Danderma's Blog, page 68

LoFat Vegetarian Diet – Day 14

Day fourteen of LoFat’s vegetarian diet started a breakfast of small brown bagel with lettuce and cheese, fruit skewers, low fat laban (buttermilk), and black coffee. Just like day 7 (post).

Lunch was Vegetables Byriani with a Sweet Corn, red kidney beans, and tomato salad.

I’ve always loved LoFat’s byriani and its still as good as I remembered it. A nice colorful and fulfilling meal for the winter time.

The salad came dressed in thousand island dressing which I adore and was very sweet and crunchy. It was a fine lunch indeed.

For dessert I got the Mocha Parfait. It looks like chocolate pudding with a crunchy layer at the bottom. Taste wise? It was horrible! I’m a big fan of coffee, a coffee addict if you may, but the amount of coffee in this little parfait was just too much. I couldn’t finish it, it was that bad.

For dinner I received a Mujadara with red lentil and beans puree soup.

The mujadara was warm and good. It tasted like Kushari without the macaroni.

The soup was fine. Not so good and not so bad. Good and warm for this winter weather.

Day fourteen marks the end of the first two weeks of my LoFat Vegetarian diet. I’m officially half way done with the diet now. Two more weeks to go.

To learn more about LoFat’s diet menu plans you can call them 22250650 on ,check their website (link), like their facebook page (link), follow them on Twitter (@LoFatGroup), or instagram (@LoFatGroup).

Mira’s Blogerette’s Night in Al-Berdawny

Our friend and fellow blogger Mira Tigermood decided to throw us a blogerettes gathering in Al-Berdawny restaurant last week. Al-Berdawny is a Lebanese restaurant built like an old hour/castle with plenty of vast open spaces, running water streams -artificial- and a great outdoors seating area surrounded by palm trees.

We arrived to a guy with a very nice voice playing on the Oud singing to welcome our arrival.

 As we sat down, the table was instantly filled with many favorite Lebanese mezza dishes. The homous had “Bloggers” written on it! Cute

Lebanese cusine is one of my favorites with plenty of vegetarian options to start with as starters or mezze. It was really hard not eating them because of the diet :(

These dishes I didn’t have a hard time fighting off, meat lovers on a diet might have though.

 

Then at the end of the meal each of the bloggerettes was surprised with her very own kanafa with her blog’s name written on it

Plenty of fresh fruit were around too.

Mira also celebrated the birthday of our fellow blogger nayfashion with a cake, rocket like candle, and life music from the oud guy.

It was a great night, sitting outdoors with great food, great company, and good live music. One day after I’m done dieiting I’m going to pass by and try their breakfast. Thank you dear Mira for your invitation, it was a fun night :*

Al-Berdawny is located in Salmiya, baghdad street right opposite the Yacht club on Gulf Street. For more information you can call 25661117/8, check their website (link), follow them on instagram (@Albredawny).

My 12 Favorite iPhone Applications

One of my friends and the reason why I became a blogger, ex-blogger Yara, thought it was interesting to post a list of my favorite iPhone applications especially since she took my recommednations with the Sleep Cycle app and loved it. As 2012 is about to finish up, I’m looking back and thinking what applications did I truly love indeed. So I’m sharing my favorite 12 applications from the App Store:

Shazam. Thanks to Shazam, my music list is growing everyday  Whenever I hear a song anywhere, all I have to do is to ask shazam to listen to is and then I’m directed to iTunes to buy that very particular song. No more “OMG I love that song what is it must memorize the lyrics to Google it quick oops its gone” moments.
Sleep Cycle (post). Thanks to it waking up in the morning is not an issue anymore. Now if only I can find an iPhone app that would urge me to leave my warm bed in the winter mornings. Mako?
6alabat app. If 6alabat.com is a lifesaver, then 6alabat app is the lifesaving buoy! I’ve used it to order my lunch/dinner/party food everywhere: Arriving home in the airport, driving home from work, shopping and returning home, blow drying my hair before at home before my guests arrive, you get the picture.
Goodreads app. If you love books like I do, you’d appreciate this application. Aside from connecting you to your goodreads account online where you can review books. It also comes with a barcode reader you can use to scan the ISBN barcode of your books and add them to your library immediately  This is also helpful when you want to double check if the book you are about to purchase isn’t already waiting to be read on your shelves at home.
Camera+. If you are a photography enthusiast like me you’d appreciate the picture quality and editing options available when you take photographs with your iPhone camera using this app. Particularly useful for nighttime photography in dark surroundings.
Filterstorm. I use this application to edit pictures on the iPhone. Controlling brightness, constrast, cropping, blurring, and other photo editing options.
Air Video Free. I use this app to stream videos from my “server”, in this case my laptop, to my TV directly while controlling my streaming using my iPhone or iPad, acting as a remote.
Jamie Oliver Recipes. If you are a fan of Jamie Oliver -I am!- you’d love this application where you can browse his recipes on your iPhone. Particularly useful if you are about to cook something and don’t have enough work space on your counter to prop a heavy cookbook -all of Jamie’s are heavy!-.
Net-a-Porter App. Now just because I don’t post much about fashion doesn’t mean I don’t love it. I’m actually a self confessed fashion victim and Net-a-porter addict who is recovering. It doesn’t hurt to brown the What’s New and lust after the gorgeous heart stopping pieces on my iPhone.
British Airways App. Before the app I used to dread having to time my online check in. I used to make sure that at the exact moment check in is open I must be on a computer, fingers ready to check in and change my seats. With the app, I can check in wherever I am. I can actually move freely and not worry, set a timer that check in would start in a few minutes. And with a few clicks on the iPhone I’d be checked in and that’s it. No restraints, no planning where to be with an internet connection ahead of time.
Can I say Instagram? It is a life changing application after all and I’m sure you all know why and how etc.
Last but not least: Crazy Taxi! When I play Crazy Taxi I’m instantly transferred to 1999, sitting on the floor of my room in the UK and roaming the streets of San Francisco like a maniac, slamming into everything and everything. I still play the original Crazy Taxi on my dreamcast but its now much easier to play on my iPhone of course.

 

And that concludes my 12 favorite iPhone Applications for the year 2012. What about you, dear reader? What are you favorite apps for 2012? If you have any recommendations, please do share

LoFat Vegetarian Diet – Day 13

 

Day thirteen started with a breakfast of Labneh & Zaatar saj, fruit skewers, low fat laban (buttermilk), and white tea.

I’ve always loves the Labneh & Zaatar saj, tangy and chunky and takes forever to finish

Lunch was penne pasta with corn with a wheat berry & bean salad.

The penne pasta had sweet corn and sliced courgettes mixed in with tomato sauce. It was good! Very nice indeed.

The wheat berry and kidney beans salad was very delicious. I’ve never had wheat berry before and it tasted nutty and crunchy. The vinaigrette sauce was tangy and complemented the mix very well. Lunch was a success.

Dessert was an orange brownie. Or more accurately, an orange Blondie  It didn’t look like much, I almost gave it away. But then I bit into it and I went mmmmm. It was unbelievably good. A way7a qalbi moment! LoFat should defiantly sell this cake in the co-ops for its too good to be true. Moist and orange-y and creamy!

Dinner was vegetable Quesadilla with a sweet corn Chinese soup.

The quesadilla was nice though I’ve missed having it smothered in sour cream and guacamole. I guess being on a diet means sacrificing a few things But I did have the soup which was nice and warming.

To learn more about LoFat’s diet menu plans you can call them 22250650 on ,check their website (link), like their facebook page (link), follow them on Twitter (@LoFatGroup), or instagram (@LoFatGroup).

A Delightful Surprise from Cake Story

Earlier this week I returned home to find a neq9a -gift- from Cake Story in the form of a long royal blue box tied with a pink ribbon. I love Cake Story’s home bakery! They have the most delicious baked goods ever and their presentation is gorgeous. I’ve posted about them before (post) (post) and on more than one occasion I’ve ordered their goodies in the long blue box to take with me when I’m invited to gatherings. This time its my turn to be surprised

I took my time pulling the pink ribbon, anticipating what lay beneath. Cake Story have so many delicious items on their menu and many of them are new, so it could have been anything.

Mamma mia! The aroma of baked sugar and chocolate hit me in the face as I opened the lid!

 

The first item off the box is the Dove Cake, a “coconut, almond, and blackberries cake” introduced by cakestroy especially for Human Rights day. The proceeds of this will be donated to charity till the end of 2012. The cake is gorgeous

Next off the box was these little fellas…

Two kinds of molten like cakes in white jars. The first kind is the chocolate fondue cake. Very chocolaty and when you reheat it, a bubble of hot chocolate liquid will jump up at you saying hello then jumping back into a long moist well of chocolate soaked center in the cake. Very yummy!

The other kind is a marble like fondue cake. Very similar in taste and content as the chocolate fondue only less chocolatey if you can’t handle too much chocolate. Very good indeed.

Thank you Cake Story for sending this amazing neq9a my way. Even though I’m on a diet I couldn’t resist taking a spoonful of each item

To view the rest of Cake Story’s goods and to order you can call them on  99004349 (24 hours in advance), follow them on twitter (@CakeStory2012) or on instagram (@CakeStory)

Run Against Crime… Join The March of White

Unless you’ve been under a rock in Kuwait or something, you’d have already heard about the senseless murder of the young denstist in the Avenues mall. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain and suffering it caused his family and friends. A young man enjoying an outing on the weekend only to be stabbed to death and over what? A parking dispute?

The country is distraught ever since the news, no doubt about that, therefore a “March of White” will be arranged tomorrow in Dr. Jaber Yousef’s memory. The meeting point will be at IKEA at 5:30 P.M. on 26 December 2012 and anyone who wants to join the march should be in either black or white clothing.

All it takes is a moment to viciously end a human’s life. Put an end to all his dreams, memories, feelings, and existence. No one has the right to strip another from his life, no one has the right to decide you should cease to exist. Join the march to say a loud and clear no against all crimes, any crime, heinous or petty ones.

Allah yer7kmek Dr. Jaber Yousef

LoFat Vegetarian Diet – Day 12

Day twelve started with a breakfast of waffles with chocolate sauce, fruit skewers, low fat Laban (buttermilk), and white tea. I was really happy to see the waffle. I love waffles

Lunch was Okra and tomato tagine with white rice and a greek salad.

The okra and tomato tagine is very similar to my beloved maraq bamiya! I enjoyed it very much indeed. However, the okra was still a little too hard and could do with a bit more simmering on the stove to soften it a bit.

The greek salad was standard. Kinda boring actually but at least it contains a lot of leafy greens! The cheese however came in two tiny cubes. Is that how much cheese we are supposed to consume? No wonder I’m overweight!

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Dessert was a pistachio panacotta. It was good! Very creamy and very tasty.

Dinner was Indian cottage cheese with coconut milk with white rice and pumpkin soup.

The cottage cheese mix was good and warming but it was quite spicy. If your stomach can’t handle spice then this dish is not for you.

The pumpkin soup, as always, was one of the better soups provided by LoFat. Highly recommended if you are a pumpkin fan.

Day twelve of the diet was made by the okra stew “maraq bamiya” and the pistachio panacotta! The okra stew felt very homey and familiar. Maybe LoFat should include more Kuwaiti dishes in their menu. I wouldn’t say no to a vegetarian momawash in this weather.

To learn more about LoFat’s diet menu plans you can call them 22250650 on ,check their website (link), like their facebook page (link), follow them on Twitter (@LoFatGroup), or instagram (@LoFatGroup).

LoFat Vegetarian Diet – Day 11

On the eleventh day of my LoFat vegetarian diet trial I received a falafel sandwich with fruit skewers and low fat laban (buttermilk) for breakfast.

The falafel sandwich came in a small brown hot dog roll with lettuce and a tiny amount of tahini spread inside. It was amazingly good. I took my time enjoying every singly bite. Highly recommended.

For lunch I received Moroccan chickpea tagine with bread and the white bean and zaatar salad I’ve received before.

The Moroccan tagine was really just cooked chickpeas in sauce. It was OK but didn’t feel Moroccan at all. I’ve already stated my thoughts regarding the white bean and Zaatar salad in day eight of my diet.

For dessert I received a slice of green apple cake with white tea. The green apple cake was OK but not as good as, say, the creme brûlée. But it wasn’t bad.

Dinner was Chickpea burger with tahini sauce and lettuce with mushroom soup.

The burger was kinda blah so I’ve dressed it up with mustard and a slice of low fat cheese. This time however I received a full burger instead of just half.

The mushroom soup was creamy, warm, not salty, and perfect. In this weather there is nothing like a good soup to warm you up!

Today the falafel sandwich made me very happy

To learn more about LoFat’s diet menu plans you can call them 22250650 on ,check their website (link), like their facebook page (link), follow them on Twitter (@LoFatGroup), or instagram (@LoFatGroup).

Do You Ask Bloggers to Write About Your Negative Experiences?

I keep getting this request from disgruntled people around me - sometimes from people I barely know – “This happened to me, write about them in your blog!”. Sometimes you sympathise with the individuals, other times you can clearly see they are overreacting, nonetheless, they always expect the end of their demanding statement to be “I will post about them and avenge you!”

Excuse me but when did my blog become the venegance capital of the internet? Why do people think its OK to berate a company through my blog just because I’m a blogger? My blog is my own space where I write what I experience, I like, and what I dislike. Using it as a weapon to threaten a company on your behalf is not something that will make me comfortable. Besides, I don’t fancy the reputation of being a sore loser, i.e. attacking company X because company X had just thrown a big fat event and didn’t invite me to it, or distributed some really nice gifts around to all the bloggers out there but didn’t send me. That kind of thing.

My point is, if I want to write about a company’s misdeeds, I want to write it because I want to do it. Not because people expect me to show them I’m on their side by posting about it. Not everything is meant to be written, not everything is meant to be complained about. You have to trust that I know my own circumenstances and my own blog better than anyone and that its up to me to want to post about something and demanding it won’t get you anywhere.

Does that happen to you, fellow bloggers? People turning towrads you and expecting you to complain about a company based on their experience? What about you my readers? Do you expect a blogger you know personally to just write up a post on your behalf in case you were angered by a bad service?

LoFat Vegetarian Diet – Day 10

Day ten of the diet is a monumental day. It marks the end of one third of the dieting period, which means 30%! That’s an accomplishment for me. For my day ten breakfast I received fontina omelette in a saj bread, fruit skewers, and low fat laban (buttermilk).

The fontina omelette was fine but I personally have a problem with eating eggs that weren’t cooked right away so I don’t think I’ll be having anymore egg dishes anytime soon.

For Lunch I received Indian paneer with tomato rice with a potato and capsicum salad.

The paneer and tomato rice was very good. I love paneer. If you are a fan of paneer and Indian cuisine then this dish is for you.

The potato and capsicum salad was good but the portion was small.

For dessert I had a strawberry mousse with white tea. The strawberry mousse looked tantalising. It tasted exactly like strawberry yogurt. At least it was much better than the mango mousse of day eight.

The dinner was baked cheese macaroni with dhal soup.

The dhal soup was dhal soup, plain and simple. Good, warm, and perfect for the winter.

The macaroni and cheese was so good, I almost licked the plate afterwards. This is the macaroni and cheese I’m looking for everywhere! LoFat should start selling this in co-ops for those days when you crave the perfect mac n cheese! Yummy!

Day ten was special because of the macaroni and cheese. I hope I have more macaroni and cheese meals waiting for me in the remaining twenty days.

To learn more about LoFat’s diet menu plans you can call them 22250650 on ,check their website (link), like their facebook page (link), follow them on Twitter (@LoFatGroup), or instagram (@LoFatGroup).