Valentine’s DIY: Heart shaped Tea Bag Tags

February 10, 2016February 10, 2016 ~ Sophie ~ 6 Comments

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Valentines day is four days away! It is a special season, to celebrate our loved ones. Though I believe we should be able to proclaim our love to our loved ones every single day. We do not require a special day to do so. Nonetheless, red is everywhere and a ton of events, sales, and what not. So in this season of love, I have this absolutely simple do it yourself project that takes less than five minutes from start to finish. its one way to add a little something special to your tea bags and a twist to your morning routine…err…tea. Below is a step by step tutorial on how to make these. Hope you have fun doing this. The best part is that you can personalise them to what you prefer.

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What you will need:

Tea bags

Red Paper

Soft cardboard/card paper

Glue stick

Pencil

Scissors

Method

heartteabags

Draw a heart shape on the card paper. Cut the shape out. Fold the red paper four times. Using a pencil, trace the heart shape onto the red paper. Cut out the shapes. Each teabag will need two red hearts. Glue the white side of the two hearts( the part you intend to stick the string on). Place the string in the middle and press them together. Easy!

If you have time on your hands, you can make a whole boxes and then send them out as gifts. Be creative.

🙂

Sophie

Green Mango Jam

January 5, 2016May 4, 2018 ~ Sophie ~ 9 Comments

green mango jam

Happy New Year Friends! It is overwhelming to think of all that has happened in the previous year and also a bitter-sweet feeling realizing 2015 is gone for good. I hope you have made the most out of it and if you haven’t, 2016 is a fresh new slate to write your story. I hope you write a memorable one. Speaking of writing, I have not been writing here for the past one week because the holidays demanded much of my attention. How was Christmas? I spent mine making an epic brunch with recipes from here. Then staying up was the order of the day so as to catch the New Year. It still hasn’t hit home that it’s a brand new year. It never does for most of us! I am so grateful and honoured to still have you read these words here on this corner of the internet. I am so excited for what the New Year will bring. What are your resolutions for the year? I also have some exciting things in store for this blog right here. Stay tuned! And to start off the year on the bright side; I have been observing the mango seasons. Trees put on fruit in November and December and May and June. Which was exciting because it gave me time to experiment with the green mangoes before they ripened! Part of my resolutions is to have decent breakfast meals. This means waking up early and honestly I am not a morning person. But hey it doesn’t hurt to try. No? Because I want to have decent breakfast, I have been experimenting with home-made jam. Have you ever tried making your own jam? It is so gratifying, you should try it. Since mangoes have been all over, this green mango jam was born. With a great combo of tanginess and sweetness to it, it would be great to spread on every slice of bread, scones, cookies, etc.. I have been fighting the urge to not slather it on almost everything. But in all honesty, when you get your hands on some green mangoes, make a batch of this jam (you can even double it up) and have your mornings catered for. You are welcome!

What you will need:

2 C. Green Mangoes, peeled

½ C. Sugar

½ C. Water

¼ Tsp. Vanilla extract

Method

Once the green mangoes are peeled, grate the mangoes till you get two cups. In a clean pan, Add the grated mangoes (make sure you add the mango juices too), the sugar water and vanilla extract. Boil the mixture. Once the mixture has boiled, reduce the fire and let it simmer till the water has completely reduced. Stir occasionally. A thick mixture will remain once the water has evaporated. Let the jam cool. Once completely cool, store in an air tight jar/container and keep refrigerated.

Have a wonderful week and a prosperous new year!

🙂

Sophie

Creamy St. Marcellin Maize Amaranth Pineapple Salad

December 24, 2015December 24, 2015 ~ Sophie ~ 2 Comments

Christmas is a day away. The festivities are in full swing. You can just feel the mood in the air. With all the scrumptious, heavy, deep, and rich meals circulating around the dining table, I thought it would be a good idea to share a salad less heavy but rich in nutrients and flavour. Also if you have been noticing our current weather, then you know that it has been raining for the longest time. Because of the rains, maize has been planted and some lucky plants have yielded good fresh cobs. And, because you can never go wrong with cheese, I created this salad with Paramount Dairies’ St. Marcellin cheese because of its creamy texture and full flavours. But first, let me explain the flavours and textures happening in this salad right here. If you’ve had roasted maize, you know of its sweet taste that, coupled with the raw snappy dodo (amaranth), creamy full flavoured St. Marcellin cheese plus avocadoes, brings the dish together. A surprising twist of diced pineapple adds a sweet tangy taste. A hint of pickled green olives add a savoury and tart taste. This salad is perfectly seasoned with green onions, coriander and finished with some salt. It’s the perfect balance of the sweet, salty and tangy flavours that will compliment your festive dishes. Not forgetting what a great way this would be to add healthy raw vegetables on the festive menu.

What you will need:

3 C. Roasted tender maize

3 C. Pineapple, thinly diced

2 C. Avocado, diced

1 C. St. Marcellin Cheese

Two handfuls of fresh, tender amaranth leaves or Leafy tender vegetable of your choice

2 tomatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ C. Green Onion, finely chopped

¼ C. Green olives, pitted and finely chopped

¼ C. Coriander, finely chopped

Salt

Observations

Prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and chill them for about 10 minutes before mixing them.
For a spicy salad, add a pinch of black pepper.
I used young dodo leaves (amaranth) for the salad but you can substitute it with any other leafy tender vegetable of your choice.
For a more creamy cheesy taste, add more St. Marcellin

Method

In a large bowl, add the maize kernels, the amaranth, the pineapple tidbits, the avocado, and the tomato slices. Crumble in the St. Marcellin . Add the olives, the green onions and the coriander. Toss the salad with wooden spoons till all the ingredients are evenly mixed. Sprinkle with salt. Serve chilled