My bestie came for lunch a few weeks ago and bought me a jar of misomite. This is a miso-based product, which you can use as a spread, or as a flavouring in dishes. It’s gorgeous and I’ve been having it every morning on my toast with poached eggs. Anyhow, I wanted to find another use for it…. and I came up with this marinade for a roast chook (spatchcock style, of course). It was utterly delicious and worthy of sharing! (more…)
How to make your eyes look bigger
Every now and then I do a makeup night with friends/colleagues where I teach a few tricks. This one always has people playing close attention, after all, who doesn’t want bigger, brighter eyes? The day I took these photos my eyes were in the perfect state, a bit bloodshot, tired from 6 hours sleep (up with a sick boy), and the bags under my eyes more pronounced than usual (damn genetics!). But hey, I’m approaching forty, and I refuse to remove my wrinkles on Photoshop, this is not Vogue! This trick brightens tired eyes and makes your eyelashes look super long with the help of Xlash. Good news too: These eyeshadow colours (or similar) as well as the techniques used will work on most skin tones and eye shapes. Give it a go, you’ll be impressed! Sleep? Who needs sleep? (more…)
Dry Shampoo – The best beauty find ever
Someone asked me recently what my favourite ‘beauty find’ was. What a great question. Clinique’s Take the Day off Balm? Good undereye concealer? Eyeshadow primer? Waterproof mascara to keep my lashes curled? Absolutely all favorite finds but actually, top of my Beauty Finds Charts is dry shampoo. The person who asked was momentarily floored with my answer… “Like the stuff you should use when you go camping?” So here’s a blog post to dispel that myth. Dry shampoo is a secret weapon and it’s not just for camping (or the nursing home).
Bangkok – Shop till you drop…
Bangkok, up until our holiday in July, was never a destination I’ve felt a burning desire to visit. Now the capital city of the ‘Land of Smiles’, named after it’s grinning (and often toothless) residents, sits firmly at the top of my ‘Really Want To Go Back There’ list. Hot, sticky, loud, crazy and stinky in parts, Bangkok was everything Hubby and I expected – and more. Three days simply wasn’t long enough and I was really sad to leave. (more…)
Hokey Pokey Biscuits
I seem to spend a lot of time looking out for new recipes that are simple so my boy and I can make them together. I’ve realised I should just stop looking and stick to using the cookbook I’ve owned for the last 20+ years: The great Kiwi Edmonds Cookbook. This is their original Hokey Pokey recipe that, frankly, you just can’t beat. You need bugger-all ingredients, it’s easy, cheap to make and everyone enjoys them. Why make things complicated?! (more…)
Cauliflower Puree
It’s not terribly interesting looking in the picture, but I PROMISE, it’s delicious. Until my Hubby tasted my Cauliflower Puree he reckoned the only way to eat cauliflower was smothered in a cheese sauce to disguise the taste. He’s changed his opinion since I made this – he loves it. You can also use this recipe to make cauliflower mash (keep reading!)
You can serve this as a side dish, in the place of cheese sauce, or simply wherever you’d usually use mashed potato. This is also fabulous over pasta with bacon and mushrooms (a great alternative to a more calorie-laden cream-based sauce). Hmmmmm. I mix this in with macaroni and call it Mac n’ Cheese for my vegetable-hating-son. He scoffs it, blissfully unaware that he is eating cauliflower. Gotcha.
(TIP: You can make this ahead of time, just restrain yourself from eating at least a quarter of it before serving time… It’s addictive. You’ve been warned!). (more…)
Kirsty’s Scrummy Muesli Bars
This recipe is another of our family’s favourites! I love making it as it’s so versatile: I have gone to make it so many times and realised I haven’t got all the ingredients, so I improvise and it always works! It’s easy to make, my seven year old often makes it by himself.
(more…)
Youngblood Cosmetics – Not just for the young!
Youngblood is a cosmetics range that, up until a couple of months ago, I’d never heard of until my hairdressers, Hair@88 in Havelock North, launched the brand in their salon. I was rapt to get invited to their launch party! Having now spent time playing with the products and reading online reviews, I’m wondering where the heck I’ve been: This brand is a) Well known and, b) It gets rave reviews! By the way I’ve learnt that you don’t have to be young to wear this brand, thank goodness (I definitely don’t qualify as young anymore).
