Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Merry Cheesy Christmas: Cheesy Buko Salad Recipe

Our not-so-little family
Christmas Day may be over, but I'm still feeling the Christmas vibes and yea the coming New Year! Oh how time flies. Anyway, how was your Christmas? I hope you were able to celebrate it with your loved ones, which is what really matters. As for me, it was a bit sad, but nevertheless I'm glad that I celebrated Christmas Eve with my family over a simple Noche Buena feast. On Christmas Day, we went to attend the mass which is our family tradition and then we had dinner at Dampa with my in laws. 

Okay so right now, I'm really curious about what you prepared for the Noche Buena. I believe that in festivities like Christmas, Pansit, Spaghetti, Fried Chicken and Buko or Fruit Salad are staples in most Filipino families. We all had those 4 dishes last Christmas Eve plus we had ham and fruits. I've been cooking creamy tuna spaghetti ever since I learned how in 2013, but this time around, I cooked Carbonara for the first time. At home, we love buko/fruit salad, we even make some even though there's no occasion and for the first time ever, I tweaked my original buko/fruit salad recipe. This time, I added Eden Original Cheese in it.


About two weeks ago, Eden Cheese sent a Christmas gift beautifully wrapped in a Christmas package. It contains ingredients for buko/fruit salad and Eden Cheese original. It may not be new to some, but cheese in a buko/fruit salad is something we've never tried before, so I was quite surprised and excited at the same time. And, surprisingly, it turned out great! It was, cheesy and creamier!


 If you also haven't tried it before just like me, it's not too late, you can prepare this on your Media Noche this coming New Years Eve or any occasions! So I'm sharing with you its super easy recipe, below:

Cheesy Buko/Fruit Salad



INGREDIENTS
  • 4 cups, Coconut, shredded
  • 30 oz, Fruit cocktail, drained
  • 1 cup, Pineapple tidbits, drained
  • 15 coz, Sweet corn kernels, drained
  • 12 oz, Kaong
  • 12 oz, Nata de coco
  • 14 oz, Condensed milk
  • 14 oz, Cream
  • 1/2 cup, Eden Cheese, cubed
  • 1/2 cup shredded Eden Cheese - for garnish.

PROCEDURE

1. In a large bowl, combine young coconut fruit cocktail, pineapple, corn, kaong, nata de coco, Eden cheese, condensed milk, and cream. Stir gentle to distribute.

2. Chill for a few hours or freeze until firm.

3. Garnish with shredded Eden cheese when ready to serve.



There you have it! Enjoy :)

Monday, December 19, 2016

Affordable stay options with eGetinnz the newest accommodation rental booking site!

I've always dreamed of travelling, but being a parent consumes most of our time and not to mention the expenses. So now, travelling is more of a luxury for us. But lately, my dream of travelling is slowly coming into fruition. Within the last 3 years, Jaear and I was able to travel to some of the beautiful places here in the Philippines. We are looking forward for more travels and if budget and time permits, this time hopefully we can travel with our 3 kids. 


Without a doubt, travelling has become amongst the top industries in the world, it’s no wonder that there are many services to pop up offering us many travel options. Joining the fray is eGetinnz, a new accommodation booking site offering more than its counterparts. It has a unique take not only offering travel booking and vacation rental but being an all in one portal for your travel desires. 

eGetinnz gives affordable stay options that suit your needs in almost any place of your choosing. Be it by a beach, the outdoors, on a waterfront, in the city or in the country, 

With eGetinnz you have the option to immerse yourself in any place you travel to by staying in a local home amongst the local folks. Vacation rentals are cost effective allowing you to pay for only a fraction of the cost you would have spent at a hotel. With this, you won’t have to miss those creature comforts when you’re traveling. 

eGetinnz also provides a guide of recommended places from attractions to dining options allowing you to discover what the city offers with their suggestions!

eGetinnz looks promising and I have yet to explore it, just in time for my planned family getaway or a staycation this coming 2017. 

Visit eGetinnz at http://www.egetinnz.com/ to start your journey. Create an account as a guest or host and navigate through our site with ease. Be assured of verified reservations, unlimited access to your rentals and privacy through our protected payment gateways.

You can also follow them on their social media pages below:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/egetinnz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/egetinnz
IG: https://www.instagram.com/egetinnz/

Sunday, December 18, 2016

No-Fail Classic Holiday Dessert Recipes from Jolly Cow Condensada

Can you believe it, just 7 more days and it's Christmas Day! How time flies! Probably by now, most of you have completed your Christmas shopping and have gifts under the Christmas tree already. Now its time to think about the sumptuous feast to prepare for the Noche buena. And, for the season of feast and festivities, nothing beats the classic and decadent Filipino desserts! Find joy and comfort from these incredibly affordable recipes that’s made creamier and perfectly sweeter with Jolly Cow Condensada, the all-time favorite dessert ingredient to round out your holiday meal.

Fiesta Fruit Salad



Ingredients:

1 can Jolly Cow Condensada
1 can (850g) Jolly Tropical Fruit Cocktail, drained well
1 cup Shredded fresh buco (young coconut)
1 cup Nata de coco, drained well
1 cup Jolly Peach halves, drained well
1 cup Pineapple tidbits, drained well
1 cup Slices of fresh fruits like apple and seedless grapes (optional)
½ cup Cheese, diced (optional)
1 can All-purpose cream

Garnish:

1 cup Mini marshmallows (optional)
Jolly Maraschino cherries (optional)

Directions:

1. Drain all the water from the cans of the fruit ingredients.

2. Combine all ingredients (except for the marshmallow and cherries) in a large mixing bowl and blend well.

3. Place in a container and chill for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

4. Serve with mini marshmallow as garnish on top and put a cherry if desired.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Pinoy Leche Flan



Ingredients:

1 can (390g) of Jolly Cow Condensada
1 can (370ml) evaporated milk
10 egg yolks
1 teaspoon of grated dayap or lemon peel
1 cup of white sugar

Procedure:

1. Put sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over low fire until the sugar caramelizes.

2. Pour the caramelized sugar equally into three llaneras. Evenly coat the caramelized sugar on the bottom of the llanera. Set aside.

3. In a bowl, gently mix together the Jolly Cow Condensada, evaporated milk, egg yolks and the grated dayap. Make sure to gently mix so as not to create bubbles on the mixture.

4. Gently and evenly pour the mixture on the llaneras containing the caramelized sugar.

5. Cover each llanera with aluminum foil.

6. Steam for about 30 minutes or until firm (steaming time may depend on the thickness of the llanera).

7. Cool and then refrigerate.

Tip: You can tell when the leche flan is fully cooked by inserting a knife in the middle of the mixture--if the knife comes clean, it is fully cooked. 

Makes three llaneras. 

Jolly Cow Condensada is available in leading supermarkets and groceries nationwide. 

Fly Ace Corporation is one of the leading food and beverage consumer goods companies in the country today. Propelling limitless multiple-category growth by bringing the best of the world closer to Filipino homes, Fly Ace Corporation’s portfolio of food and beverage products includes house brands and exclusively distributed brands. Learn more at www.flyacecorp.com.

Five Must-do Annual Exams for Every Woman

Christmas Season is upon us, the most wonderful and glorious time of the year. It's a time for thanksgiving, celebration, and the ripe month to fully enjoy the fruits of your labor. And just because you think your 13th month pay and bonus are just a cherry on top, aside from Christmas shopping, these hard-earned cash deserves to be saved and spent well on things with lasting impact on your health and sanity. With this in mind, let these 5 must-do lists from Jeunesse Anion Sanitary Napkins and Liners’ OB-Gyn Faith Suluen serve as your guide to encourage you to make time and set aside a budget for these screenings.


1. Pap Smear and Pelvic Exam

Since it’s the quick screening test/procedure and the gold standard that detects precancerous or cancerous cells from papillomavirus or HPV, it’s essential to catch early any possible abnormal growth whether you’re sexually active by age 21 or the disease runs in the family. If you haven’t had a cervical vaccination, don’t hesitate to talk to your OB-Gyn or employer/health card provider to check if it’s part of your package, which according to Dr. Faith, is especially advantageous for women without a prior sexual contact.

2. Transvaginal ultrasound

Ensure your reproductive system (uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix, and vagina) is on its absolute best. Highly recommended for checking irregularities or possible cysts, pelvic pain, unexplained vaginal bleeding and more, the ultrasound probe allows the doctor to see a bird’s eye view of the organs with more accurate results.

3. Mammogram and Breast Ultrasound

Although breast cancer is deemed as one of the leading causes of death among women worldwide, it’s totally curable and controllable with the help of early detection and regular screening. Both mammogram (for 40 years old and above) and breast ultra sound (for 40 years old and below) is powerful tools even before a woman experiences its symptoms, so consider these tests as your major partners in prevention and to ensure full mammary health throughout your lifetime.

4. Blood Chemistry Test

Make a point to regularly monitor blood pressure and cholesterol, which are lifesavers from heart disease and stroke. Remember that the tender age of 20 should be a starting point of your biannual blood pressure monitoring habit with cholesterol checking every four to six years, but perhaps more frequently if age, weight, lifestyle habits, and family history are major factors of developing your risks.

5. Routine Urinalysis

Considered as one of the simplest yet most powerful screening tests that detect UTI, kidney disorders, liver problems, and diabetes, it also helps to diagnose specific disorders such as endocrine diseases and bladder cancer. Even if you don’t feel any abdominal or back pain and abnormalities in your urine, it’s a preventive test that will keep your urinary system at the pink of their health.


The budget and time you set aside for wellness will determine whether or not this old adage rings true for you. So as a grown-up woman who’s also fussy about your sanitary pads, choose quality and mull over a brand that can do more for you, like Jeunesse Anion. Since its anion strip feature is uniquely on its own that greatly helps in reducing feminine discomforts like dysmenorrhea, cramps, and icky odor, consider this to be one of your most valuable essentials as a smart and wellness-conscious woman. Available in 5 variants from panty liner, ultra day pad, ultra day non-wing, ultra night pad, to all night pad, these choices ensure that you’re covered throughout every stage of your red days and helps relieve the not-so- pleasant side effects of being a lady.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Philippines Gets First Taste of La Dolce Vita with the New Swiss Miss Chocolate Hazelnut


Late last month, Swiss Miss, the world-famous chocolate powder drink, launched their newest flavor-Swiss Miss Chocolate Hazelnut. The newest flavor draws inspiration from this luxurious Italian lifestyle that evokes the romance and passion of Italy. And, what better place to host the event to than in Venice Grand Canal Mall, Taguig which gives the authentic Italian feels.

In Italy, “La dolce vita,” which literally translates to “the sweet life,” celebrates the Italians’ flair for passion, romance and life’s luxuries – from savoring sumptuous meals with family and spending moments with friends and loved ones to listening to passionate music and donning the latest fashion pieces. Indeed, in this wondrous country, every day is truly La Dolce Vita!


Made from premium, imported cocoa and real milk, Swiss Miss Chocolate Hazelnut fuses the aroma and flavor of roasted, buttery hazelnuts with silky, creamy and frothy chocolate. It’s truly a feast for the senses. It's an affordable indulgence with the right balance of creaminess and sweetness, the new Swiss Miss Chocolate Hazelnut can be consumed hot or cold, at home or even on-the-go. 
We’re proud that the Philippines is the first country in the world to try this new flavor. The new Swiss Miss Chocolate Hazelnut flavor is truly a very exciting flavor because of hazelnut’s unique taste and aroma,” said Cathy Castro, Swiss Miss Asia marketing manager. 

The launch of Swiss Miss Chocolate Hazelnut coincides with the launch of their first ever global endorser, Anne Curtis. Aside from hosting a top variety show, the princess of all media, is also an actress, host and award-winning endorser whose daily activities on social media garners millions of followers. 

Work is important, but we should also allow ourselves the well-deserved indulgence by enjoying life and rewarding ourselves after hard-won victories – big or small. With Swiss Miss Chocolate Hazelnut, this is possible anywhere – at work, at home or even while travelling!,” said Anne. 
Living "la dolce vita", Anne embodies the essence of the brand by finding time for leisure and travel in spite of her busy schedule and rewarding herself for her successes. Her recent trip to Italy showcased her passion for life’s pleasures, such as food, fashion, and love. 
Experience la dolce vita by enjoying life’s little pleasures and rewarding yourself with the new Swiss Miss Chocolate Hazelnut. 




Experience la dolce vita by enjoying life’s little pleasures and rewarding yourself with the new Swiss Miss Chocolate Hazelnut.
 
Swiss Miss Chocolate Hazelnut is now available in leading stores and supermarkets nationwide. For more updates, visit Swiss Miss Philippines on Facebook and follow them on Instagram @SwissMissPH.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Shop for all things Home at Lazada's Grand Christmas Sale Finale


With just 5 more days remaining before the 5th Lazada Online Revolution comes to an end, it continues to sweep the Christmas season as they hold its Grand Christmas Sale finale. And, this time Lazada Philippines makes Christmas shopping grander for every home!

Thinking of the best and new items for your home this coming 2017? This is a great time for you to purchase things you will be needing all-year-round. Avoid the holiday shopping hassles because you can now take control! Just download the Lazada mobile app or shop via Lazada.com.ph to get access to best finds for all things home, on sale of up to 95% off. 

Lazada Philippines gives you a lowdown on what they have in store for you for the Grand Christmas Sale, which includes top brands Luminarc, Philips, Hanabishi, Symphony, Nescafe, American Heritage, and many more:


Hanabishi HTB-128 Turbo Broiler (Red). At 43% off, you can get this for only P1,399. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, so make sure to serve the traditional Christmas ham during Noche Buena. 

Luminarc Ascot Beverage 7-piece Set. Get this durable drinkware set for only P499. Easy to wash and dishwasher-safe, this set is perfect as a housewarming gift or even as a start-up package for newlywed couples. 

Philips HD9104 Food Steamer. Did you know that the cheapest steamer from Philips can be found at Lazada’s Online Revolution? Get yours for only P2,995! It has a 5L bowl capacity and comes with a perfect set timer for fish, vegetables, and rice. It also includes an aroma infuser, two baskets to steam several ingredients at once, an egg rack, and removable tray bottoms.


Nescafe Dolce Gusto Oblo Machine. Show those barista skills for an amazing price of only P2,499! You don’t have to go to the nearest coffee shop for casual meet-ups or friendly dates when you can do it in the comfort of your home! Let the Nescafe Dolce Gusto Oblo Machine do the trick with up to 15 bars of professional pressure that lets you create café-style coffee. You can make bold espressos, smooth lungos, frothy lattes, delicious hot chocolate, and even iced cappuccinos. 

Symphony Diet 8i Air Cooler with iPure Technology. The highlight of your house party! Make your guests feel cool and comfortable. It has a cooling capacity for rooms up to 23 cu mt (800 cu ft), a dust filter/mosquito net for odorless, clean, and purified air, and a powerful, wider air flow – all these for only P3,939.

More deals, exclusives and flash sales await at Lazada’s Online Revolution Grand Christmas Sale from December 07 – 12, 2016. Join this shopping extravaganza featuring your favorite beauty, home, family, and tech products. And if you’re feeling lucky, consider this a bonus: Lazada is giving its customers a chance to win a brand new Isuzu pick-up and roundtrip international tickets from Turkish Airlines.

Visit www.lazada.com.ph or download the Lazada mobile app for free.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Presonus Firepod: Professional-Quality Recording System


Looking for a complete, convenient and compact, professional-quality, no-hassle recording system? You gotta check out presonus firepod which is now known as PreSonus FP10 FireWire recording interface. It is a complete 24-bit/96kHz recording system that combines 8 high-quality PreSonus XMAX microphone preamplifiers with 24-bit/96kHz analog to digital conversion. Above this, it's affordable, clean, and quiet sound great for home studios!

Monday, December 5, 2016

#PaskuhansaLRT1: LRT1 Christmas themed train + Selfie Contest!

Oh how time flies! It's the most wonderful time of the year once again. Probably by now most homes are already beautifully decorated with Christmas lights and decors with classic Christmas songs playing. The spirit of Christmas can definitely felt everywhere. 


In line with the Christmas season, LRT1 rolls out its Filipino Christmas themed train to bring joy to commuters, which is expected to run until December 31, 2016. Decked out with traditional Filipino Christmas decorations that feature capiz parols, garlands, and a three-dimensional belen – or nativity scene, among other, the #PaskuhansaLRT1 train became an instant hit among LRT1 riders as it made their commute more enjoyable.

Alongside the roll out of its #PaskuhansaLRT1 train, LRT1 is also giving its commuters a chance to win PhP 5,000.00 worth of Beep Cards every week, from November 29 to December 31, 2016. All you have to do is to snap a selfie on board LRT1’s special Christmas train and post it on Facebook, with the hashtag: #PaskuhansaLRT1.

Commuters with the best selfies on board the train will be selected every Sunday noontime, during the contest period. Winners will be announced on the PAGEONE Official Facebook Page, and will be notified via their social media account.

Here’s the full mechanics:

Take a peek on the LRT1's  Christmas themed train on the video below:


Spread the good news! Share this post and join now. Good luck!

Thursday, December 1, 2016

My Brazilian Treatment Experience at The Beauty Lounge by Bianca Festejo in Taguig + Giveaway!

Happy December 1st! Wait, it's December already? Oh how time flies so fast. Where have all the days gone? Anyway, the past few days wasn't good to me so I would like to start my December with something beautiful. I would like to share with you my Brazilian Treatment experience at The Beauty Lounge by Bianca Festejo.

Reception area of The Beauty Lounge by Bianca Festejo, adjacent to it is a couch for waiting customers or their companion
Does the name ring any bell with you? Bianca Festejo is the owner of Mary Pauline Salon and Spa in Starmall Las Pinas which just celebrated it's first year last October 2016.  I've been to Mary Pauline before already and have tried some of their services and I swear they are one of the nicest salon I've ever been to! You can read here about my Hairtastic Makeover and My OxyGeneo Super Facial Experience with them. Her humble beginning with her first salon turned out to be a big success and became a hit not just in Las Pinas but to many customers from different areas in the Metro. With her desire to provide more people with affordable but competitive beauty service, Bianca finally opened her newest branch, The Beauty Lounge by Bianca Festejo in Taguig.

The Beauty Lounge by Bianca Festejo is a one stop salon that caters to all our beauty needs, hair, nails and skin, you name it! In this fast paced world and given the traffic condition here in the Philippines, multitasking to be able to maximize our time is a must. And, for a mom like me who barely have time to pamper myself it's a relief to know that I can have my hair done, my nails and even my facial in one place which will surely help me save a lot of time. 


The Grand Opening of The Beauty Lounge was last November 14, 2016 but before that, Bianca held a Bloggers Pampering day last November 10, 2016 and I was one of the invited bloggers. Such a perfect timing because my crowning glory needs some rescuing and pampering. 

The Beauty Lounge by Bianca Festejo looks so posh. It can cater up to 7 customers at once for their hair services. They also have other rooms exclusively for non invasive derma service. They have their own resident Dermatologist who will asses you prior to any derma services to ensure safety.
This is their posh nail service area. I also attended the Grand Opening together with Brianna and my blogger friend Eihdra of www.samut-sari.com. We both tried their foot spa and pedicure package.
Living the blonde life ain't that easy, especially if you weren't born with it. I should know because I've been living the bleach blonde life for almost 6 months. You can read how my hair transitioned from back to blonde on my blog post here. Bleach blonde hair sure is high maintenance and needs extra care compared to the regular dyed hair. Once you go blonde you have to commit to taking care of your hair or else it will become dry and damaged which exactly what happened to mine. Since I gone blonde last June I didn't visit any salon for the required treatment nor did any maintenance at home such as using the proper shampoo and conditioner. 


Days prior to the event I already made up my mind, I wanted to have a hair color and rebond. But upon assessment, my hair is not eligible to any of the 2 service I wanted. I actually have the option to still have it done but that will add more damage to my already damaged hair. I sure don't want that. My hair needs nourishing and rescuing according to my stylists, Sir Edward and Sunshine so they recommend the RMANES Brazilian Treatment and that's what we did! 


I just found out then that there are actually 2 types of Brazilian Treatment, the Alfaparf and the Rmanes Brazilian Treatment and the Rmanes is the one suitable for my hair. The treatment took about 2 hours only, they have a timer to ensure that the treatment stay on my hair only on the required span of time. There never was a dull moment during the treatment because the staffs made sure to cater my needs, drinks, snacks and a good conversation. 

In about 2 hours time, my hair is done. It has never been this soft and smooth in 6 months time. Up to this posting which is already past 3 weeks, it still is soft and manageable. I still have to go through the same treatment this month though and after that I can already have my hair rebonded. My hair is naturally thick and wavy so I yearly opt for hair rebond. 

I forgot to take my before photo because I actually came in late for the event, but here is 
my hair after treatment photo. As you can see it's only straight because it was blow dried and ironed.

One of the many reasons why I love Mary Pauline is their exceptional customer service and I experienced the same with The Beauty Lounge. They care about their customer, they provide teaching and recommend the suitable treatment for their customers. But of course in the end, the decision is all up to you. I may not have achieved a straight and cool hair color but at least my hair is now healthier which is what matters most. Another thing that will surely make you a loyal customer of these 2 salons is their affordable rates that wont cost you an arm or a leg. Above all these, their services are very competitive which will leave you satisfied. 

Thanks to my stylists Sir Edward and Sunshine!
With Bianca Festejo, the beautiful and generous owner of The Beauty Lounge. Thank you and congratulations Binca!<3 p="">

Here are some of the services that Beauty Lounge offers together with its prices:

Hair Services:

Package A: Php. 800
Hair Color + Keratin Treatment + Cut
(No bleach included)

Package B: Php. 1,300
Rebond + Keratin + Cellophane + Cut

Pacakge C: Php. 1,800
Rebond + Color + Cut

Package D: Php. 1,999
Brazilian Blowout + Cut

Package E: Php. 2,500
Brazilian Blowout + Color + Cut

Package F: 2,500
Rebond + Brazilian + Cut

Package G: 3,000
Rebond + Brazilian + Color + Cut

Package H: Php. 1,500
Color + Bleach + Keratin Treatment + Cut
(Ombre or Balayage)

Non-invasive Derma Services

Basic Facial: 249
International Facial: 350
Whitening Facial: 399
Acne Care Facial: 380-800
Diamond Peel: 500
Xlase Plus: 10,000 (package)
Xlase Face Whitening: 1,800/ session
Diode: 800/session
Oxygeneo: 1,250
RF Arms: 700
RF Tummy: 900

Take a look at those amazing deals! The Beauty Lounge by Bianca Festejo is indeed a one stop shop for all your beauty needs! Visit them now at Petron Station, C5 - Diego Silang, Taguig.

They are also active online and hosts giveaways from time to time so make sure to check out The Beauty Lounge by Bianca Festejoinas on Facebook. <3 div="">


Alright, we're now on the exciting part. Giveaway! They gave us home treatments and GC's and since it's almost Christmas time I want to treat you all for some hair, nails and skin pampering as an early Christmas treat so I am giving away 1,000 worth of GC's that you can use for any service at The Beauty Lounge. Just follow the simple steps on the Rafflecopter below.

P.S. 1 voucher is valid for 1 person per visit.




Good luck ladies!