WIAW- Foodie cooking for the brother

Hello foodies and everyone else! How's your week been so far? 

My parents have been on cruise holiday to Venise for 10 days, how lucky!! And that meant my brother and I were home alone and that also meant I've been cooking a lot more. I didn't cook everyday because there were days where I had to go into uni, do interviews and see my boyfriend. My baby brother cooked once when he was at home by himself.

Not bad for someone who hardly cooks or shall I say can't cook. lol and yes he ate all that. 

The days I did cook, I made an effort to make it interesting and tasty.

I made roast chicken, roast vegetables and potatoes. To go with the roast dinner, I made green tea pomegranate tea. This was so nice and smelt good too. I got this tea free from the Natural and Organic show. My brother finished the chicken, I only had a leg as I don't like eating too much meat. 

On one night, I made lettuce wrap, actually romaine lettuce wrap lol. For the filling I made it with diced chicken thighs, diced carrots, onions and strips of wood ear fungus (not sure what you call it in English but its a fungus that grows on trees and is extremely good for you. It helps clear your arteries). The bottom two dishes are noodles and steam salmon. 

One afternoon I made a traditional Chinese breakfast;  8 treasure congee ( see below to see what 8 treasure congee consists of), plain chow mein and because we don't have fried dough stick, I used Yorkshire pudding instead lol. 

This is what 8 treasure congee is made of, very nutritious.

We went out to Big Easy for lunch on Friday, was disappointed though. The lobster was tiny. 

I couldn't be bothered to cook on Sunday. So decided to have a gluten- free pizza from Pizza Hut. It was my first time have a gluten free pizza and it wasn't that tasty. It was like having a soft at the same time chewy Jacob biscuit with tomato sauce, cheese, ham and mushroom. Not having that again.

My breakfasts this week have been a little different. I've been having more protein than fibre. Instead of topping my bowl of oat, granola, museli/porridge/etc with a variety of fruits. I've been topping it with a range of nuts and seeds and less fruits. No particular reason just wanted a change. Also I like the crunchy texture that the nuts create. By the looks of them, you probably can tell I love my breakfasts lol. 

I've been adding pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, almond and walnuts, then as usual I sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons of baobab powder. Gojiberry is also another new favourite. I always make sure I have a supercharged breakfast as its the main meal of the day.

My last post about the burpee challenge said that I haven't worked out for 2 weeks. I just remember, I actually did my first hot yoga class with my boyfriend at the Life bar in Brick Lane last Wednesday. It was amazing. It did help release the stress I've been having with my dissertation. 

That's it for now. Thanks for reading! 

How to fit a workout into your busy lifestyle?

Hi lovelies! I haven't been to the gym or done any other workout in the last couple of weeks. Been too busy with dissertation as its due very soon. I feel every single minute counts and I just can't find time to fit my workout in. However, I did some leg raises for a few nights before going to sleep. Dang! They were good. 

But that's not enough I know,  I need a whole body workout. And I have discovered how to fit a whole body workout into a busy lifestyle. 

A home workout...read on....that is quick but very effective that works the whole body and makes you sweat! That is the BURPEES! 

I saw a picture from a fitness Facebook group, see below. I tried it today while I was taking a break from my dissertation. It took me 10 minutes to do 1 set; this will reduce once you get used to it, it was my first time. I was exhausted and sweaty at the end of it. No need to get change for the gym or park as you're only at home, no need to travel if you're gym isn't walking distance. So that's some time saved already. All you need is 15-20 minutes. 

The burpee is a 2 in 1 exercise, cardio and strength training together. Fitness trainers say this is one of the best exercises you can do to BURN FAT QUICKLY! Not sure what burpee is? Have a look at the YouTube video below. I added a press up when I went down to the plank to work my arms harder. I would definitely recommend you do that too. You do want those sexy toned arms right? 

It's going to be hard but if you want that body you got to work for it! Play some good music, it will make it easier. Good luck! 

What home workout do you do? How long can you do burpees for? 

A dedication to A-level and GCSE students

Hi everyone! Today's post is going to be different to what I usually blog about. It's not about beauty, health, fitness or food but education and life. I'm supposed to be doing my dissertation but I just had this eagerness to write this post. So hope you enjoy it and please share :)

A few days ago, the A-level results were out here in the UK. I think GCSEs results are out this week. I'm writing this because I want to pass on some positive words to A-level and GCSEs students. Well, I hope you will find it positive and encouraging lol.

For those who achieved As and Bs, CONGRATULATIONS! What are your plans?

For those who didn't do so well, still well done for the effort but just know that it is NOT the end of the world. You can still be successful in life, nothing is impossible...well apart from us flying. My all time favourite quote by Bruce Lee, "Defeat is a state of mind; no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality." I have that written out and pinned up on my vision board to remind myself. I'm saying this because I didn't do well at all in my A-levels. Anyways, I'm going to tell you about my story and you will know what I mean.

I come from a Chinese background and most of you may know how demanding Chinese parents are. Nothing is good but an A or A*. Being the oldest child of the family, my parents...actually my mum was the most demanding one, my mum expected me to do extremely well in school and achieve straight As. Always telling me so and so son or daughter got N As & A*s. So I sort of had the pressure to do well otherwise I'll be doomed for the rest of my life. Also, my mum's side of the family, every one did quite well academically and most went to university. I have a cousin who has a Masters and PHD degree in University of Cambridge, so the younger ones were expected to do as good.  In other words, we got compared. Oh how I hated that!

So what did I get for my GCSEs and A-Levels?

When I first got them I didn't tell my relatives because I was so ashamed and my parents were so angry especially  my mum. But I will tell you now. I don't care.

GCSEs: Straight Bs and 1 A* in Chinese

A-Levels: C, D, E. (U in AS- Level French but retook and got a D)

When I got my GCSEs, my mum was so disappointed because she was expecting As of course but I didn't even get ONE, lol. The A* didn't count because its Chinese. She had a massive go at me. Saying how I didn't put any effort into my work and I didn't revise enough, how she told me to revise more, etc. It went on weeks, I'm telling you. For her to react like that with straight Bs, you can imagine what she was like when I got my A-levels. lol.

When I got my A-levels result, I was scared and upset. Scared because my mum was going to have a massive go at me. lol. Upset because of those rubbish grades and that meant not being able to get into the university I applied for. The moment I looked at my grades, the world stopped. I really thought it was the end and the embarrassment of how I've told my relatives that I'm going City University to study Law. Well, I had to face it. So clearing was the option for me and I went to University of Westminster and studied Criminology and Economics there. Some of my friends went there too, so I was sort of happy going there. My mum sort of gave up on me since then lol. She didn't care what I studied and which uni I went to. Btw she was expecting me to go to a top university before and so she wasn't pleased at all me going to Westminster. Lol. I actually did try to apply to UCL but was rejected straight away, didn't even pass the first stage lol. The course was three years and I graduated with a upper second class. I was extremely happy. Ok, I know some got first class but I didn't think I could even get a 2:1 because I did so bad in my A-levels. This was the first best achievement in my life. It wasn't easy, I worked hard for it especially the final year.

You know what? I'm glad I didn't get the grades and went through clearing instead. One because it was kind of a reality check. Two, I didn't really want to study Law anyway lol- I only applied for it because I had no idea what to study and thought my parents would like it. 

What did I do next?

I took two years off studying and just did some work experience and temporary jobs. That was also good because it was another reality check. It made me realise how hard it was to get a job even if you've got a degree. It's all about the experience. I was being picky about jobs too and getting rejected a few times I was losing my confidence. I thought something was wrong with me. My plan was to study masters after having worked for a couple of years, so I did apply for masters.

Achieving a 2:1 meant that I could apply for top universities like UCL and I have always wanted to study there. So I applied for masters at UCL, studying Business Management. Fortunately, I was unsuccessful (Yes, I said FORTUNATELY), I think because I applied quite late, I know sounds like an excuse. lol but you know what? I'm glad I was unsuccessful that time because I am doing something much better now. 

I was disappointed when I received the letter but I thought it was my fault for applying late. But I did NOT give up, because I believed that I can get into UCL. The applications reopened in October so I immediately applied to UCL again but for different course, Technology Entrepreneurship. Two months later, I got a letter from UCL saying that I got accepted on to the course and will start in September 2013. I was extremely happy and just wanted it to be September 2013 the next day. I wanted to start straight away. I absolutely love this course and am doing quite well. I have never enjoyed studying like I do now. lol.

When I first got rejected by UCL to study bachelors, I thought I didn't have the ability. So I was thinking I won't ever get in to a top university. One night I was walking near UCL with a friend and I said 'I wanted to study here but they rejected me. I wont ever get to study here.' And my friend said to me, "yes, you will. I believe you can. If you really want it, you will get it." When he said that, I was thinking you're just saying that to comfort me. He probably was lol. But he was right though, well still is. Being accepted to a top university made me realise nothing is impossible and I truly believe if you want something and you work for it, you will get it. My persistent gained me a place. 

Another note, if you're at a stage not knowing what exactly you want to do in life, what sort of career path to choose or what course to study at university. Don't worry. If its to do with career, apply  for all sort of jobs and that way you can discover your strengths and weaknesses and interests that you weren't aware of. If it's education, you should take a gap year or two. Go into employment first or travel. From the experience, you will have learnt more about yourself and will know which course will suit you best. During my A-levels, I applied to university for the sake of applying. I had no clue what I wanted study, it was too much of a rush for me. It was only when I graduated, I realised what I wanted to study. If I can go back in time, I wouldn't go straight to university. I would go into employment first.  

In conclusion, everything happens for a reason. Don't have regrets, learn from it.

The fact I didn't get my grades and went through clearing probably happened for a reason. Otherwise, I would be so miserable studying Law, no offence to those who studied it or are studying it lol. 

Never give up! Always look on the bright side and think positive. If you want something really bad, work for it, be persistent. You will eventually get it unexpectedly. Another Bruce Lee quote for you, "You have your choice- you are master of attitude- choose the POSITIVE, the CONSTRUCTIVE.Optimism is a faith that leads to success."  No matter what it is you're doing, believe in yourself.

I hope you liked this post and found it inspiring or encouraging. If so, please share :)

High Flyer- Glossybox August

Hello all! This post is actually a week late, I got the box last Saturday. My dissertation is taking over so I haven't been blogging last week. Any how, this month's edition is called High-Flyers, it has goodies that is designed for girls on the go. The goodies are also produced in different countries to match the theme.

Sweden- Emite Make up Eyelash curler.

I am so happy that I got this because my one was pretty worn out and I keep forgetting to get a new one lol. 

The best thing is, the retail price is £20 and I paid £10 for this and 4 other items, just can't be that!

Urban Veda Purifying Day Cream

This a brand new skincare range. There seems to be new skincare range every day. This is made in the UK but said it is founded on ancient Indian principles.

USA-TRESemme Kertain Smooth

A 60 second hair treatment. 

UK- Jelly Pong Pong

I always think its ping pong lol. I love this fat eye liner pencil and it can be a eye shadow too. 

Brazil-Oceane

A makeup remover pen. I have always wanted to try one of these pens, good for removing smudges. 

What did you get this month? Are you a Glossybox subscriber or BirchBox?

WIAW- dissertation taken over my food and workout

Hi my lovely people!
There isn't much for What Ate This Wednesday this week as my dissertation has taken over. That doesn't mean I haven't been eating healthy and having my daily smoothies but it does mean I have slowed down on my workout.  I only worked out briefly on Saturday morning with my friend. I was supposed to train her but I was just out of energy. However, I've been doing 5 minutes worth of leg raises before bed every night. I could see instant results!

No matter how busy I am, I will always make time for my breakfast and smoothies. Lol. Breakfast is the meal that I put the most effort on. Don't understand how some people can go without breakfast. I love my smoothies so much that I just don't feel complete if I don't have it in a day.

My smoothies have a been slightly different this week. I mentioned in my previous post that I bought some aloe vera juice from Holland & Barratt, well I've been adding them to my smoothies. But I can't really taste the juice, actually I don't even know how it tastes, lol. Maybe I should have a taste on its own first.

First its my Sunday smoothie, a detoxing one. Carrots, ginger, lemon, aloe vera juice, baobab powder and manuka honey. I'm really glad that I put some manuka honey to it because I put too much ginger and it was so spicy! The honey helped...a bit. I just downed this one.

On Monday I made a mango shake with hemp milk. Didn't add aloe vera juice though. I haven't had hemp milk in a while, I did miss the taste. The shake had one mango, cup of hemp milk, baobab powder, manuka honey and lemon juice.

Tuesday, I made a mucky looking smoothie. I used some home grown green apples (golden delicious), a cup of blueberries, aloe vera juice, lemon juice and water. The colour of this smoothie was quite interesting, to me it was anyways. When I first turned the blender on, the mixture was pink. When I blended it for another 10 seconds it was purple. When I poured it out it was brownish purplish. I didn't drink it straight away, I rinsed the blender then it was brownish redish, I think its to do with the apples turning brown. I realised that our home grown apple turn brown really quick when cut open compared to the ones you get in supermarket, when I say quick I mean in seconds. I think its because our ones are organic and the supermarket ones might have some preservative or something.

This morning I didn't have any idea what kind of smoothie to make as there wasn't much in the kitchen. So I just grabbed whatever I can see.

Banana, carrots, blueberries, gojiberries, plum, milled seeds, aloe Vera juice and water. No need to put any kind if sweetener as banana is sweet anyway. This actually tasted quite good.

What kind of smoothies have you been making this week? What's the weirdest combination you've made and gone wrong? 

Great to be a Positive Influence on my People

Today's post I will be talking about how my healthy lifestyle has had a positive effect on people around me.

Ever since I've changed my diet to being healthier, concentrating on more natural,organic and free-from food and blogging about it more often, many people have actually been influenced by me.  I am so surprised and happy about that. If that's you please like my Facebook page, hehe =p Facebook.com/missyungquainth

So who's been positively influenced?

First, it's my boyfriend. Although he is the one who introduced me to blending stuff, I still influenced him to eat more vegetables and he started eating less meat too. He first introduced me to making oatmeal where you blend the oats with a banana and some milk. Then I decided to add different fresh fruits into my oatmeal and then moving on to fruit and veggie smoothies- that is how I got into making my daily smoothies. Then he started making juices/smoothies too, and when I'm round his I would make him some green smoothies. In fact, he's stopped buying fruit juices now, as he makes it himself. Guaranteed fresh and natural!

Second, its my family. Since I've been making smoothies, my parents started making smoothies for themselves too in the morning. Then my brother joined in as well. Every morning he would make at least a smoothie before going anywhere even if he is in a rush he would still make one.

Third, my circle of friends. Since I've been working out more often and trained by my boyfriend some of my friends would ask me for fitness advice. I feel so honored that they come to me because I'm not a qualified personal trainer or anything. One of my friend said she enjoys reading my food/fitness blogs and it has influenced her to eat healthier. A couple of my university friends went to actually buy a blender to make their own smoothies, they even sent me photos of them making a smoothie lol. Some asked me for smoothie recipes.

Fourth, my readers. Some of my readers have actually messaged me saying that they love the stuff I blog about and loves my smoothies recipes.

I am so happy that I have made a positive impact on the people around me, effortlessly. I think if you're passionate about something people will be influenced by you and believe in you. I hope my business idea I'm currently working on will be the same, encouraging more people to eat healthy! I will blog about my business idea soon. Or you can visit my other blog startupat24.blogspot.com

Have you positively influenced someone? What have you influenced them

Shopping at Holland & Barratt, the penny sale

Hiya, have you guys been shopping at Holland & Barratt? The penny sale is back! I spent £60 on 13 products. For those who don't know what penny sale is, its almost like buy 1 get 1 free but you get the second item for 1 penny.

First, here are some aloe vera juice. I bought the plain aloe vera juice and also the cranberry flavour aloe vera juice. £6.70 for the 2 plain aloe vera juice and £8.20 for the 2 cranberry flavour. I'm glad they were included in the penny sale because I have always wanted to try them. I can now add them to my smoothies.

Yes, I love my aloe vera so I bought 2 aloe vera gel. I haven't even finished the ones I bought last time during the penny sale.I really like this, and it works really well. I know it works for sure because one time I was curling my hair and I burnt my ear. I immediately put this aloe vera gel and I didn't get any scab or burning feel after. Before trying this gel, I used to just put cold water on the affected area but never worked. 

I paid £7 for the two.

My favourite type of honey, Manuka. Going to be adding them to my breakfast and smoothies/ shakes. £22.56 for the two. If they weren't on the penny sale I would not pay £22 for a jar of honey even though its very good for you. 

Not sure why I bought these, I think because they are cheap. I still have a lot of ginger tea at home. But I thought I'll stock up for the winter season. lol. £2 for the two.

My recent favourite superfood powder, baobab powder. £5 for both. There are 10 sachets in each box, each sachet is 5g so in total I got 100g. Thinking about it, it's actually cheaper to get the full size one, 250g for £14.79. I guess the penny sale made it look attractive, I wasn't thinking properly lol. But Minvita is cheaper than the brand Aduna who also sells baobab powder. Aduna sells 170g  of loose powder for £17.99. They taste the same. (Click here to read about my blog on Aduna)

And last but not least, the castor oil. This wasn't past of the penny sale but I needed a new one as I've almost finished the one at home. I use this on my skin at night and its extremely thick but hydrating. This bottle will last me over a year. £9.98 for 250ml. May not sound a lot but a little goes a long way castor oil. 

I think I'm going to shop again, I forgot to buy some fitness supplement and need to buy some more manuka honey while its cheap. I can get so carried away and spend £60 again. lol

Did you shop at Holland & Barratt? What did you get?