Digital Scrapbooking: My first layout
I enjoy ordering photobooks online because of their lovely designs. Now that I have learned how to do the layering in Photoshop, I can now make my own digital scrapbook layout. This is a nice Christmas gift idea for family and friends. I love to take photos of kids and pregnant women. So, I asked my sister-in-law, who is expecting a baby this coming December, to take a picture of her tummy so that I could document her pregnancy. She is such a camera-shy and I thank her for allowing me to take a picture of her. I asked her to loosen the garter of her pants to expose her tummy. Andre saw us and gladly joined us.
And here’s my first attempt – two layouts for my sister-in-law.
I love strawberries!
Do you love strawberries? Well, I certainly do! 
Aside from Baguio’s cold weather, it is one of the reasons for going to Baguio between January and February. We love going to the Strawberry Farm and buy the freshest strawberries. I love eating it fresh and creating a strawberry milk shake out of it. I also love their strawberry taho! I wish we could go back to Baguio again for a family vacation and I will surely buy lots of strawberries so I can try new recipes using strawberries , like strawberry cheesecake. I also want to try creating my very own version of Sharis Berries Gourmet Strawberries, which offers delicious chocolate covered strawberries. They’re so lovely and looks delicious, too.
Crunchy Tofu Steak
I am a big fan of Japanese food. I fell in love with Japanese food when I first tasted a sushi roll. I told myself that I have to learn how to do it. And I simply did. I have learned to make California Maki. I used to hate sushi because I didn’t like the taste of wasabi, but I later started to like it and eventually fell in love with it. I am now so addicted to salmon sushi. Whenever we are in an international buffet, I never fail to miss the Japanese Cuisine. But, my husband is not a big fan of sushi. The only Japanese dish he wants is tempura. Sino ba naman ang aayaw sa tempura diba? 
But, I’m glad my officemates love to eat Japanese foods. We usually dine at Tempura Japanese Grill in Ayala during payday. During one of our visits, we ordered their Tofu Steak and loved it. It was crunchy outside and soft inside. I knew that it was easy to make, so I searched for the recipe and tried it at home. The result: A SUCCESS! My husband loved them and asked me to cook them again.
Here are the ingredients:
For the crunchy tofu, you will need:
Silken Japanese tofu, sliced (be careful in slicing the tofu because it is very soft)
Flour for dredging (season with salt and pepper)
1 egg, lightly beaten with 2 tbsp of milk
Japanese bread crumbs
Oil for frying
For the sauce:
- ¼ cup sake
- ¼ cup mirin
- 2 Tbsp light soy sauce (I used Kikkoman)
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil for sautéing
- 1 large white onion, sliced in rings
- 1 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tbsp water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped green onions for garnish
Procedure:
- Drain tofu’s excess water in a paper towel.
- Carefully dredge the tofu in flour, then dip in egg, and coat with breadcrumbs.
- Deep fry until crisp and golden brown for 1-2 minutes. Set aside and arrange in a serving dish.
- To make the sauce, combine sake, mirin, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Set aside.
- In a frying pan, sauté the onions until transluscent. Add the soy sauce mixture and mix well. Add the dissolved cornstarch and let the mixture thicken slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the sauce on top of the fried tofu and garnish with the green onions. Serve immediately.
Note: The original recipe includes shitake mushrooms, but I omitted them because they are not available in my pantry during that time.
***This is an original post from my food blog. I am planning to transfer all my recipes from the food blog because I am having a difficulty maintaining 2 blogs.
Minced Ginger
Bottled minced ginger – an alternative to fresh ginger I use it in my Chicken Pandan.
Beauty find: Human Heart Nature Products
A few months ago, I was able to finally try Human Heart Nature Products when they opened a new branch here in Bulacan. I have heard and read good reviews about their products because they contain no harmful chemicals that are usually found in beauty care products commonly available in the market. Their pocket-friendly products contain natural and organic products that are 100% Philippine-made. One good thing about these products from Gandang Kalikasan Inc. is its three core principles, i.e., PRO-PHILIPPINES, PRO-POOR, and PRO-ENVIRONMENT. The company’s goal is to provide more livelihood to Gawad Kalinga residents and communities. Gawad Kalinga is a Philippine-based poverty alleviation and nation-building movement that aims to end poverty for 5 million families by 2024 by building homes for poor Filipinos. In every Human Heart Nature product you purchase, you will be able to help GK residents.
Here are some ofmy favorite HHN products:
Natural Feminine Wash (available in 50 and 200 ml bottles at P59.75 and P159.75, respectively)
I have switched to this natural, pH-balanced, clinically tested feminine wash because, aside from its natural ingredients from aloe vera and chamomile, it smells good and very refreshing. It contains natural cleansing agents from coconut and sunflower and natural preservatives from rice and anise to make this the safest and gentles way to care for your vajayjay
HHN Balancing Facial Wash ((available in 50 and 200 ml bottles at P79.75 and P194.75, respectively)
This is our most favorite. We use them twice daily to wash our face. It is very refreshing and it leaves a very smooth feeling in the face after every wash. I love the way it exfoliates and cleanses my face with the bamboo scrubs.
HHN Natural Hair Mask (available in 50 and 200g packaging at P99.75 and P299.75, respectively)
This is one of their bestsellers. It treats and restore stressed-out hair strands. We use it weekly after shampoo and it really softens the hair. Love the Jasmine scent because of the minty feeling upon application. It is a natural alternative to a salon hot oil treatment.
HHN Moisturizing Shampoo ( available in 20, 200, and 500 ml bottles at P44.75, P139.75, and P289.75, respectively)
The first time my husband used it, he fell in love with it together with the conditioner. He got rid of his dandruff right after he used it. We love its refreshing smell and makes our hair soft. We also use it as a body wash.
HHN Moisturizing Conditioner ( available in 20, 200, and 500 ml bottles at P49.75, P144.75, and P289.75, respectively)
After every bath, our hair feels so refreshed and moisturized. We love its citrus scent that we smell upon going out of the shower.
We have also tried their Hand & Foot Salve and apply it every night. It helped to soften my cracked heel. They also have other beauty products like lip balms, their new & improved lightweight mineral foundation with 4 shades that matches different skin tones, hydrating mineral lipstick, and their new mineral lip gloss.
We started switching to Human Heart Nature’s products with 100% no harmful chemicals. We also believe and want to support their advocacy in helping the poor and taking care of the environment as well. Their products are affordable compared to imported organic beauty products. Since we started switching to their products, I decided to become a dealer. 
So if you want to try these HHN products, just send me a message.
Let’s do the SWITCH and make our skin healthy.