Strawberry & Ginger Sorbet

This is a good alternative for those of you who likes ice cream but do not fancy taking in all that fat. It was a try and error recipe that turned out to be absolutely delicious! Now to those who like to have some alcohol in their sorbet, you can always replace half a cup of lime with white wine, champagne or any alcohol of your choice. 

Strawberry & Ginger Sorbet

2 cups of fresh strawberries (you can use frozen ones if you like)

1 1/2 cups of lime juice

3 tablespoon of castor sugar

1 inch of ginger, grated

pinch of salt

Methods: 

1. Make sure you have a blender and blitz everything together. 
2. Sift the liquid to ensure smooth sorbet. Put in an ice cream maker and churn according to instructions.
3. Alternatively pour into a strong plastic box and put in the coldest part of the freezer. After 1 hour 30 minutes it should have frozen round the edges – take it out and beat vigorously with a fork, electric whisk or in a food processor until you have a uniformly textured icy slush. Put back in the freezer and repeat at least twice more every hour and a half, then freeze for at least another hour.
4. Transfer the sorbet to the fridge for 20 minutes before serving.

There you have it! It is the same method all the time. So you can tweak any flavours you like from fruity strawyberry , spicy ginger to even decadent chocolate sorbet. Hope you find yours to satisfy your craving for frozen treats. 

Happy Anniversary #1

How time passed by us ever too swiftly! It felt just yesterday we had to rush around planning and preparing for our wedding. It felt just a moment ago we were in Paris for our honeymoon. We blinked, had fun laughing poking each other, pulling each other's legs and here we are again... 

Yesterday:

09.10.11

NOW:

09.10.12

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MR.S!

Garrets': Love is Messy!

Iliyana's: Love is messy but am loving it because you found me. I am eternally grateful that it is YOU by my side always and forever! Sincerely, Mrs. S.

A jar a day keeps doctor away?

Don't mind the title of this post... A jar a day will get you to the toilet NON-STOP for sure! Haha... I made chocolate pavlovas for my friend and her sister but still had some raspberries left over in the freezer. Since the berries don't stay long and get rotten easily I came up with an idea to turn it to a jam. And I did!

How to make this jam? Easy peasy!! Oh and I mix it with a bit of strawberry to just give it a bit of body :) I can assure you this recipe is not sweet - just maybe a bit sourish from the raspberries. 

Strawberry & Raspberry Jam:

Raspberries

Strawberries

1 1/2 cup of castor sugar

2 tsp. of vanilla essence

3 strips of clear jelly (agar-agar)

Methods:

1. Place your berries, castor sugar and vanilla essence in a pot and heat it up in a slow fire. Stir now and then to make sure you don't burn them.
2. Once everything is dissolved, add in the strips of jelly to thicken it. You can opt not to use this and it is all up to way. You don't want to over measure this else you end up having a summer berries jelly instead of jam. 
3. Turn off your stove and cool it in the room temperature. 
4. Once it is cool, scoop it into a sterile jar. Keep it in refrigerator. Serve it on bread or even with plain yoghurt ( I tried mixing it in plain natural yoghurt, it was YUMMY!)

And here is the invitation...

A colleague at work asked for help to design an invitation for her. And since I wasn't doing anything much today I agreed to do so. Unfortunately no idea was coming to me at all. AND it NEVER happened to me before.  **palmsontheforehead!**

Since she wanted it to be done by end of the day, it did not leave me much time to dilly dally. Came up with something and luckily she likes it! Phewwww!! 

Pick ME : Love HER!

I think living in this fast paced oh-so-busy-like-a-bee world we tend to think like it is easy and ended with taking things or those in our lives for granted. For an instance, how many of you still take the time to smell the fresh morning dew or how nice the grass smell after a pouring rain? How many of you still look up to the bright blue sky, free your mind and draw sketches of cloud bunnies? Well there you go! You have your answer. NO. I remembered I have always love the smell of the fresh grass after the rain and the smell of waves crashing along the coastline. Aahhh heaven! 

I was clicking and reading some of the old post on facebook and stumbled upon this article. I am feeling a little bit mushy today so I decided to re-post this here. Initial post was written by a man. May Allah PBUH bless his marriage life for reminding other men to be what they are supposed to be. 

----------------------------------------

LOVE HER ... when she sips on your coffee or tea. She only wants to make sure it tastes just right for you.

LOVE HER ... when she "pushes" you to pray. She wants to be with you in Jannah.

LOVE HER ... when she asks you to play with the kids. She did not "make" them on her own.

LOVE HER ...when she is jealous. Out of all the men she can have, she chose you.

LOVE HER ... when she has annoying little habits that drives you nuts, you have them too.

LOVE HER ... when her cooking is bad. She tries.

LOVE HER ... when she looks dishevelled in the morning. She always grooms herself up again.

LOVE HER ... when she asks to help with the kids' homework. She only wants you to be part of the home.

LOVE HER ... when she asks if she looks fat. Your opinion counts, so tell her she is beautiful.

LOVE HER ... when she looks beautiful. She is yours so appreciate her.

LOVE HER ... when she spends hours to get ready. She only wants to look her best for you.

LOVE HER ... when she buys you gifts and you don't like it. Smile and tell her it is what you have always wanted.

LOVE HER ... when she has developed a bad habit. You have many more and with wisdom and politeness you have all the time in the world to help her change.

LOVE HER ... when she cries for absolutely nothing. Don't ask but tell her that it is going to be okay.

LOVE HER ... when she suffers from PMS. Buy her chocolate, rub her feet and back and just talk to her.

LOVE HER ... when whatever you do is not pleasing. It happens and will pass.

LOVE HER ... when she stains your clothes. You needed a new shirt anyway.

LOVE HER ... when she tells you how to drive. She only wants you to be safe.

LOVE HER ... when she argues. She only wants to make thing right for both of you.

LOVE HER ... she is YOURS! 

You don't need any other special reason!

All this forms part of a woman's character. Women are part of your life and should be treated as the Queen. 

The Messenger of Allah PBUH advised concerning women:

Treat  HAWA (women) well. 

----------------------------------------

HAPPY WEEK END Y'ALL!

Open House Raya 2012 for BCP

One of my best friend requested for a favor to design her company's ecard invitation. I managed to come with something during lunch and send it over to her. Phewww! 

I personally think that this is cheerful and chirpy. I hope she likes it! Back to work people!! *Sigh*

Eid 2012- Chocolate Pavlova

Too lazy to type in the recipe. Sorry. PM me if you need one:)

------------------------------------------------
Thursday, September 6th 2012.

Okay okay here is the updated ones. I did not snap any photo after the baking part. However this photo was taken by the HR lady in my office. Yummy? Ermmm I would say yes because everything was gone! 

Some has been asking for the recipe. This has been in my family, initially baked by my sister. She adapted the recipe from Nigella Lawson. I however layered 2 pavlova with cream and raspberries in between before topping it up with strawberries. 

Chocolate Pavlova :

4 large egg whites

1 cup superfine sugar

2/3 tsp vinegar 

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

40g dark chocolate chips

1 1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla essence

Strawberries, raspberries or any berries you like

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and line the baking tray with baking parchment. 
2. Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form and slowly add in a tablespoon of sugar at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
3. Sprinkle the cocoa powder, vinegar and chocolate chips. Gently fold in everything until the cocoa powder is mixed in.
4. Mount the meringue onto the baking parchment and smooth out the top and sides. (To make this easier, draw a circle on to your paper parchment.)
5. Place in the oven and immediately turn down the temperature to 150C. Bake for one hour until the crust is crispy and the interior should still be a little gooey.
6. Leave the meringue in the oven door slightly ajar until it has cooled completely.
7. When you are ready to serve, invert it on a big, flat-bottomed serving dish.
8. Whisk the cream until thick yet still soft and plop a dollop onto the meringue. Put strawberries (or anything you favor) on top of it. 

ALL THE BEST! 

#1 - Lazy Saturday

Setup 2 beds for them but little Maximus decided that crashing on Nim's is better. SIGH!




Love,
Iliyana I. Ramjaun

Merdeka-Raya Shopping Spree - LEGACY Stripe Signature Large Wristlet!

Hi dearies. How your Eid or Merdeka celebration? All in all well I hope! I know my Eid surprisingly went very well. I haven't had the chance to upload the pictures from Mauritius yet but I promise I will do that ASAP. Now back to our main topic...shopping spree!! Oh yes I did quite a lot of shopping in Mauritius but this spree happened in KLCC. I think my picture below would definitely explained it.

Not entirely my fault when I had to redeem my Raya voucher at the very last minute. You get what I mean. Haha.



Love,
Iliyana I. Ramjaun

As long as I am having fun, I am not quitting!

Love, 

Iliyana I. Ramjaun

Ramadhan is here!

Hi dearies...

It has been a while since I wrote last. Not that I don't want to but time is really jealous of me! Now a blink of an eye, Ramadhan is here. It is now DAY 5 but I hope it is not too late to wish 

"SALAM RAMADHAN" 

to all Muslims out there.

This year is the first year am fasting with a guy legally called my husband, Mr.S. It does feel a bit different as we get to argue what to have for iftar and sahur. Not forgetting where to for Tarawiih. A bit childish, yes, but it somehow makes it all beautiful!

Sometimes we forget during breaking the fast (iftar);

"No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any son of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath."

{R.Tirmidzi:2380}

Am happy and really am grateful as Mr.S made an effort to move his shifts to earlier in order to come home and have iftar with me. It is a big effort as he needs to go to work very early as early as 5.45am or latest 6.00am. 

Thank you love love!

Prophet Muhammad pbuh said:

"When a husband and wife look at each other with love, Allah swt look at them with mercy."

{Sahih Bukhari 6:19 Tirmidzi}

All in all, I hope all you enjoy the Ramadhan as we do and benefit all the goodness promised by Him. InshaAllah.

Love,

Iliyana I. Ramjaun

Am not a PERSNICKETY eater :)

Well am sure you have heard a lot about raw apple cider vinegar. So what is the fuss all about? The one am using is by BRAGG Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar. It is unfiltered, unpasteurized, kosher-certified and contains the 'mother' of vinegar.  What does it made of? APPLES of course! Hihi.

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is made from nutritious organically grown apples and retains many of the fruits' beneficial components because raw apple cider vinegar is not pasteurized [remember I mentioned this earlier?]. And in its two fermentation processes, it produces enzymes and life giving nutrients that make apple cider vinegar the powerhouse it is.

ACV has been used for thousands of years as natural health remedy. In 400BC Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, used it as an antibiotic because he believed it had natural energizing and cleansing abilities. It was also used in Civil War and WWW I to help treat wounds and combat indigestion.

You might be thinking "Okay, so can you get the one in normal supermarket or where can I get the raw ACV?" , right? I got mine at the VitaCare Pharmacy in KLCC. You can try supermarket as I usually get my stash at the pharmacy plus their pharmacist are super duper friendly. We get free nagging and we loved it! 

More stuff that you should know is that there is a difference between the clear vinegar and raw apple cider vinegar.

Clear vinegar (we call it cuka makan ---the white color plain usually used to make acar timun as condiment for beriyani) has none of the benefits of raw organic apple cider vinegar. Through its processing and distilling, it's been stripped of everything beneficial and can be detrimental to your health due to the fact that it is dead instead of alive. 

Only raw ACV has the "mother of vinegar" that makes the vinegar so beneficial. The "mother" is made up of living nutrients and bacteria (the good ones). You can actually see it settled in the bottom of the bottle like sediment.

Just look at some of the salubrious ingredients in raw apple cider vinegar:

Potassium : Helps to prevent brittle teeth, hair loss and runny noses.

Pectin        : Helps to regulate blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol.

Malic Acid : Gives  ACV the properties of being anti-viral, anti-bacterial & anti-fungal.

Calcium     : Helps create strong bones and teeth.

Ash          : Gives ACV its alkaline property which aids your body in maintaining proper PH levels for a  healthy alkaline state.

Acetic Acid: It appears that this acid slows the digestion of starch which can help to lower the rise in glucose that commonly occurs after meals.

A few health benefits you may get from apple cider vinegar:

1. 1tbsp of raw ACV mixed in 4 ounces of purified water after a meal has been used as natural remedy for heartburn and as a replacement for toxic heartburn medications.
2. Raw ACV may help improve bowel irregularity, thereby removing toxins from the body at a faster rate.
3. Helps clear up skin conditions and blemishes giving a smoother texture and complexion.
4. Raw ACV may also help with joint pain and stiffness.
5. Helps to breakdown fats so that your body can use them rather than store them. For this reason, many diets include ACV in their regimen.
6. On a small scale, ACV was studied by researchers at Arizona State University. The preliminary study was published in the Diabetes Care Journal. It reported that ACV helps reduce levels of glucose.
7. Acts as a natural appetite suppressant.
8. Home remedy for dandruff and acne, taken externally. It is even good for pets. It has been used to help control fleas and even promotes a healthy shiny coat.

Very remedial and invigorating right? And not to mention, feasible too! So how do I take them?

There are several options really. If you are not on a diet or your BMI is normal hence no need to lose weight, you can mix it with apple juice or anything basically to remove that tangy vinegary taste. But if you are on a diet or intended to shed off 1 or 2 kgs, then 2tbsp of raw ACV and a glass of cold/warm water should do the trick! However if you tried and you think your tummy cannot take it, mix it with 1tsp or 2tsp of organic honey into your mixture; that should soothes your tummy. 

You can find apple cider vinegar in tablets or capsule form but I do not recommend these sources because they are dried sources. Hey the liquid taste much better and it is cheap too! You can even make your salad dressing using it. Give it a try. :)

Happy Fasting to all!

 Love,

Iliyana I. Ramjaun

6th July -- World Kissing Day!

I know you must be thinking that am demented or delirious for posting such thing. But this is for real! Yes, it is celebrated in the UK but now I guess has been adopted worldwide as INTERNATIONAL KISSING DAY. 

When I think about it, the concept of a kiss is everywhere in our society and of course, it has way way many meanings other than **whatever you are thinking inside that dirty mind of yours!**. A first kiss. A formal kiss. A passionate kiss. A child's kiss. A goodbye kiss.

The concept is aimed to make us appreciate a kiss in its own right. No conventions, no social norms; - JUST a kiss. 

From my walk on worldwideweb, there is a competition which hold record for the longest kiss! The record was set in the UK back in 2005 at 31 hours and 30 minutes. Then on Valentine's Day 2009, a couple from Germany set a new record of just over 32 hours. Again on 2011, a Thai couple, husband and wife team up locking their lips and began their quest to break the current longest kiss. After 46 hours and 24 minutes (can't imagine how swollen their lips would be?!) they claimed a new record for the longest kiss. Impressive? I know!!

Maybe you and me can get some kissing tip from them before puckering up. LOL.

Think of your sweetest kiss... a kiss from your mother? Your child? A thank you kiss from your closest friend? Or all those meaningless kisses? 

For me, next time I kiss Mr.S I will just think about how delightful it is and not what it 'means'. Haha. TLC for you later Mr.S :)

Love, 

Iliyana I. Ramjaun

A poem by Mother Teresa

So you see, in the final analysis... it is between you and your God;

It was NEVER between you and them anyway.

Love,

Iliyana I. Ramjaun

Just how things started ...

Love,

Iliyana I. Ramjaun

#3 - Wordless Wednesday

My whole world evolves around them at the moment. So here you go! 

Love,

Iliyana. I. Ramjaun

English ONLY --->HR Memo

Probably not a scenario if you are working in such a country where English is the main language. But somehow it is still happening in our UK and MY offices due to different cultures, races, and backgrounds. Some are from France, Italy, German, Malaysia etc. Hence it is natural when you meet your "countrymen", you will be conversing in your mother-tongue language. Not to say that it is wrong but some people may not understand you and think that you are blathering about them behind their backs or even sharing sensitive confidential information about ones organisation and this may caused misunderstanding which lead to discomfort in your working environment. You may defend yourself that you are not doing such thing, but then again, hey! we did not understand a word you were saying!! 

A close friend of mine were having the same issue the other day and was asking me if maybe they should impose some kind of punishment e.g. Every word that is not English will be penalised. Maybe 50cents? . You might be shaking your head and go "Duh!" but I fathomed where she is getting at. It is sometimes annoying especially when these countrymen started nattering LOUDLY and you are on the phone with your client trying to get your work done. But I told her we are all adults and I don't think such punishment would work. It may cause further arguments and unnecessary enmity. I gave her my 2 cents but not too sure if she took it. 

Anyways, later in that same week, another close friend asked and discussed about the same issue. This time it involved the management themselves and they wanted to be firm about it. She is supposed to write a HR memo explaining the management's austerity about this issue. Tell you the truth it is the same phenomenon in my office to a point HR actually sent email every week harking back on the same concern matter. Tiring? YES! And who said only kids don't listened and conformed. What baffled me is that adults are worse! So I wasn't  flabbergasted when she asked me to draft her a HR memo on this issue.

I outlined and emailed it to her. I think she did send it to management and got it approved.

The MEMO sounded like this:

Dear team,

Management is committed to instill better English commands in the organisation. The use of mother-tongue language is not permissible while at work as it may present misunderstanding among your co-workers/co-employees.

An insistence that employees communicate in English in the workplace serves the added business purpose of minimizing the sense of alienation and resulting hostility felt by employees and customers who don't speak or understand the foreign language. 

No other language is permitted none whatsoever other than English during office hour. With an exception of any business that requires conversation with a client or supplier.

Your attention is drawn to this fact and it is asked that you communicate with your teams to remind that our office is an "English" speaking office ONLY.

This policy should be followed with high priority. All the staff working at ABC Ltd. (real name cannot be disclosed) is requested to co-operate in implementing this policy without any deviation. And those who go beyond the policy should be reported to Mr. John Smith.

Please be reminded that this policy is being implemented by taking into consideration all aspects including sensitivity issues and it is management best intentions to make sure all employees benefit from it.

Harsh? I don't think so. Well am still waiting on her updates. For now, cheerio!

Love,

Iliyana I. Ramjaun

NATURAL Parenting -__-"

NO am not pregnant yet! It was just some conversation I had with a friend and we were laughing imagining how we are going to be if we become the mother. Topic came up because we saw a young couple with a probably 4-5 years old girl and this girl has been crying and screaming non stop. It seemed like the girl wanted something from the dining table where they were seated but the parents of hers - not sure why they are just ignoring this kid. Thus the annoying high pitch screaming. We were so disturbed to a point we wanted to just walk up there and ask them to do something OR for "fish" sake! give the girl what she wanted already!! It is annoying and you are in a public space., you know. People need their privacy too. Geez!

Anyways, even the other people in that area were glancing and mutterings and hushing-shhh! but I guess these parents are just DEAF! What I did not understand was that not even the waiter or waitress actually went and talked to this couple and ask them to do something about the kid. Me and my friend were just shaking our heads and continued our chit-chat till finally the place is SILENT. The obtusely fatheaded couple left. I swear we could hear sighing of reliefs everywhere around us. 

We ended up making jokes of this couple. The solution was simple. Just give the kid what she wanted to shut her up. If it is not something you wanted to give to your kid, find a substitute. Remember she is after all, a kid. Trick her with something flashy or yummy, she will be fine. At least do something about the situation rather than ignoring it completely.

Reminded of what my friend was saying. Parenting will come naturally when you have your own kid. Haha... is that true? I don't know! Maybe? 

Love,

Iliyana I. Ramjaun

Table Arrangements --- puked!

When you are preparing your wedding on your own; in this case DIY, no matter where your venue is - table arrangements always get to you. Admit it. Be it at home or a hall or even at a hotel, there will always be someone being a nuisance i.e. not wanting to sit too at the back, want to sit way WAYYYY in front, don't like this that person at the table and the list just goes on and on. Some even displayed their "affections" by not showing up and does not have the courtesy of saying,

"Oh hi! I have an emergency, my dog got hit by a lorry and died. I am mourning therefore I don't think I would be able to make to your wedding dinner party."

Is that so hard to ask?! Well past is past. We managed to arrange and our guests were SUPER nice. They re-seated themselves at any table that have lesser people. At least you don't have sore eyes looking at baldy spots in the middle of the hall.

I did my table arrangement a week before the wedding. Trust me it was a major headache. I had to compile several lists from mommy, daddy, granmamas and Mr.S. Try squeezing all these people (some I barely know) to your plan. Of course I did not expect perfect attendance but hey! at least make an effort to inform. Anyways, while I was trying SO HARD not to transform to a bridezilla I found a solution to my mess.

MARTHA STEWART.

From day one when I was doing all the preparations and lists for the wedding I have used Martha's planner but did not realise that she has this great apps that I believed would solve any bride's nightmares!

All you need to do is sign in (register if you haven't. IT'S FREE!) to http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/

and go to her Planning & Tools.

Tell me you are not going bananas right now?

What did I tell you? Everything is there. Feel free to explore. Don't be afraid if you make mistakes - you can always go back and edit it. Here is the result of my table arrangements for the night (after successfully obtained the layout for the night from the hotel management - Of course!)

Easy peasy! Cheerios darlings!

Love,
Iliyana I. Ramjaun

Daily Du'a ;)

Always say your du'a daily before, in the midst or even after any thing you intended to do.

"Rabbi yassir wala tu'assir. Rabbi tham mim bil khayr. Rabbi zidni 'ilman war zuqni fahman."

O my Lord, make things easier for me, do not make things difficult for me. O my Lord, let my affairs end with goodness. O my Lord, increase my knowledge and grant me understanding.

Love,

Iliyana I. Ramjaun

#2 - Yet Another Wordless Monday

Proven that I was bored out of my mind. Yes, workload is there but my heart is just not there anymore...

Love,

Iliyana I. Ramjaun

#1 - Wordless Monday

I am sleepy and my mind is not here in the office.

My mind is looking forward to a long holiday which only going to happen in August.

Now it is MAY...JUNE...JULY...AUGUST!! Geez 3 months to go. Sigh sigh!

Meanwhile enjoy Fat Nim (our cat) poses and whatnots...Haha.

Love,

Iliyana I. Ramjaun

Dream of Flying?

It is not impossible to do so. I planned to do some photo shoot probably when I have my own kiddos soon :) What say you?

NOW everyone can FLY!! Haha...

Love,

Iliyana I. Ramjaun