Quick Shrimp Dish...

Hi All,

Last evening I  got in really late from work and was so hungry I could have eaten a house, because of my 'healthier lifestyle' I didn't stop at a fast food place just.  I simply drove at a consistent pace of 100kmph until I made it to my driveway 😉😜.  I knew that I had shrimp and vegetables in my freezer so I'd actually started preparing the dish in my head before I even walked through the door. I love shrimp - although I know everything should  be in moderation, it actually promotes heart and brain health due to its content of omega 3 fatty acids. 

I put some butter in a heated pan to melt then placed the shrimp in (straight from the freezer), lowered the heat and covered, after about 3 minutes I added the vegetables, along with black pepper, paprika, grated garlic and ginger powder. 
Put the rice to boil .....and about 18 -20 minutes after I got home I had a home cooked meal in front of me.


You will need;
Shrimp
Vegetables
Basmati rice (or any rice for that matter)
Seasonings (to your liking)
Butter
chaddon benny
lime juice

Would you try it??

In the face of adversity......

Hi All,

Today I want to touch on how we deal with adversity....

In my life there has been adversity and then some, and I believe that everyone you speak with will say the same regardless of race or social standing.  What we do in the face of adversity is what sets us apart in this life...this is what determines whether we'll have a happy fulfilling life or not....

I read a story some time ago about a young lady going to an elder for advice as life (by her estimation) was really hard for her - her husband had cheated and she was on the verge on giving up as she was tired of  experiencing so much hurt and disappointment.  She felt that as soon as she solved one problem another one popped up and it was a perpetual cycle.

The elder took her to the kitchen and filled three pots with water, and placed each one on high fire, she placed carrots in one pot, an egg in the other and coffee beans in the third and let them to boil.  After a while she turned off the burners and placed the items on a platter, and asked the young lady what she saw.  To which she replied - carrots, an egg and coffee.    The elder requested that she touch each item - the carrots were soft, the egg hard boiled and the water in which the beans were placed had absorbed all the flavour.




Whilst all the items had endured the same adversity- boiling water, they didn't react the same way.  The carrot has softened and become weak, the egg whilst protected by it thin shell it had eventually become hardened.  The coffee beans were unique however, after being in the boiling water, they had actually changed it.

In the face of adversity, I can say without fear of contradiction, that you just have to visualize the outcome you want/better days because absolutely nothing lasts forever, nothing....Once you understand that there can be no growth without rain, you will embrace your periods of trials as it is always a preamble to brighter days.  Mind you, bad days will come around after the good ones but with every episode you will become stronger !!!!

How do you handle adversity, like the carrot, the egg or the coffee beans?

Smoothies and their health benefits....

Hi All,

Today I bring to you the yummy topic of smoothies....

Smoothies are a great way to loose weight without starving yourself as they make you feel super full thereby replacing an actual meal.  Additionally, they're packed or rather you can pack lots of healthy items into it.  I like all types of smoothies, I can do green smoothies, fruit smoothies, vegetable smoothies.  If it was possible to make a roti smoothie I would have loved that also 😃😄.  On the journey to Clean Belle of Health - we're only concerned with the healthy........

Green smoothies are great as they :-

Promote Weight Loss

Naturally Improves Hydration

Improves Digestion

Rejuvenates Your Body

Protects Against Free Radical Damage

Reliefs Symptoms of Depression

Today I want to share with you the recipe of a..........

Strawberry Pineapple Banana Smoothie.

       

You'll  need:

• 1 cup Strawberries.
• 1 cup Pineapple.
• 1 Banana.
• 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
• 1 cup almond milk 
• 1 cup Spinach optional. (2 handfuls will make it a green smoothie)
• 1 Tablespoon Chia or Flaxseeds optional.

• Ice.

Puree until smooth and serve chilled

Do you try weird combos in your smoothies?  Let me know down below 

Health Benefits of Walking....

Hi All,

Exercising doesn't have to equate to costly gym memberships, you can simply lace up your trainers and go walking...

Thirty (30) minutes everyday can vastly improve cardiovascular fitness, boost muscle power and endurance as well as reduce excess body fat.  Exercising doesn't only mean 'leg day' and excruciating pain 😊.

Here are a few tips to walk the walk (see what I did there 😎)

• Walk for 10/15 minutes if 30 minutes is too much for you and increase the length of time gradually 
• Warm up by walking slowly then increasing the pace 
• Wear comfortable shoes as the wrong shoes can do more harm than good 
• To change up the scenery, drive to a new (safe) place and park and walk 
• Gradually reduce your speed as you wind down 
• Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate - walk with water and sip as you go 

Some persons are only motivated to train when partnering with a personal trainer, if that's you then check out Personal Trainer - Safiya who offers personal training at affordable prices.  Reach out via her Instagram handle train_with_safiya for further information and use the hashtag #bellehealthyliving

Let me know down below how it goes....

Men and Mental Health...

Hi All,

I was a little unsure about doing this piece as I really don't want to be too preachy.  But, in more ways than one, the mental health of people close to you matter just as much as yours does.  You see I've lost a male relative to suicide and a part of me believes that if that space for him to really open up was available, maybe just maybe........

I have five (5) men in my life that mean the world to me and so I'm doing this as it may help a male somewhere out there

Since the dawn of time we've been conditioned to believe that 'real' men ought to be stoic, this expectation means that many men suffer emotional turmoil in isolation.   In fact, statistics from Mental Health America states that over 6 million men suffer from depression each year, but often goes un-diagnosed.  This is due to men reporting fatigue, irritability etc rather than sadness or worthlessness. 

As humans we all have dark days regardless of the lives we lead, some persons look at other people and make comments like 'what do you have to be sad about ?" But no one knows the sum total of another's life experiences and the lasting effects.  For example, Michael Phelps - 28 time Olympic medalist suffers with depression and anxiety.

I read somewhere that ..we should be kinder than necessary as everyone is fighting some battle. 

To my male readers, find someone to talk to,  most countries offer social services that will afford you the opportunity to talk to someone for free.  If trusting another human being is easier said than done.. then pray.
Find a spouse that allows you the freedom to let go whenever you need to!  There is no need to be strong all the time.

 

DIY Face mask.....

Hi All,

There is growing popularity of organic products and face masks are no different.  The right face mask can remove excess oils, hydrate skin and improve the appearance of your pores and are a great way to remove impurities from your skin. 

Beauty Tip 1: Before applying your face mask, dab a small amount of eye gel or eye cream around the eyes. This will help to protect this very delicate area from dehydration.

Beauty Tip 2: When your face mask mask has dried and it’s time to come off, simply place a warm, wet washcloth over your face and hold it onto your skin for a few seconds. Repeat this a few times to help loosen up and dissolve the face mask from your skin. This tip will make the rinsing off process much easier and gentler for your skin.

My neighbor recently did some work on his roof and encountered a beehive, he had to call in a beekeeper to deal with it.  When the dust or in this case the bees cleared, he was in possession of a honey comb with lots of honey which he shared with me.  I was a bit uneasy about consuming it, so I decided to use it for a face mask 

For an organic honey banana face mask, you'll need - ripe banana, orange juice, honey

1. Mash one-half of the banana in a  bowl.   

2. Mix in a tablespoon of orange juice and a tablespoon of honey

3. Apply the mask to your face (lumps are totally fine!) and keep the mixture on for 15 minutes.

4. Rinse with lukewarm water and then moisturize.

Would you try this organic banana face mask? 

One Pot Pasta Dinner...

Hi All,

So everyone that knows me, is aware of my love for one pot meals, quick clean up, quick prep time and quick eat time.  After all life is too short to spend hours in front of a stove right 😀.

Today I'll share with you a pasta dish prepared in one pot !!




Here's what you will need:

1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
6 small tomatoes (halved)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock (unsalted)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 handfuls baby spinach
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 pack linguine pasta

Heat oil in medium/heavy pot
Saute onion and garlic (about 3 minutes)
Add tomatoes, stock, oregano (bring to a boil)
Add pasta and stir to submerge in liquid
Cover and reduce heat
When pasta is cooked, add spinach in batches
Once wilted, sprinkle with parmesan and serve.

I prefer to exclude salt but you can include if you desire.

Try it and let me know how it pans out

Mind declutter....

Hi Dearies

In order for one to be truly healthy, we must work on both our physical and mental well being. Today's blog will be on a few steps to improve your mental health.  Everyone isn't in the same place mentally, and because we will never really know someone else's struggles, we should always be kinder than necessary. 

In a world that is driven technology and connectivity, its becoming increasingly difficult to disconnect.  More often than not, the stresses from the job follow up home. 

 5 Tips for improving your mental health; 

• You must be deliberate with what you allow yourself to think about - if you had a hard day on the job don't go home and agonize about it.  Analyse the situation, see where you went wrong and learn from it. 
• Forgive yourself - we ALL make mistakes, I know its easier said than done.  Especially when you've wronged someone that you care about.  Just remember that the best apology is changed behavior ......work on it!!!
• Ensure that you 'unplug' at some time in the evening, you can't allow yourself to be available at all times with no regard for family/home life 
• Don't be afraid to talk to someone about your issues - mind you I don't mean to continuously complain about a situation that isn't going your way and not do anything about it.  I mean talk about how your feelings, whether something is making you anxious and so forth and look for ways to alleviate or manage. 
• Do something enjoyable every week, it doesn't have to be fancy and cost alot of money, you can simply go zip lining or take a walk on the beach.....if those things tickles your fancy 

What do you do to manage your stress levels? Hit me a line in the comments and let me know! 

Clear Skin Tips ....

Hi Dearies,

Today I want to share my battle and subsequent victory with acne.  I've struggled with acne for a far back as I can remember, now its not chronic but prior to 2-3 months ago, I can't remember a time when my face was completely smooth.  Well, in my adult years that is....

 Now onto the victorious part of the story.....

Since I've started eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more water (I sometimes do detox water) there has been a miraculous change in my facial skin.  Prior to this I was in the habit of always having water in my handbag, but only actually drank heavily when I knew I had access to (clean) washrooms.  

In addition, I started using a spin brush about three (3) times per week which has also done wonders.

Disclaimer: these steps worked for my skin type, bear in mind that it may or may not work for you as well. 

There are attachments for deep clean, regular clean, a body brush and a pumice stone.  I  usually cleanse my face with Neutrogena foaming cleaner, then squirt a pea sized amount of the attachment of choice (it goes without saying that the pumice stone is NOT for your face but rather your feet) and use the spin brush on my face for about 1 1/2 minutes.   After rinsing I follow up with a spritz or two of rose water on my face which I press in and then I apply my moisturizer or coconut oil and massage in.

Are you strggling with acne? What are you doing to manage it? Comment below and lets chat...