For my Future Cooking...

Found this yummy looking recipe in my May 2005 Cosmo Magazine - a young Angel Locsin on the cover! (she's still with GMA 7 and playing Darna) oh, how time has passed! Nevertheless, good food is eternal  :D

Chocolate Inspiration

Looking through the pictures in Trish Deseine's Chocolate book never fails to inspire me towards a chocolatey direction! If money were not a concern, I would have enrolled in Chocolate School or Culinary School! Oh that would be so much fun! Especially the baking and the chocolate making techniques...mmmm heaven!

Here is one of Trish Deseine's simple but delicious chocolate creations that's also the cover of that Chocolate book!

My Favourite Chocolate Cake

The most amazingly easy yet impressive and delicious chocolate cake you've ever made, honest. All that you need is an oven, a mixing bowl and a wooden spoon.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Baking time: 22 minutes

Serves: 6-8 people

Watch How To Video

Equipment: 

• saucepan
• wooden spoon
• small bowl
• 20cm cake tin

Ingredients: 

• 225g of good dark chocolate
• 225g butter
• 5 eggs
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 225g sugar

Directions: 

Preheat the over to 190C. Melt the butter and the chocolate in the microwave or bain marie.
Add the sugar, mixing well and let cool a little.
One by one, add the eggs, mixing well with a wooden spoon between each addition. Add the flour, mixing well until the mixture is smooth.
Pour the batter into the baking pan, bake for 22 minutes, the cake will tremble a little in the center.
Remove from oven, let cool on a rack.

insecure much?

is kinda down right now...do people hate me? or am i just overanalyzing too much again? sigh.

The Cure is No Cure

My butt is hurting from sitting too much! Sitting in the office for 8 hours! then sitting at home to facebook and fix my blog hahah! there should be some kind of built in butt massage in chairs.

Awhile ago I was feeling down (probably hormonal) and while on the bus, I was thinking that someone somewhere - probably a chemist - has already discovered a drug that would cure mood swings! However, due to adverse consequences of curing THE mood swing, he was paid by some big boss to just keep his findings to himself. After all, if everyone's mood swings would be cured, then it would be the death of commercialism as we know it!!! Who would then storm to the stores and get some retail therapy? Who'd patronize the so many restaurants with sinful but oh so delicious creations without mood swings that bring about impulsive eating? The bars would close! The casinos and massage parlors and most especially ice cream and chocolate parlors would close too! Everyone would be so cautious and practical, life would definitely be boring.

There's always two sides of a coin. Thanks then to my mood swings, it makes my life a little bit more exiciting! :-p

Stead-Fast!

Today is the second day of my so-called diet. I've successfully lost a pound from yesterday's reduced caloric intake and I hope to continue the regimen up until Friday - just right before we eat the Japanese buffet at Sambo Kojin!

Earlier this morning, I started craving for noodles and just after lunch - for hot chocolate. Good thing my lunch was really tasty so I was able to ward off those pangs away and stead on with this fast.

I shall not write anymore as it might make me hungry! Ciao!

Born This Way

I just watched Lady Gaga's BORN THIS WAY video and there seems to be a disconnect between the video and the song lyrics. The song lyrcis are profound and can connect across different types of people but the video shows exhibitionism and sensationalism - which on second thought, will also reach global proportions because of its racy and provocative nature. Lady Gaga and her team really know how to reach the intendend audience and sell records!

Hairy Sunday

Today, I cut my own hair. Nothing out-of-this-world since I have really long hair, so I just gave it some trimming. I think I did a not-bad job, thus giving me the idea that cutting or trimming your own hair is a good money saver tip - especially for people who just really need a trim and not a change of hairstyle. I got to save about 150 - 300 pesos depending on the salon I would've gone to if I got a haircut.

Actually, what really triggered me to cut my hair is mounting expenses (one time cable internet installation fee, herbalife, birthday expenses, etc) which seem to all come at the first two months of the year! What's up with that?! I need to manage my cash flow better! The things I'm spending on are all important so it's difficult to give one up - I shall ask some advice from my financial adviser regarding this...

I LIKE YOU!

Last year or the year before I liked the Suzuki Swift, but in 2011, its the new Honda CRV! I see 3 color variants every morning as i walk to the jeepney stop. I drool everytime! Sleek!

If cars were priced like cellphones, I'd have this baby already! 

Lazy Sunday

Some realizations...

I should only assign homework to myself during the first 3 days of the week because I get lazy Thursday and Friday nights haha

I can learn how to cook via techonology! Today, I helped my mom make stir fried bihon (tsa bihon) and documented the steps by taking pictures :) Yey!

New York Blizzard

Due to the 20 inch snow brought about by the blizzard at New York...a baby died after being delivered in the lobby of a Brooklyn apartment building when paramedics took nine hours to reach the mother - Reuters

This makes me worry and think that I should learn about the natural methods of birthing just like how our ancestors did it - no technology, no nothing. Just midwives at home, hmmmm...

Herbalife Ultimate Program Day 1

[To Edward, Kathy and Stella: this is a blog]

I'm back with using Herbalife as my diet plan. It's perfect for me at this time because I'm not doing much.. just sitting around at work and then playing Plants vs. Zombies at home. Talk about a sedentary lifestyle!

This is a feat 'coz I've tried Herbalife before and it's not an easy thing to do and more so, complete. I have to replace 2 meals with the Nutritional Protein Shake and take an assortment of tablets with it. Previously, I had an ultra controlling boyfriend to help me really stick to the program and it worked wonders for me; right now, there's just me and maybe my Dad's snide remarks hehehe. Here's what my typical daily intake looks like:

30 mins before breakfast:
1 glass of water + Fiberbond (this is the fat blocker)

Breakfast:
2 Tbsp Nutritional Shake (aka Formula 1) + 8oz nonfat milk (plus half a banana is also allowed. You're supposed to blend it but I tried just stirring and it's feasible as well)
2 Fiber and Herb tablets  (fiber!)
1 Vitamin and Minerals    (multivits)
1 Vitamin Mineral Herbal Complex (anti cellulite, anti water retention)

In Between:
1 tsp Herbal Concentrate Green Tea + 16 oz hot or cold water (1/2 tsp is equivalent to 20 mins exercise!!)

30 mins before lunch:
1 glass of water + Fiberbond

Lunch:
Normal food! wooot!
2 Fiber and Herb tablets + 1 Vitamin and Minerals + 1 Vitamin Mineral Herbal Complex

In Between:
1 tsp Herbal Concentrate Green Tea + 16 oz hot or cold water

30 mins before Dinner:
1 glass of water + Fiberbond

Dinner:
2 Tbsp Nutritional Shake + 8oz nonfat milk
2 Fiber and Herb tablets + 1 Vitamin and Minerals + 1 Vitamin Mineral Herbal Complex

oh there's also a personalized protein powder called Formula 3 which I can add to the shake or to yogurt or cereal to increase the feeling of fullness. So I'll add it depending on my need.

Coincidentally, I also bought a fake FitFlop from Greenhills Tiangge for Php 450! I think I could've gotten it cheaper if I wasn't intimidated by the woman seller with a hijab. Anyhoo, I still feel the micro-wobble technology that the original one, priced at Php3500, boasts of as its competitive advantage: A slipper + workout in one! I'm not used to it yet coz I feel muscle soreness on my leg, which is actually what the slipper tag warned of: Use progressively to prevent muscle soreness

So let's see how much I lose by the end of December! I measured my stats last night and will do so every Sunday night :) I aim to lose 15lbs this month! haha!

Good luck to me!!