Caffeination Guide

HIGH CAFFEINE CONTENT: Consume responsibly. Do not read this if you are pregnant, lactating or for persons sensitive to caffeine.

If you are a working person, especially in an office, there is a strong chance that you ingest caffeine. It pays your bills, puts food on the table and solves problems.

http://owlturd.com/

There is always fake news flying around about how horrific coffee/ caffeine is for you. Chances are if you are reading this, you are that someone it got sent to. Ignore those people. You don't need that time of negativity in your life.

Eetrite 600ml French Press/ Plunger:

I bought this plunger on special at PnP. (Online at Takealot.com) I do already have a 6 cup one but since I'm the only one drinking it seems like a whole lot. This is a super ideal size to keep at work. It's enough to share with a work friend and not too much to drink all by yourself.

Life Hack: Light roast has more caffeine. This is also the ideal way to cold brew coffee.

Seattle Coffee Company's Double Short Latte:

There are a lot of little and big coffee houses/ shops but this is my tried and tested favourite. The Double short has the biggest bang for you buck and can also be ordered with soy milk. Bonus is that after the 10 cup you get a free coffee.

Life hack: They also have the best short bread among other food items.

McNabs Supercharge Energy Drink:

This is unlike any other energy drink on the market. It is delicious and it does not make me want to murder innocent people. With some drinks it's like the caffeine release is immediate. This has a slower release. It was even included in Fit Girl's Fit Kit.

It's vegan, no weird unidentifiable ingredients AND made in South Africa because it's owned by South Africans.

Life hack: This drink is also available in Lite BUT I have never seen any . . . 👽📐 Illuminati confirmed?

Zang Chocolate:

Because my husband knows I need to be caffeinated to be human, he actually picked this up at a petrol station for me. I had zero expectations. Wow wow wow. I love this! I need a strong start to the day and this came through for me. I though I would have to caffeinate later in the day but I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them I only started feeling tired at 16:00. YASSS I WANT MORE.

McNabs Supercharge Energy Shot:

 

Do you like that mass produced pink brand of syrup? I use to too. I don't feel like when I was drinking that that I was caffeinating responsibly. I was finishing 500ml bottles without blinking. I had to rehab myself. So instead I opted for a healthier, more measured option.

I especially use this to kick that afternoon slump. You know when 15:00 and your will to work wears thinner than your fake laugh at your boss' joke.

Available in 3 flavours but I only ever find Guarana Berry. (Who must I complain to? Still Illuminati? 👽📐)

CAUTION: Entering NON CAFFEINATED area

McNabs Supercharge Energy Tabs:

UHG more McNab's products?! Yes! This is the one company I feel okay to recommend every product. I feel like I needed items for energy without (DUN. DUN. DUUUUUUUUN!) caffeine. Some days and with some products, you can't layer caffeine. It makes you feel worse. This is why this product is great because unlike caffeine, it won't dehydrate you and helps with stress management because of all the B-Vitamins.

Freshpak Energising Rooibos and Ginseng Tea:

I had to use Dischem's Product Pic because I put my tea in a glass jar.

The only place online to buy is seems to be Dischem but I have bought at PnP and have seen at Checkers. I think the true secret of this tea lays in the ginkgo bioloba. This is a natural blood thinning agent. The theory is that blood carries more oxygen when it thinner making you feel more awake and alert. The last few times I had to be careful because of the dry weather my nose is more likely to bleed. Even after a cup of tea in the morning, it flows like a river and takes a while to stop. There are also warnings that if you do take Ginkgo Bioloba as a supplement (Vital has that kind of supplement marketed towards concentration) that you should not donate blood.

Now let's laugh in the face of people who says drinking water gives them energy.

é

Fry's Family Meatless Monday

 

So hey, I'm not Vegan or Vegetarian. Not even close. I don't have a private chef that sorts it out and can't really afford those Beyoncé-like food delivery services. (Interested tho'? Fitchef has options) I don't have time to go to the store/ market to buy fresh daily. So basically my vegetarian options are salad and Mac'nCheese.

A while ago I was wondering around the frozen food section and saw a fridge top to bottom filled with green. Nuggets, pies, Burger patties, sausages and schnitzel. I bought the Golden Crumbed Schnitzel and I was amazed.

Now, I don't have a problem switching up food. I like cooking and eating unusual things. But I'm not going to be the only one eating it. I have a meat lover husband. I don't know if you know Portuguese cuisine but it's nothing for them to have pork, beef and poultry in the same casserole. Add rice, potatoes and bread and you have a meal.

My meat stash for the month

So I scouted Fry's Website for a month planning delicious things and thinking of how to get bae to participate. Should I sit him down, send an e-mail, Whatsapp an e-card, idk? Eventually end of the month grocery shopping comes up and we are standing in front of the fridge. I asked him “What do you think of meatless Monday?” We picked up a whole lot of Fry's.

Please Note: I have not been paid to say these things. I also bought the products with my own money. Here is how it went:

Monday 1:

First meal was Chicken Stylestrips. In a wrap. I was sick with the flu cough thing everyone seemed to be sick with. I thought it was going to be an issue. New food, I feel like a walker. I was already making backup plans for KFC. I followed the cooking instruction (I just used a damn hot frying pan instead of a wok). Chopped tomatoes and lettuce and served with sweet chilli sauce in a wrap.

[NO PHOTO BECAUSE I WAS A WALKER]

My Feelings: I would try this again but make it with pasta. I don't like that it's suggested to be served with sweet chilli sauce but it help us omnivores eat it the first time.

What did he say: “It was good.” But I could see it wasn't excellent. I like wraps like this, he likes KFC's crispy type chicken wraps.

I give it 6 leaves out of a 10 salad. I'll try it again before I judge it harsher. Cough flu had too much in-flu-ence. (Ba-dum-dum-tish)

Ad-doc Meal – Saturday Fauxlony Breakfast wrap:

I was intrigued by the Polony. I think anyone who grew up in South Africa, your life got touched by polony. (Baloney for other places) Either a friend's school lunch or after school sandwiches, picnics or fried up with breakfast.

I like Breakfast wraps. Mine is usually Mexicorn's Whole-wheat wrap, turkey or chicken loaf slices, scrambled egg and spinach or finely chopped Swiss chard. Delicious, full of protein and fibre. Instead of my normal sliced chicken/ turkey loaf, I sliced some faux-lony.

My feelings: I dunno, for me it was not that great. On the packed it said 'or lightly fried' so I put some coconut oil in the pan and it was still weird for me. It's not so much the taste than the texture. It's kind of like a paste texture.

Monday 2:

A lot of my food choices is that of a child. As an adult it's frowned upon but I wish I had the option of eating of the kiddies menu at some restaurants. I think it's because it's uncomplicated. Cue Chicken style Nuggets. 

My baby gas oven doesn't have a grill so I lowered my oven rack and set my oven to its highest temperature. (295°C) then let it heat up for 15 minutes. Poured a film of oil on the bottom of a baking tray, arranged the nuggets and pushed them into the hot oven for 4-5 minutes. Flipped them and cooked for another 5-6 minutes.

Served with Oven baked wedges and a Salad. (Here it the dipping sauce recipe. I added a few drops of Tabasco).

My feelings: This is all I can think about. Delicious, fast and easy cooking, crispy. You know how some idiots say it, but this is everything. With or without sauce, it is just that good.

What did he say: He just enjoyed chicken nuggets. Until it was Wednesday we were talking and I said something about Meatless Monday, he was all “Meatless Monday?? But we had chicken nuggets?” BOOM! SUCCESS Fry's! You just became a BOSS in my books!

I give chicken style nuggets a 'I bought two boxes of these and I don't know if I should keep it for a dinner or eat it all myself' out of 10.

Monday 3:

I choose you battered prawn style pieces. It's going to be hard to follow the success of the nuggets but my hopes were high. The suggestion on the box was to deep fry. I didn't really feel like filling a pot with oil and waiting forever for it to come up to temp. I cooked it the same way as the nuggets.

I saw up scale ramen on my Pinterest suggestions. So that is the application I would use these for. I sautéed garlic, ginger and the white part of a few spring onions in coconut oil, just until they were soft. Then I added water (just enough to cook noodles) and flavouring packets of two minute noodles (I used Fatti's and Moni's Prawn flavoured ones) then cooked the noodles. I also boiled some eggs for 7 minutes.

To finish I just added the green of the spring onions, peeled the egg and dropped some soy sauce in and added the cooked prawn pieces on top.

My Feelings: I know it's maybe not full vegetarian as I do not know about how the noodles are made. So super delicious. I think any person these days (even if you didn't go to college/ university) between the age of 18 and 25 had gone through a time where 2 minute/ instant noodles was a staple meal. Dinner and/or lunch. So by the time you touch 30, the enchantment is gone. It's my emergency meal. This was next level of next level. It was a filling flavourful meal.

What he said: He thought it was good. He said he would have liked another egg. I'm sure I could make it again.

This gets a 'I want to eat this everyday' out of 10

Ad-dock Meal: Tuesday Lunch:

Country Mushroom Pie is something I wanted to try since I put it in the trolley. In South Africa we have a strong pie culture. It doesn't matter what language you speak or area you live in, there is a 100% chance that you've had a pie from a garage (petrol station). This product falls right into that line.

My feelings: Like any pie, even though it was baked in a civilian, everyday oven, the inside it like molten lava. So a check to that. The pastry is crisp and flaky. The sauce has the taste of traditional Chicken mushroom but the mushrooms themselves taste like freshly cooked mushrooms and they actually look like mushrooms. (sometimes, bits in a garage pies are suspect)

What he said (after making it that Saturday): Also a big garage pie lover this pie ruined other pies for him. After having this he had a garage pie and was very disapointed. All he could think of was that it wasn't a Country Mushroom pie.

I give it 'I'm disappoint that I didn't bake the other pie in the packet as well' out of 10.

Monday 4:

Golden crumbed Schnitzel was the first product I ever tried. Usually after I run errands it feels like a big deal to get home and make lunch. I didn't really feel like eating a sandwich or instant soup or deal with prep to cook something and there are days a smoothie won't cut it. I served this with an easy side salad and mash.

My feelings: It's a bit tricky to cook with a baby oven with no grill. The first time I was more successfully in cooking them. Second time was a bit not so great. It was still good though.

What he said: It was a just okay reaction. I thing next time I'll serve it with a onion or mushroom gravy.

In Conclusion:

The next Monday I made some meat dish and got scolded because it was Meatless-Monday. Since then, Fry's has always been on my shopping list. I've also bought the burgers but don't burger them. I buy bigger wraps or rotis and they are delicious with fresh lettuce tomatoes and a dollop of spiced up Mayo. Also bough the mince and made some Old El Paso Tacos. (Skipped out on the cheese but used cottage cheese instead of sour cream) 

Do you Meatless-Monday?

é

February 2017 Favourites

 

NYX Professional Stations in Clicks:

Image Via NYX

 

 

This is where it's at! If you have any NYX products on your wish list, this is the place to get it. Some Clicks stores don't really care to restock. Many a time the racks are barely stocked. (I'd like to think it's because the items are popular and not because the staff DGAF.)

With the full store, there is also a professional make up artist. The woman that was at the store was super knowledgeable about the products and assisted with great tips. Everything was fully stocked (Angels sing wearing Angel Veil) If you are into dupes their Lip Lingerie line is straight up competitors for the reality TV personality's over priced lipstick line. We even found dupes for MAC. I bought Stockholm and Castle

Follow NYX za on Insta and FB. Shop online At Clicks

Blow out:

I normally just let my hair air dry but when hair is an unusual colour there is a 100% chance that it will attract attention. My hair is type A1. My straightener is the cheapest one ever: the normal hair brush. You know those middle of the mall kiosks that sell shit you don't really need? The ones that scream in your face while you are having a conversation with someone? Once one that was selling over priced straighteners was like: It must take ages for you to straighten your hair? _uck off NO!

My point is my hair has no volume. When my hair is wet I take R1 size dollop of gel and work it in my roots (I use Revlon Flex Extreme hold styling gel) and spray Tresemmé Heat Defence Styling Spray. I free dry it until damp then head in section by section with my big barrel drying brush. As soon as the section is dry I put in a big Velcro curler. Repeat on whole head. Spray with Perfect Touch Firm Hold hairspray (the green one). All the products are firm or extreme hold or else in minutes it will be flat.

Shoe City Wedge Platform booty Dasha:

I saw this shoe in January and it rolled out to my local Shoe City early Feb. As soon as I saw it I did not hesitate to buy it. This will be my new fancy shoe. I have been looking for a nice wedge for months so it's the shoe I've been waiting for. It's good with skirts, jeans, dresses. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY it feels comfortable. Now I won't run a half marathon yet but they don't murder my feet like high heels.

Cast iron grill:

Being a long time watcher of cooking game shows and food programs, as soon as I found out I'll have a gas cooker I so badly wanted a cast iron grill. And I can say that a year later it's probably one of the best things I bought.

It has two sides. A smooth and a grill. The grill I love for steaks or ribs and chicken. The smooth side for flapjacks and breakfast. It takes a hole pack of bacon and cooks it to perfection. When I make breakfast on it, it take half the time and I don't need two tiny pans.

Here and here is on Takealot.

Here and here on Yuppiechef

I bought mine at Checkers in the camping section.

Foodstate Thyroid Formula:

I don't really want to get real on my blog. I had issues and I don't really have the money to spend on the tests to find out what is wrong. So I got diagnosed by MOMmd and decided to self medicate. This stuff is bomb it you have hypothyroidism. If this stuff worked this well for me. I can't wait to try their other products

Here at Takealot

Here at Dischem

Pop Sockets:

I first saw Pop Sockets on Jenna Marbles' YouTube and found them in ZA. This made holding my phone easier. My hand feels more relaxed taking photos, texting and playing games. My Pop Socket is stuck on my case but it holds pretty well. They are available on their website or here is a list of retailers who stock them in store. (I bought mine at Pylones Mall of Africa)

Being with your Tribe:

Girl gang, tribe, squad. What ever you call it. It feels good to be with similar thinking people. I am a social introvert according this Buzzfeed quiz (Buzzfeed Quiz = truth of life). so even though I always question my social interactions (I usually have a play by play on all the stupid stuff I think I did for weeks afterwards) I still enjoy the company of strong independent women. Recently I got together with the women in my family for a dinner and spent a day with my best friend who was in the country for a vacation. It's always great to hear positive views on life.

Some social things wear my out. After most long interactions I feel like just scrolling through Pinterest or watching a Monster High movie from the safety of my bed . . . for a few days. But I feel that being with my group of people I don't feel all:

é

October 2016 Favourites

I missed out the past FEW months of favourites and posts. What eves HERE ARE my now Favourites k.

Wet'nWild Matt Top Coat:

I've used a few matt top coats and they all were a bit too shiny or have a satin finish. This is more of a true matt. Applies easy and dries fast. And a steal at R27.95 at Clicks

Hands-On B Blonde Silver Shampoo:

If there is one thing we all learned the last year with the grey/ platinum hair trends is that purple shampoo it your friend. My hair experiment started taking me to the lighter side of the hair scale. I buy mine from my hair stylist. If you are looking to buy, look for silver or purple shampoo.

PnP Mens Flannel shirt:

I am tired of women's clothes being marked up by 75 to a 100%. I started buying in the men's section. I like the 90's stuff coming through at the moment. White t-shirt is also from the men's section for R39.95. Flannel shirt was R180.

Fry's frozen vego meals:

Later next week I’ll have a cool post for you on a meatless Monday test.

Leveled up 2-minute noodles.

Here and here is where my inspiration came from. I was looking to do something with my Fry's Meat free prawns.

In coconut oils, lightly cook half a thumb of ginger (grated), two chopped garlic cloves and the white part of three spring onions (scallions). When it's soft add water and flavouring packets of 4 packs of noodles (I used prawn flavoured ones. When I couldn't find prawn I used seafood stock cubes I bought at a Portuguese speciality store). Then cook the noodles in that. When it's done, serve by adding the chopped up green of the onions, soft boiled egg and prawn styled crispy bites.

They can be bought everywhere where there is a freezer section but here is the link for PnP. There they go for R24.90. Way cheaper than real prawns.

Pokémon Go:

I didn't know the secret place South Africans downloaded their app when it was released. It came in on the Play Store early October. Now I know there are all the people who are too cool for this or who are already “over it” but this is my jam. My husband downloaded it so we play together. The gyms change frequently so there are still many active players in my area. I picked Bulbasaur. Now I have a whole Pinterest board full of Bulbasaurs. I'm legit because I have a Pikachu aswell.

Watching old DVDs.

I do this while ironing and folding laundry so I don't feel like I hate life. At the moment I'm watching Heidi. I got the double box set for my birthday/ Christmas forever ago. Josef the St. Bernard is my spirit animal.

That's that. Hope you are having a good November.

é

Shopping list demystified

I am a pseudo adult. Aren't we all though? Adulting is hard, but thanks to technology some adult things have become easier. Like you can pay your bills off your cell phone and order basic stuff off the internet.

One thing that is the adultiest thing to do is grocery shopping. Real life grocery shopping that doesn't only consist of tube chips and candy. I've been an adulting amateur for a while but when I moved out a had to go pro because if I don't buy bread and milk, I have no bread and milk. Here is my monthly routine and tips:

Make an inventory of all the food you have in the freezer, fridge and pantry.

I have a few basics that I always have to make or add to a meal. Stuff like pasta, canned tomatoes, herbs and spices. It's time to start cooking and adding things to your 10 bags of macaroni. You're becoming one of those people, the ones in the Math problems. (I unpack my cupboard at least every 6 months. That way I can see what to replenish in my pantry staples. That sounds heavy but it's a different way to say 'see if I have enough canned tomatoes')

Now I know, for instance, I can skip the pasta isle and I have a instant soup problem.

Make a chart to plan meals

No lies. This seems so lame but trust me it will save you time and money. My food list is based on what my mom did when I was a child. Mondays it's pasta's. So Mac & Cheese, Alfredo and even those Knorr Pasta Mates can be used. 

Tuesday it's Chicken, pork or lamb.

Wednesdays we eat at the in laws. 

Fish Thursday and Steakhouse Friday. 

Saturday and Sunday I have a few basics because we're with my family one of the two days and we eat their food so I plan for half the days. I also have a 4 meals I like to call Spares. Like if we do eat a full meal for lunch there is options. It takes the guess work out of what to make for dinner.

Here is where I bring in my Pinterest boards because if there are any unusual ingredients I can pick them up. This is great also if you plan on following a different eating plan to know what foods you need to buy. Or if you decide to Meat-less Monday.

I used some of the food on my inventory list to fill in the blanks

Go through your weekly ads:

It's my favourite part of the newspaper. That and the cutey pre-shool kids doing cute things. Most people are like, I'll buy all my sh*t at the same store, idgaf. I'm one of those lucky people who lives close to all the big retailers thanks to all the new developments, so it's affordable for me to basically free my car down to Checkers/ Makro/ Pnp to get deal. Just make sure they are deals.

Like a nerd, I do math on product to the gram/ millilitre because it it says:

SALE!!!

doesn't always mean its a bargain. PnP had a “SALE!!! only 3 per customer!!!” on washing powder. I bought 3 of course. The next day I went to my friendly Spar and it was THE SAME PRICE with no limit per customer. I felt like a sucker.

If you don't get weekly circulars (For a few months I didn't score a newspaper) go to the store's website or visit Tiendeo or Guzzle

Make that list

I break down all the meals into Meat, Veg and Pantry. I have a laminated page on my fridge that I write on with dry erase pens as soon as any household/ food or pantry item is finished.

Not sure about household items? Here is my checklist:

Floor cleaner

Bathroom cleaner

Toilet cleaner

Kitchen Cleaner

Oven cleaner

Window cleaner

All purpose Cleaner

Dishwashing liqiud

Washing powder

Fabric softner

stain remover

I use a book because of recent events I don't want to walk with a device. But if you are a bit more trusting than me, the PnP app had a digital shopping list where you can pick of things on previous shopping you have done. Another great list app is Google's Keep. There you can break down your shopping in different sections with different colours. (Household/ Blue, Veg/ Green) and I love the satisfaction of ticking things off.

Go Shop

Remember your bags and not to hate humanity.

Bonus tips:

• Work in eat outs and events like birthdays or other get togethers. That way you know to buy or not to buy extra food. (or buy the food for the birthday or get together)

• Use store cards. You may not be saving millions but in a tight month a few extra hundred Rand mean you don't have to spend more
• I buy meat in bulk and package them into smaller portions and every two weeks I buy fresh veg and fruit.
• Every 6 months I try to empty the fridge and freezer. Bargain bulk buys aren't a bargain if you never eat it or toss in away because it got freezer burn.
• Write down as soon as something finishes. That way you don't need to go though your cupboards or pantry every en of the month and prevents buys of multiples. (I wish I'd listen to myself as I have a few unopened Mixed herb refills and that ton of Macaroni)
• Remember to take your list with you.
• Make multiple lists if you want to pick up other things form other retailers. (sometimes Clicks & Dischem have those 3 for 2 deals on toiletries or supplements then it's worth going past them. Also check Makro's R100 deals)

Breathe calmly and greet your teller.

é

June 2016 Favourites

This was one of my worse months in a while but I'm writing this and you are reading so I think we made it okay. My sister says life gives you lemons, you think you you're making lemonade but when you drink it, it's p*ss.

These are the thinks I liked this 5 week month:

Painting nails with a cosmetics sponge

I recently bought sponges specifically for that. You can do an ombre effect or a galaxy effect. The polish dries fast and a top coat helps to blend colour together. I picked mine up at PnP

Garnier Ultimate Blends Honey Treasure System.

This range had me intruged when I first saw it at Clicks (but it's pretty much everywhere now) as it's Paraben free. (That is a preservative that is believed to trigger cancer) I pretty much saw the difference in my hair from the first wash. You can read on their FB Page about how people love this product. Buy at Clicks, Dischem, Takealot and PnP.

PnP Real Clothing Pajamas

I know this isn't really fashion BUT it is winter and I'm an indoors kinda person then. I'm not really into the onesie trend. I don't want to undress every time I need to go to the toilet. This is also the cheaper option @ R180.

Eating the last of the food in the fridge.

So many times I 'keep things for later' then end up throwing it out because it's old/ rotted/ got freezer burn. Every few months I like to empty the fridge and deep freeze and getting creative with food. A real life “Chopped” episode but instead of Ted telling you you're chopped, your family tells you to rather not make it ever again.

Roasted Beetroot

Set your oven at 200°C. Chop the beet into ½ and then into 3. Glug with oil (I choose you olive oil!) and add salt, pepper, and herbs and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Roast for 45 min to an hour.

Webtoons

I downloaded it for Helios: Femina and stayed for Yumi's Cells, Siren'sLament and The Blue Chair.

Takealot.com window shopping

[]

It's only costs a little data to browse all the awesome things on Takealot. Here are a few things I found that you might not know is on there. (Click on pic to go to the link)

Boom! That's my story.

é