), and seeing that our satisfaction level aren’t maximized yet, we again went there the following day for lunch.   Of course, we made sure to order something new from the menu.

For appetizer, we had this mix of vegetable chips.  It was crunchy and didn’t taste like vegetable at all!   Kids will surely love this!    I think I was the one who finished this off hehe!   I love chips!We didn’t have salad last time so we’re happy to have one now, and it came free with our rice meals.  The flowers are all edible, by the way.   I love, love this Seafood Soup which has a strong ginger kick that surely pleased my taste buds!   A single serving is already good for 2 persons, with chunky-sized seafood meats to share.   My brother and sis-in-law shared in this Seafood Lasagna which they said was delectable and filling!  Too bad I wasn’t able to try this.  I had Honey Glazed Chicken which was cooked nicely (inside and out) and has a subtle barbeque flavor in a sweet honey sauce – distinctly Pinoy.   It came with organic rice and a serving of their flower power salad.   AJ chose this spareribs dish and it’s equally good too.   The meat was very tender, almost falling off the bones, but I found the sauce (which gives it  flavor) to be wanting.   My brother couldn’t get enough of Bohol Bee Farm’s Seafood Pizza which we had on our first visit, so he ordered for it again.   Fresh seafood on fresh dough and organic cheese – a perfect and healthy combination!    Our lunch was capped with a walk around the area, with a brief time to relax and just enjoy the view of calm blue waters before taking the ferry back to Cebu.   Bohol Bee Farm is located at Dao, Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol.

http://www.boholbeefarm-panglao.com

 

Tamarind-Glazed Pork Stir-Fry

13 Sunday May 2012

Posted by in Saladmaster Recipes

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Another winning recipe from Yummy Magazine (October 2011 issue)!   The original recipe calls for chicken breast but we only have pork steak at home so we did the pork version instead.   I now count this as one of our favorite dishes.  Who would have thought that you can use sinigang na sampalok (tamarind stew mix) in a stir-fry dish?

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 kilo pork steak (the original recipe requires 4 fillets skinless chicken breast)
  • 1 teaspoon sinigang na sampalok mix
  • 2 tablespoon fish sauce (patis) – you can add more if you prefer it to be a bit salty
  • 3 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup diced bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup cashew nuts, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Steps:

1.  Cut chicken fillets into 1-inch bite-sized pieces (in case of pork, cut it into smaller pieces for it to cook faster)

2.  Mix together sinigang mix, fish sauce, brown sugar, and dissolved cornstarch.

3.  Add sauce mixture to chicken/pork pieces (enough to coat the pieces) and let it stand in the chiller for about 30 minutes.

4.  Over high heat, saute chicken/pork pieces until light brown.  If using the Saladmaster Gourmet Pan (like what we did), cook over medium heat only.  Set aside.   (Note:  You don’t need to saute the meat with the sauce.   It so happened that I wasn’t able to drain the meat properly before sauteing them in our Saladmaster Gourmet Pan).

5.  In the same Saladmaster Gourmet Pan, saute onions and bell pepper.  6.  Add the meat pieces and saute with the onions and bell peppers.   7.  Add the sauce and let simmer until sauce is thickened and the meat pieces are cooked.   If the sauce becomes too thick and the meat pieces are still uncooked, just add more water.   8.   Adjust seasoning according to taste.  Add chopped cashews and mix well.     This stir-fry dish took only 20 minutes to cook (and 10 minutes if we used chicken breast), and it smelled and tasted really great!   It has a delightful sour punch brought about by the tamarind mix.    I highly recommend that you try this one!  Trust me, it’s going to become your favorite too!

 

Hello Kitty now flies!

11 Friday May 2012

Posted by in Random Things

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I saw this post from Sis Marjorie’s blog and I know I just have to share it!  I’m a big Hello Kitty fan (as some of you may have obviously guessed by now, judging from the number of posts I’ve made about my favorite character in the whole world – Hello Kitty).

Eva Air launched early this year their Hello Kitty-themed aircraft, and  according to Anna Wong, an EVA Air public relations officer in Hong Kong, the passengers have been purring with delight!   (source here).  In fact,

Come let’s take a short tour of the aircraft (while I save enough dought to ride this plane!).  All photos are from CNN Go (I just love this website!) and Eva Air.

The plane’s exterior.   I’m glad they chose dark, primary colors for the illustration – that will make it visible hundred of feet above ground.  The boarding pass and baggage stickers are definitely for keeps!   With airplane kiddie meals such as these, I think kid passengers will behave all throughout the flight!  Aww, how can I eat these?  They’re just too cute to put into waste!  The only aircraft from which you might be tempted to steal the headrest cover (from CNN Go).  I.Totally.Agree.    Can I buy this apron?     The Hello Kitty Jets currently services flights from Taipei to Japan (of course! It’s Hello Kitty’s birth of origin), Korea and Guam only.

I learned too that the Hello Kitty jets are not going to be “permanent” planes for Eva Air, and will operate for at least a year (only?) as it is covered by a limited licensing agreement with Sanrio.

Time to renew my passport!

 

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