Easy Snack Recipe - Nacho Yum Yum

You probably noticed that I haven't post anything in the past few weeks..
Just been busy with a lot of things from home and work giving me a lot of stress. Now I can say that I gained some pounds which I will again try to loose.

As they say, don't deprive yourself when it comes to the food you like to eat, even on a diet.
Sometimes I feel like eating this one, and yes, it's my favorite.

Now let me share you one of my favorite snacks at home, NACHOS :)

What you will need:
1. Box of nacho - you can see them at supermarket
2. Ground beef - this depends if you like eating a lot of meat vs.  some veggies
3. Tomatoes about 2pcs - I like eating them so I prefer having too much of this. This is an alternative to ready made Salsas you can buy at supermarkets
4. Lettuce about 3 cups
5. Garlic, 4 cloves
6. Onion, 1/2 cups
7. Soy sauce, 1 tbsp.
8. Pepper,Chili Powder, Ground Cumin - add according to taste
9. Cheese Spread - I prefer Chiz Whiz
10. Grated Cheese - depends if you like a lot of it


How to prepare:
1. Saute garlic and onion, add ground beef and cook for 5mins.
2. Add soy sauce and cook for another 3mins.
3. Add tomato, cook for 3mins.
4. Add pepper, chili powder and ground cumin

5. Cook for 3mins then set aside
6. On a plate, arrange the nachos
7. Mix the cooked beef with the lettuce. Pour over the nachos
8. Squeeze some Chiz Whiz on top
9. Sprinkle the grated cheese

**You can also try not to cook the tomatoes. Just mix it with the lettuce and the cooked meat.
Enjoy!!

Home made NACHOS

Swatch Touch - a simple gift for myself :) (Swatch Touch Review)

Last February 4,2012, my husband and I went to a mall somewhere in Alabang. We passed by Swatch stall and noticed this watch..
I actually don't have any plans on buying this watch but I really like to have a silicone or plastic strapped watch because I usually have metal watches.
So when I saw this, it just captures me and feel like buying it for myself.

**This is s review for Swatch Touch**

Swatch Touch is made by Swatch Swiss watch company. This is a digital watch, having no hands nor any mechanical parts that ticks. Instead, it is digitally operated via its touch screen interface which lets users to modify its settings and operate it.

For its material composition, the watch itself is made of plastic and the straps are made of silicone with notches on its back giving extra grip on your skin especially if you are sweaty like me. As for my experience and observations, the touch screen is protected by a screen surround which is somewhat elevated by a few millimetres. Some dirt got captured by its edges due to the elevation

When you heard of a touch screen device, you usually think that all part of its screen are touch sensitive. But for Swatch Touch, only the bottom portion of its screen is touch sensitive. It has three buttons to control. To activate it, you need to touch the left and right screen buttons and then the middle button is used to set it like an "OK" button. To access the features, you have to scroll it sideways. I actually experience difficulty in setting this watch that I just let it in the Time 1 Zone all the time.

Add caption


Packaging also adds appeal to buyers. It is enclose in a plastic box like this one with a Swatch engrave on its sides.

Features of this watch includes:
Time 1 and 2, which lets you have 2 time zones
Alarm
Beep
Chronograph
Date
Timer

For the cost, I bought this for Php 6,000. I think, its features and being "touch screen" makes this expensive.

As you can see in the picture on the right side, the biggest number is the second, left digit is the hour ans right is the minute. the three bars below is where you will control it.











For my overall experience, I think this is a good watch, though its really hard to control and access the features. I also think not all watch users really use the features of this watch. like for example the alarm clock  which most of us uses our cell phones as an alarm in the morning which is much practically easier to set, use and reliable. The beep of this watch is not loud enough to wake me up in the morning :)
Although this watch really looks great and a lot of my peers noticed it, I still think there are a lot more watches out there that looks good but not as expensive as this one.

To add in this review, the touch screen buttons of my NEW watch is not functioning since the last 3 days that I tried to activate it. I actually activated the touch screen since Feb 11 and never activate it anymore. :(
I'm going to bring this watch today at Swatch Stall where I bought it :(

Achieving my New Year's Resolution- A Slimmer Body: 2. Healthy Living, Healthy Diet : Whole Wheat Cereal + Low Fat Milk

Eating right and eating healthy is also important in achieving my goal this year.

Though exercise really improves and tones our body, a good diet is also necessary.

I’ve realized that no matter how much I exercise if I’m not eating right, I will not really achieve my goal.

So I started to eat a lot of veggies and fruits every day.

I also cut my meals at dinner.

A lot of people says that eating less at dinner will also keep you fit.

This is because our body is going into the rest or sleep mode that it cannot digest the same way as it did the day time.

For my diet, I usually eat late for my breakfast. Almost lunch that its already brunch. I eat usually 9-10 in the morning for my brunch. I don’t have any morning snacks.

And the afternoon by 2-3, I eat my afternoon snacks.
At dinner, I usually eat a lot..But that’s before I decided to have a diet.

Now I eat less. What I have for dinner is just about some whole wheat cereals and low fat milk with some veggies and sometimes, fruits.

I don’t know  if this will work for me because it’s difficult to really follow on  a strict diet.

I’m into this Whole Wheat Cereal and Low fat milk diet at night.

I can’t follow its recommendation to have it at breakfast.
In its packaging it promises "show your shape in 14days"
But that's if you eat this at breakfast and dinner in which its kinda difficult for me.

I think, even if you're not into this type of diets, you'll still loose even an inch if you just cut your meal even a little during dinner. :)

Any ways, I hope this will help me achieve my goal this year.

Achieving my New Year's Resolution- A Slimmer Body: 1. A very good running shoe: Skechers Resistance Runner PRO RESISTANCE Shape Ups

Last year, I set a goal for my self that I should have at least 27" waistline. Unfortunately, that did not happen. But, I was able to loose around 5lbs and I think I improved my body size since I was able to wear some of my old and favorite clothes before I got pregnant. :)
If you may ask, this might be because of a little excersice, which started around mid-October, some little and not so strict diet, and some advanced science through a series of lipo-cavitation and radio frequency treatments which my consitent weekly sessions started by October.
Before 2011 ends, I decided to really achieve the dream body I always wanted.

I also realized that lipo-caviation sessions will not work as effective as you expect if you won't really exert the effort to exercise and diet. So I decided to focus on one physical activy that I am capable of. I was not really a sporty person but I guess, running really fits anyone. (just seek medical advise if you are undergoing some medications)

Actually, last November, I looked for a good running shoes. I saw this Skechers Resistance Runner PRO RESISTANCE . I wasn't really into buying this one but I thought that this will push me to run because if I don't use this shoe, its just a waste of money.. (that's my motivation..hehehe :) )

I saw this shoe in SM dept. store in Sta. Rosa Laguna. I actually don't have any idea on how much this cost that I actually fit all their shape up shoes in the display rack!

When we're about to pay at the cashier, it was a whooping PHP5800++  !!(I was not sure of the exact price, I already forgot :) ) Leaving us no choice to buy it, hehehehe.. But I was happy for it :)

  

Now let me share my experience with this shoe.

Actually, its really comfortable to wear.

It looks like an ordinary shoe, unlike the other shape up shoes from skechers, this don't have a very noticeable inclined sole.

For me, it makes me accelerate better because it push you to move forward.

I like the tongue lock - it holds the tongue in place :)

Just one cons, after a long run, my right foot just felt a little pain. not sure if this was shoe related or me, just not knowing how to run properly. hehehe :) My gym instructor said it was just me.

Anyway, overall this was good shoe.

I also asked my instructor if it really help tone/shape up one's body.

He said yes.. (I'm glad that he says YES because if not, I will just realized it wasn't worth the price!)

It really help shape up because it helps you move forward because of the shoe design, making you run more and helps in better body position.

Nailaholics - Hand and Foot Package Experience, Something new before 2011 ends

Last January 2011, I planned on trying a body scrub session. This was really new to me since I never tried having this in a spa.. But before 2011 ends, I also end up doing something not so far from what I planned - a hand and foot spa session.

From the outside

I searched for a good spa within our area (Laguna, Philippines) for a good spa. I feel like NAILAHOLIC maybe a good spa to have this experience.

The place looks so inviting for me. Seems I can really relax at this place.

Sofa

I availed their new service, Moroccan treatment (if I remembered it right :) ), hand and foot spa which also includes manicure and pedicure. Well I guess I need that too since I don't usually have my hands and feet mani or pedi cured, I just trim my nails!









Whats with this Moroccan Treatment?
- this includes, scrub, mud wrap, Moroccan oil massage, manicure and  pedicure
- price: around 1000+ (I forgot the exact price)

Now let me share my experience:

My feet were soaked in a solution (not sure what it was)
Scrub up to just below my knee
Mud wrap - a cold and relaxing wrap
Pedicure
Oil Massage






The same thing applied to my hands up to my arms.
I just wasn't able to take pictures of it :(

For me, the spa is good and relaxing but the manicure and pedicure, not so good that I actually repeat my nail polish when I got home :(
My nails were not as clean as I expect it since their name is "Nailaholics" they must be very expert on nail cleaning, nail arts, nail polish.
My expectations were not met :(
So for me, this was not really worth the fee.
Maybe it defends on the branch.

Hope you'll never have the same experience that I had.

Break from Holiday Food

Usually, on holidays, there are a lot of variety of delicious food available in our table. The usual ham, other meat dishes, a lot of sweet desserts like cakes.
To have a break from that, I tried cooking this simple dish at home.

Fish Tocino

Ingredients:

Milk fish, boneless, butterfly cut?? :)









 Tocino Mix powder









 Cooking oil

Directions:

1. Sprinkle tocino powder on fish.
2. Marinate for at least 30 minutes
3. Fry in cooking oil
4. Serve while hot with steamed rice
5. Enjoy!! :)

 

My Fish Tocino :)

Hope you'll enjoy this one.
Happy holidays! :)

Manila Ocean Park - Family Day :)

It has been a very busy month for me that I was not able to share this experience that happen a month ago.
Together with my family and friends, we visited Manila Ocean Park.
This is my first time to be in that place. I am so excited that my son, Gareth, will be able to see how the fishes swim no mater how big or small they are.

Manila Ocean Park is the first marine-themed park in the Philippines. It houses exciting, enticing and enriching marine life attractions that are truly at par with Asia's best. It somehow teaches us about marine life and the importance of conserving the environment.

We avail a promo which is includes:
Oceanarium
Jellies
Marine Life Shows
Fish Spa
Musical Fountain Show

Below are the picture taken using my not so good cellphone camera but I hope you'll appreciate and enjoy it.

This photos are taken from the Oceanarium. There a a lot of fishes but this one really amaze me because they bury themselves in the sand. I forgot what they are called :)

Picture taking with the Sharks Part 1

Gareth's really hungry and can't wait to have his milk. So i grab the opportunity to take this picture with the sharks while feeding him and he's behave.. :)

Picture taking with the Sharks Part 2

 Its a really tiring day. So we just lay Gareth with the sharks.. Looks like he's really enjoying it. :)

  Stingrays... There's a lot of it. And its not just a stingray, its a very big stingray!!












Well, its really a good place to go. i just wasn't able to post other pictures from the other shows.
I really like the Jellies, though they're not that much, I like them because they glow in the dark and the room was indeed very dark.

Marine Life Show - this amaze me especially when the sea lions started their shows and wow, unbelievable, they really do a lot of tricks!

Musical fountain Show - amazing lights and fountain.. very colourful!

I'll be uploading some of our pictures when I have time..(well, hope I will)