Healthy Chicken and Egg Salad for Lunch

As 2015 comes to a close, I have made a resolution to eat healthy in the coming year. Though I don't know how long I will be able to follow this, I am trying my best.

 I guess my body needs it, given the fact that my physical activity is limited. I am mostly at my desktop in office through the day and by the time I reach home, I am almost drained out to take up any exercise. I have made a promise to myself to make some easy changes to my daily routine.

Being an extremely fussy eater, it is extremely important for my food to taste good. I am a hardcore non-vegetarian and have always disliked vegetables. But I have realized that I can't ignore vegetables if I want to eat right.

Therefore, I thought of this recipe. It was an amateur experiment which turned out pretty well.The idea of it was simple and borrowed from a scrambled egg recipe. I tossed shredded chicken, scrambled eggs and lots of vegetables with garlic,onions and tomatoes to make this healthy salad. Loaded with prteins, it keeps you full for a long time.

Healthy Chicken and Egg Salad

Lets take a look:

Ingredients:

1. 250 gms boiled chicken

2. 1 egg 

3. Chopped carrots

4. Chopped beans

5. Chopped capsicum

6. Chopped tomatoes

7. Diced Onion

8. Chopped Garlic

9. Oregano or any other herb

10. Green chillies

11. Chopped Coriander

12. Salt to Taste

13. 2tsp soya sauce

Method:

1. Pressure cook chicken for around 10mins. I used chicken with bones so that the broth can be used to make chicken soup

2. Once the chicken cools down, shred the chicken and keep aside

3. In a non stick pan, add about 1tsp of oil and stir fry the garlic, diced onions and capsicum. You may add bell peppers as well

4. Once the onions and the garlic turns pinkish brwn, add the chopped vegetables and stir fry. You can add as many vegetables as you wish

5. Add the shredded chicken and mix well

6. Use herbs as required at this phase. Add in salt and pepper as well along with soya sauce

7. I added scrambled eggs to this as well to make it a more wholesome meal. You might add only egg white as well.

8.Add chopped coriander leaves and green chillies 

Seve hot. :)

Winter Essentials : Himalaya Herbal's new range of premium creams

Himalaya Herbals has come up with a new range of premium skincare products. The range includes the following:

• Himalaya Anti-Wrinkle Cream
• Himalaya Oil Free Radiance Gel Cream
• Himalaya Clear Complexion Whitening Day Cream
• Himalaya Revitalising Night Cream

With winters around the corner, my skin has a tendency to become extremely dry and flaky. Himalaya Herbals has been a trusted brand in personal care using natural and safe ingredients. I am excited to try out the new range of creams especially the Night Cream and the day cream this winter.

Here's a first look at the products and what the brand claims for each of them:

Himalaya Anti-Wrinkle Cream | Reduces wrinkles, fine lines and age spots

 

Himalaya Anti-Wrinkle Cream gives the perfect solution for younger looking skin. The cream deeply penetrates skin and provides 3 essential benefits to keep worry lines away. It is enriched with natural extracts - Aloe Vera and Grapes which help in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, moisturising skin and reducing age spots

The product is Fortified with natural ingredients like Aloe Vera and  Grapes.

Himalaya Anti-Wrinkle Cream  is priced at Rs 250 for a 50g pack. 

Himalaya Oil-Free Radiance Gel Cream | Gently hydrates. Oil-free glow

 

Himalaya Oil Free Radiance Gel Cream

Himalaya Oil-Free Radiance Gel Cream gently hydrates the skin to give an oil-free radiant glow. It is a light, gel textured cream enriched with special herbs that provide 3 essential benefits of hydration, skin radiance and quick absorption.

It is enriched with Barbary fig and Winter Melon keeps skin moisturized, healthy, protected and rejuvenated.

Himalaya Clear Complexion Whitening Day Cream | Lightens skin tone. With UV protection

Himalaya Clear Complexion Whitening Day Cream

Himalaya Clear Complexion Whitening Day Cream gives a radiant glow and brighter skin tone. It is a light and non-greasy day cream enriched with unique herbal extracts.

Enriched with Licorice and White Dammer, it ensures 3 effective actions of hydration, lightening and clear complexion.

Licorice is a known for fading the dark spots and blemishes. It is a natural source which Inhibits melanin synthesis and gives brighter complexion. Whereas, White Dammer exhibits anti-oxidant properties and helps reduce mild pigmentation and spots resulting in even skin tone.

Himalaya Revitalising Night Cream | Restores moisture balance, nourishes and repair

Himalaya Revitalizing Night Cream

Himalaya Herbals Revitalizing Night Cream is a deep penetrating, luxurious cream that works overnight with the natural renewal cycle of skin. It provides essential benefits from ingredients sourced naturally, that leave the skin soft, supple and rejuvenated.

White lily is rich in antioxidants and helps in neutralizing free radicals and Repairs daily damage. Tomato is known for its rich ingredients of flavonoids and AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) and helps in cell renewal.

All the products mentioned above except the Night Cream is prices at Rs.250 for a 50g pack. The night cream is priced at Rs. 200 for a 50g jar. 

They are available at most retail outlets in your city and online at http://himalayawellness.com/

My first Impression:

• I liked all the products especially the Clear Complexion Whitening Day Cream and the Revitalizing Night Cream
• The creams are light and non sticky; they feel extremely light on the skin
• They keep my skin hydrated for a long time even though its winter and my skin gets extremely dry during this time
• I wish the brand had provided a spatula along with the packs as they are more hygeinic
• Like most creams, they also come in glass jars, which is a little difficult to carry while travelling.

Overall, I liked the products :) I would recommend that you should try out these products once. Do share your feedback as well :)

Winter Essentials : VLCC's new Loveable Lips range of lip balms

Lip Balms are a must at this time of the year.  Lip balms are a constant companion, thanks to my extremely dry lips which remain chapped almost all round the year.

This time, I got to try the VLCC new lip balm range - Loveable Lips range of lip balms.

The new range of Lovable Lips balms is packed with the goodness of natural ingredients like extracts of Jojoba oil, Almond oil and Vitamin E to soothe and nourish the lips leaving them soft, supple and hydrated. SPF 15 will protect your lips from harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Available in 8 lip-smacking flavours Peach, Rose, Strawberry, Cherry, Orange, Mango, Almond and Honey, these lip balms are tinted and a flavour to it.

What I feel about the product:

Gives a nice, moisturised texture to the lips 

Keeps the lips hydrated for about 4 hours

Affordable product and a good bargain for its price

Has a flavour to it which is not very overpowering. I tried the Mango one and I quite liked the sweet smell of mangoes in the month of December.

Esy retractable packaging, with the flavour clearly mentioned in the body

It is available at all leading stores and pharmacies.

Price of the product is Rs. 125 for 4.5 grams.

Overall, a good product at this price.

Disclaimer: PR Sample, honest review

Winter Essentials : Maybelline New York India's Baby Lips Candy Wow range

Maybelline New York India's new Candy Wow range

Maybelline New York India's has added yet another wonderful product to its already popular Baby Lips range - The Baby Lips Candy wow lip balm.

Baby Lips is every girl's favourite lip balm and is one of Maybelline's most popular products. I have used their Baby lips range before and have loved the range. It gives a faint colour and keeps the lips moisturized for a good 5-6 hours.

The Baby Lips Candy Wow range is an interesting product. The new range comes in the format of a crayon.Enriched with Vitamin E, this chubby stick will help you wow your lips in 5 candy shades - Raspberry, Mixed Berry, Orange, Cherry and Peach.The stick has a dash of colour and sweetness of a candy.

Maybelline New York Candy Wow range - Cherry

I got the shade Cherry and it gives a nice pink colour to my lips. Its the perfect shade I would like to wear on a regular weekday when I want to go easy on make up and lipsticks.

What I feel about the product:

• The balm comes in a nice crayon look
• Looks very cute
• Keeps my extremely dry lips moisturised for upto 4-5 hours
• Gives a nice dash of colour
• The packaging of the product is its USP
• The shades are well pigmented
• Two swipes give you the perfect hydration

The product is expensive in comparison to the original Baby Lips range, the only plus point being the packaging.

You also have to be extremely careful when closing the cap as it always doesn't fit well.


Disclaimer: PR sample, honest review.

Review of the newest Pan Asian gallery in town - Stud!o at Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences

Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences, has recently come up with yet another interesting offering - Its Pan Asian Gallery - Stud!o. Yes, that's how they choose to describe it ! Because it offers much more than just food.

The newest Pan Asian Restaurant in town offers live music, art exhibitions and so much more while serving the best of Pan Asian Cuisine to the guests. The best part is the chic decor of the place. The outlet plays with natural and artificial lights in the most efficient way, with light reflecting through the steel sheets in the ceilings and the prismatic kitchen. The prismatic kitchen offers a sneak peak of all the action in the kitchen. Overlooking the beautiful poolside of the property, the Stud!o is elegant in its own unique way.

Stud!o offers a lot more than just the regular dumplings, Thai curries and noodles.You will start seeing the Pan Asian cuisines in a new light once you go through their menu. This time, I sampled the vegetarian offerings of Stud!o. A hardcore non-vegetarian since childhood and a fussy eater than I am, I have always been extremely picky with vegetables. However, Chef  Neelabh assured us that we will love it :P

What was on the menu?

Thai Spiced vegetables

We started our meal with Thai Spiced vegetables and kakiage tempura(a deep fried Japanese delicacy) . I loved the appetizers. With the right amount of flavour and spice, they were just perfect. Further, we moved on to the vegetable baoji and the water chestnut and chive dumpling. Baoji's outer coating had an interesting mix of flour and sesame seeds but the dumpling emerged as the winner. I had never thought that a dumpling with no meat in it could taste so good :D

Vegetable Baoji ; Water Chestnut and chive dumplings

From the sushis, there was the cucumber and pickled radish maki after which came the Udon noodle broth with sesame seeds.Udon is wheat noodles and is the Japnese noodle soup. It was too sour for my taste though.

Cucumber and pickled radish maki

Udon Noodle Broth

As for the main course spread, I loved the jasmine rice and the Thai green curry, both rich in their own distinct flavours. The chilli garlic noodles too was quite a favourite.

Chilli Garlic Noodles

Jasmine Rice and Thai green curry

The dessert offerings at Novotel Kolkata is something that I always look forward to whenever I am eating at Novotel and they impress me every single time with their unique offerings. This time I had Tab Tim Samsee, a coconut flavoured dessert with water chestnuts. Next on offer was a sweet dish made with poached pears with galangal(thai ginger), mascarpone cream and chocolate soil. This one was a surprise for me as the usage of pear for this was new to me.

Galangal Poached pears, mascarpone cream, chocolate soil

Overall, the food was good. The ambiance of the place is the best thing about Stud!o and is something to look out for. The experience of dining at Stud!o is sure to remain with you for a long time.

My Experience of making my own tee at Freecultr - #ExpressYourself

Though I have always loved witty quotes on my tee, I had never tried my hands at T-Shirt designing. I have known a few local shops that provide the option of customizing your t-shirt, you can't always buy one piece. They usually only take wholesale orders. This has further kept me away from designing t-shirt.

I recently came across Freecultr, an e-commerce platform that allows you to design and sell your own t-shirt. What's best is that you can also make money when someone buys your design.

This gave me the inspiration to try my hands at t-shirt designing. On certain days, I lack that creative streak in me. Unfortunately today was one of those days, However, I was super bored and decided to do give Freecultr a try. I would call my designs, lazy designing as they are extremely simple and uncomplicated.

I love witty quotes on my tees. They have an attitude of their own and adds oodles of style to your personality. So, I decided to add just that to my designs. Being a Minion lover, how could I have left them behind :P

The process of designing your t-shirt is very simple on Freecultr. You just need to upload your design on the site, place the design correctly on the t-shirt, choose your price and the variety of t-shirt. You can also promote your t-shirts on your social media sites to share your designs with your friends.

And, you are ready to #ExpressYourself as a designer and  seller of  your own t-shirt on Freecultr. Yes, It is that simple. It doesn't hurt to give it a try.

You can check out my designs by clicking here. And yes, go ahead and order your favourite one.

Here are some of my designs:

Minion t-shirt, buy this here: http://www.freecultr.com/base-product.html?design=198117#women

Minion TSHIRT, To buy this, click here: http://www.freecultr.com/base-product.html?design=198147#men

Maybelline White Super Fresh Compact Powder review

Maybelline New York India's White Super fresh Compact powder

I have been quite irregular with blogging these days. Though I would like to give much more attention to my blog, professional and family commitments have been consuming all my energy levels. I realise that all of this will continue but I have promised myself that I will devote more time to my blog as it gives me a satisfaction that no other thing does  :)

Hope you all enjoy the blog as well. Look forward to your valuable feedback.

Today, I have the review of Maybelline New York India's latest launch, The white super fresh compact powder review. The compact comes in a cute white packaging.The brand claims that It is a 12 hour perfecting compact which helps you stay fresh, fair and always in control!

Maybelline New York India's White Super Fresh compact powder review

Available in 3 shades for the skin tone: Pearl (Light to Medium), Shell (Medium) & Coral (Medium to Dark) and is priced at Rs.150.

Maybelline New York India's White Super Fresh compact powder review

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What I feel about the product:

• The product gives a nice feel to the skin and makes it look fresh
• For me, It lasts for around 7-8 hours which is good for any workday
• It does not make the skin look patchy
• The shade which I used, Pearl, complements my skin tone and gives it a natural tone

Overall, I feel the product is a good offering by Maybelline India at this price. It is perfect for daily wear and I am sure you will love the product being the #GirlOnTheGo.

Disclaimer: PR Sample

VLCC's new gold facial kit review : a do-at- home 6 step facial system

VLCC Gold Facial kit

With 25 years of expertise, the leading beauty and wellness brand, VLCC,  has harnessed the richness of gold to curate a luxurious facial that improves the skin’s hydration and preserves its natural luminosity. It smoothes and refines the skin, reducing the appearance of pores.

Gold has been known to enhance the beauty of a woman since times immemorial. Gold is also known for its anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory properties. It is known to enhance the radiance of the skin.

VLCC Gold facial kit pack

VLCC has brought the benefits of gold in an easy to use, do-it-yourself home facial kit. It gives you the benefits of a nice gold facial right at the comfort of your home :)
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This kit is a part of of 7 exclusive home facial kits in variants like Papaya Fruit, Anti Tan, Party Glow Pearl, Silver, Gold and Diamond that will help infuse the skin with the goodness of nature.

What does the kit contain ? 

1. Pre facial kit - Comfrey Cleanser cum toner with Aloe vera

2. Gold scrub - Gold Radiance Facial with turmeric gold leaf

3. Gold gel - Gold radiance Facial with galnut and gold leaf

4.Gold Cream - Gold Radiance Facial with wheatgerm and gold oxide
5. Gold peel off mask - Gold Radiance Facial with Lemon peel and gold oxide
6. Post Facial - Oil free moisturizing gel(with SPF 15 and aloe vera)
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How do you go about it ?

Step 1:

The most important thing about any facial is cleansing and toning. Apply the cleaser on your face and necka nd massage in circular motion for 2-3 minutes and wipe off

Step 2:

Use the scrub for 5 minutes in circular and outward strokes and wash off with water

Step 3:

Take the gel and apply it on your face until it gets absorbed into the skin

Step 4:

Take the gold cream and massage it until it gets absorbed into the skin

Step 5:

Use the peel off mask and form a thin layer on your face and neck. Avoid the eye area and let the mask dry on its own. Peel off the mask once it dries. Rinse your face and pat dry. I used cucumber slices on my eyes for a relaxing effect while waiting for the mask to dry

Apply it all over your face and neck after the facial 

 What do I feel about the kit ?

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<The kit is an extremely convenient way of treating your skin when you are in a hurry. The procedure is well explained and is easy to follow. The best part is it takes around 30 minutes. 

They use natural ingredients for this kit.

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I used the kit after I was back after a vacation and my skin was tanned. The sun tan is not something which will magically disappear after a facial. It is completely illogical to expect that from any product. However, my skin felt fresh and radiant after the facial. The glow was visible right after the facial. 

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The pack is travel-friendly as well as it comes in a small paper box with sachets of each. 

The price of the kit is Rs250, which is quite reasonable if you compare the price of the same treatment at your nearby salon.

Overall, a good product. I am looking forward to try out the anti-tan kit next fortnight to get rid of this the stubborn tan I have.