Obogine Totalicious

Am sure you will be wandering what a food picture is doing on my skincare blog, well, I want to share this lovely photo I took of  luch we made over the weekend.
Although, I actually I did not cook this one from start to finish, I helped out with the preparation.  It was hubby who did and I was happy to snap away and eventually tuck in with delight. The reason I brought this to your attention, is to share my philosophy of what you eat is also as imprtant as what you put on your skin. I don't use receipe books to cook but I enjoy buying and collecting them. Not alot though, because most Africans I know don't use receipe books to cook, including myself.But that is all changing now. Some books I collect because of the amazing pictures of the food and how it is presented. Remember, we see food through our eyes, then we smell the aroma and eventually eat by tasting.  Hence, I share a picture of this lovely lunch we made..  Let me know if you try it out sometime. Enjoy.

How to prepare:

1. Buy some lovely obogine, we used 3, cut in half and Scoop out the inside to make enough space to scoop in a filling but not to thin not to have enough to eat when it is ready.

2. Season your filling, we used minced meat. But firstly cut out some sweet red peppers, orange peppers, garlic, ginger and onions. Now chop the vegetables up.
Heat your pan and pour in a bit of olive oil or sunflower oil and wok the minced meat for about 5mins. Enough time to make sure that the minced meat and peppers and herbs are all marinated and almost cooked. I use a lot of hebs when cooking and this one has, cinnamon, chives, parrika, and hot pepper and sprinkle of salt to taste.



3. Then scoop the mixture into your oborgine and fill well.

4. Pop it in to the oven to bake for about 20 minutes. Infact after 10 minutes in the oven you will begin to small the aroma of the spice and it is absolutely beautiful.

5. Check that the oborgine is properly baked, you will notice a slight brownish colour and the juice from the oborgine- then it is ready to eat.

6 Here is a picture of the final stage - we topped it up with some fresh tomatoes-  it is delicious with a nice glass of wine. Bona petit.

P.S- I wasn't sure what name to give it though!

What do you think?

Top 10 tips for leading a healthy, balanced life

Information Worth sharing!

1. Laughter!
It's true that laughter is the best medicine. It's free, readily available and the benefits are instantaneous. Laughter is so beneficial that you can actually join laughter workshops to trigger those 'happy hormones' (endorphins) and induce that warm glow of well-being.

2. Exercise
There are no shortcuts to a healthy lifestyle without exercise It strengthens the body and can help to clear the mind. Above all, it's enjoyable and entirely portable, so there's no reason not to get involved!

3. Eat fresh
Try replacing your daily caffeine fix with a freshly-squeezed juice occasionally; why not also try different combinations of fruit and/ or vegetable in your juices

4. Indulge yourself occasionally
Life should be joyful, not a guilt trip and the occasional indulgence is ok. Take the phone off the hook and soak in a deep bath, treat yourself to a massage or your favourite chocolate bikkies without getting the ‘guilts'. Organise a babysitter for the kids and enjoy a date with your spouse or partner without needing an occasion to celebrate.

5. Exercise calm
Life can't always slow its pace but you can. If your mind is constantly skipping ahead to anticipate or fret about that next phone call/deadline/relationship issue then try simple mental exercises to bring your awareness back into the present. Feel the weight of your body on the ground and turn your hearing out to listen to the sounds that are actually there (not the busy narrative in your head). This entire process can take three seconds or three minutes but it just may help you to feel refreshed and calmer afterwards.

6. Take time out
Stepping off the treadmill is essential to maintaining a healthy mind. It doesn't have to cost anything; it may simply be allowing yourself time to do whatever it is that recharges your batteries. Potter in the garden, read a book, listen to music or simply sit and think. Take a drive and immerse yourself in nature to pare back some of the slickness of city life and fall back into the slower rhythms of the natural world.

7. Check your priorities
Have you ever lifted your head up from the daily grind and wondered when living became surviving? Keep issues in context by examining them in relation to what you truly value, whether it's family, your social network or your own sense of integrity. Ask yourself where your priorities lie and whether your actions are in line with them.

8. Keep learning
Keep your mind sharp by engaging your interest; try learning a new language or take up a new hobby.

9. Give something back
Giving back could be a simple as listening to a friend who needs a sounding board or as involved as volunteering for a cause. Either way it's a valuable contribution and it also helps to shed some perspective on your own life.

10. Positive attitude
Attitude is everything. Thoughts are energy and your motivation propels them. If you maintain a positive attitude, chances are you'll attract positive, upbeat people, face challenges in good humour and keep your goals in sight.

Infomation provided from map my fitness
http://mapmyfitness.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=334784