Power Your Day with Quaker - Oats for Rice with Mushrooms Recipe

Have you heard about the power of oats?  Maybe you have heard about oats helping in the control of the blood pressure.  Or maybe the high levels of fiber and protein provided.

Overnight oats have been the in-thing for the last few years because of its benefits.  One can practically throw in any fruits and / or nuts and you get an awesome load of protein, fiber, vitamins and so on.  But, there are some people who do not fancy cold oats.  And some who think children should not take cold stuff.  :)

So today, I am sharing a savoury oats recipe, perfect for busy full-time working Mums like me!  

Savory Oats with Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Quaker Oats for Rice
1 cup rice (I used mixed brown rice)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
6 pieces of mushrooms, washed and sliced
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper 
Olive oil

Directions:

1.  Wash both the oats and brown rice.  Cook in rice cooker per rice cooker instructions.
2.  Add oil to a non-stick pan and once hot, add onions and sautéed till slightly translucent.
3.  Stir in mushrooms.
4.  Once mushrooms are almost cooked, stir them into the rice cooker.
5.  When the rice is cooked, stir in Parmesan cheese.  The heat from the cooked rice will melt the cheese.
6.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
7.  Enjoy!

If you are in a rush, I am pretty sure just leaving everything (except the cheese) into the rice cooker works well too. 

Are you convinced now that oats can be added to your daily diets, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner?  It could also be added into your usual rice - it is that easy to incorporate oats to each meal!

POWER your day with QUAKER

Quaker is having a promotion at NTUC Fairprice supermarkets till 12 March 2016.  Stand a chance to win a Tiger Induction Rice Cooker worth more than $700 with every $5 worth of Quaker products purchased.  Check in store for details.  T&C applies.

Disclosure:  This post is brought to by Quaker.  Follow them on Quaker Singapore for more information and ways to enjoy your oats, hot or cold.

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{Review} DxPulse Express (3-in-1) Treatment - Part 2

Hello!  It's Chinese New Year in another week and are you prepared?

This post is going to be about my last session with One Beauty Spa and I am greatly thankful to them for the past treatments and feeding me with information about my skin concerns.

I believe facial treatments should not be just the case of "go-there-lie-down" and the therapist does all the work without one knowing what is happening or "Okay, we are done for today.  Please book your next appointment in a month's time," and one leaves without knowing what are the changes to their skin.

Irene, my therapist will always inform me of the treatment she is doing and after that, remind me to constantly hydrate my skin with good hydration serum and moisturiser because in this case, IPL can be very drying on the skin.

I also came to know that pigmentation can be caused primarily by either hormonal changes or exposure to the sun.  While the latter is slightly easier to treat, the former is not something that facials or IPL can treat simply.

My pigmentations are mainly on the cheeks area.  Now under control, it is not very obvious unless it is looked at very closely.

This little machine that does the job of the DxPulse treatment.  I understand that the long term benefits of this treatment are:

• Lighten and brighten skin tone
• Stimulate deep cellular regeneration
• Lighten freckles and spots
• Minimise pores size
• Improve skin texture 

This time, the intensity of the light was increased slightly and surprisingly, I did not felt that it was worse than my first experience.  Maybe it was mind over matter and was already prepared for it.

And this is me, after a couple of days.  Results?  2 times of DxPulse treatments technically will not prove any long term benefits (only 2 times right?)  but overall, the immediate benefit as I mention also in my last post here is a fairer skin tone.  

Disclosure:  This is part of a series of sponsored reviews by One Beauty Spa.  No monetary compensation was received.  Terms and product information about the product were provided by them.  All photographs and opinions are true to my own.
  
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{Review} DxPulse Express (3-in-1) Treatment - What's That?!

It has been a mad rush almost everyday for this working mama.  With new routines and new schedules, sometimes I just get so tired that I just want to knock out early every night.

But Chinese New Year is fast approaching and there are just so many stuff to be done.  Of course, one of the items is my face.  :D

Nonono, not a plastic surgery for now.  

If you have read my last review regarding One Beauty Spa's Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Express Treatment and saw my "Before" and "After" photos after going through intensive weekly sessions, you might have probably been wow-ed too.

After getting my skin's hydration level to a certain level, which is the foundation for good skin, I embark on a new journey to  lighten and brighten my skin tone.

DxPulse Express (3-in-1), featuring dynamic pulse light, is a laser-like treatment that is supposed to be effective in rebuilding collagen and repairing elastin to reduce deep wrinkles.  The main difference between DxPulse and the traditional Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is that it uses "SND" technology, a new concept of combing IPL and laser power source to enable creating new shape of pulses which is efficient and safe.

Started off with a purifying peel which can sting a little, especially if there is extraction done before that.

Irene, my therapist, showing me the DxPulse machine and the different examples of the light treatments.  Apparently, there are different intensity for different purposes.  It was my first time trying as I have never even done any IPL before.  

I can still smile.  Well, I can still smile after that.  Irene did mention that the feeling is that of a rubber band snapping at the particular area that is being treated.  What women can go through for the sake of beauty.  :D

And yes, it did feel so.  So, just take a deep breathe and relax.  Of course, I am not expecting immediate results for my pigmentation issues as this is no miracle machine or treatment but B mentioned that I looked fairer when he saw me right after the session although I made no mention about the treatment.

Like I said.  I can still smile after that.  At the makeup area where you can find a hairdryer too.  Making sure all looks good before I leave the place.  

Located conveniently near the Bugis MRT, along Liang Seah Street, the Bugis outlet is now even more accessible with the opening of more stations along the Downtown Line.  I cannot wait for my next session!  :)

Not my best angle.  But that is me without makeup, after the session of DxPulse.

Disclosure:  This is part of a series of sponsored reviews by One Beauty Spa.  No monetary compensation was received.  Terms and product information about the product were provided by them.  All photographs and opinions are true to my own.
  
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Having Fun at Tag Team and a Giveaway!

Have you all heard of Tag Team?  They are the people behind Tag Team @ ECP Parkland, Singapore's largest indoor laser tag arena.

The opening of their second and latest outlet - Tag Team @ Downtown East also marks the birth of Reza Sword -  the world's first and laser tag sword.  The Reza Sword works like a laser tag gun, but instead of just shooting, one can now slash, slice and even stab the opponents.  A laser tag beam aids in the aiming of the target.  

It was so fun!

A warm up and prelude to the laser fight, we were taught how to use the Reza Sword - using both the sword and gun modes.

Can you see the glee on this little boy's face?  

Our first mission.  A tag team challenge.  Pain-free, we need to stay in our designated area so that we will not hit one another.   Using either the sword or gun mode, we slice our opponent so that they will obtain more hit points and this is made possible using the infrared technology used in remote controls.

The highlight for the children is this laser fight.  They declared that it will be children versus adults.  This was also the mission that made us sweat.

Looking at this photo, it is obvious that all of us had fun.  Especially the kids.  A good workout at the same time in an air-conditioned area.  Phew.

At Tag Team, we had face-to-face interaction with one another, as compared to playing computer games and for the children,  I think it is a good workout session.  Especially for children who hate going under the sun, this will be a good place to have a good workout while bonding through play.  I believe for older children, it will be both interesting and challenging as they strategise and play together as a team.

I have some great news!  Sponsored by Tag Team, I have some tickets to giveaway.  Each winner will win 4 tickets and so, I will be randomly choosing 3 winners.

Simply be a B.C.D.E. That's US Facebook page fan, like and share the corresponding Facebook post, not forgetting to tag 3 friends.

Giveaway ends 16 January 2016, 8pm.

Please note:

- Winners will be chosen at random

- 1 Ticket = 1 Mission

- Tickets are not exchangeable for cash and are valid until 29 February 2016 at Tag Team @ Downtown East.  No extension will be entertained or allowed.

- The giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.

- Winners will be announced on blog, Facebook and notified by email.  Please respond within 48 hours, failing which, a new winner will be chosen.  

Good Luck! 

Disclosure:  We were invited to Tag Team @ Downtown East for the purpose of this review.  No monetary compensation was received.  Terms and information about the activity were provided by them.  All photographs and opinions are true to my own.

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{Review} Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Express Treatment Part 4

In a blink of the eye, Christmas is over and so has the New Year.  For us Chinese, the biggest celebration has got to be Chinese New Year, (CNY) which in 2016 falls on 8 and 9 February 2016.

And I am so glad that I am greeting this CNY with a much better skin.  Oh yes, it is part 4 of my review.  Here you find Part 1, 2 and 3.  

For my final Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Express Treatment, there was something different.

It all started with a purifying peel and then extractions which I actually slept through.  :P

The roller, which I am quite used to.  Starting to look "red" yea...

Now, after the extractions and the roller treatment, my skin definitely looked red.  Thus, Irene did a cold roll which helps with the calming of the face.  I am sure it is obvious that I love this cold treatment.  :)  This definitely helped as I did not look like a "lobster" when I am out of the outlet.

As you can see, I started my journey with One Beauty Spa on 7 November 2015 with hope of better-looking skin.

Lo and behold!  This is my skin condition as taken on 17 December 2015.  There is no edit, no filtering to the photographs shown in all parts of my Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Express Treatment reviews.

It is pretty obvious that the skin has become clearer, enlarged pores are minimised and skin looks more hydrated.  What I want to say to myself and my readers is that, with the proper treatment and of course, correct home care and lifestyle, it is possible to have good-looking, if not, healthier-looking skin.

Disclosure:  This is part 4 of a series of sponsored reviews by One Beauty Spa.  No monetary compensation was received.  Terms and product information about the product were provided by them.  All photographs and opinions are true to my own.
  
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{Review} Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Express Treatment Part 3

Earlier, I wrote about exercising more as part of my resolution in 2015.  On the same note, having better skin conditions is also one of my 2015 resolution.

I am married.  I am a mother of 2.  But... marriage and motherhood does not equate to being a 黄脸婆 (literally translated to yellow face wife).  As some explain it as being burdened with housework and always busy with family, with no time to look after oneself, she turns into a haggard looking wife.  I believe in "upkeeping" myself despite growing older and having my hands full with work and family.  I try to conceal eye bags, lighten pigmentation and uneven skin tone and of course, putting on makeup to look good every other day.  I often tell friends and colleagues to not call me if they see me outside without makeup because I think I look tired and basically "chui" most of the time.  LOL

But after my fifth session with One Beauty Spa, I thought my skin look so much better.  These days, I go to work with sunblock, CC cream and loose powder.  No thick foundations.  Happier too as it reduces my makeup time.  :)

Like I mention earlier in Part 2, I am going through an intensive weekly programme.  It is designed in such a way to make sure it works effectively.  A real commitment on my part too as I had to adhere to it.  But well, I guess, not much choices if I would like better skin conditions, especially before Chinese New Year, right? 

Proof that my skin is getting used to the 0.25mm-needle roller.  Face does not look red nor looking like it went through some painful procedures.  Just in case you are not aware, the Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation treatment is a technique of medical micro-needling, which has been shown to increase the remoulding of the skin by creating thousands of microscopic channels through the skin, to accelerate the formation of new tissue by activating the body's wound healing cascade.  This is an alternative to laser resurfacing but definitely a less invasive procedure. 

Me, after my 5th session

So, if you think you are in need of such an intensive treatment, give One Beauty Spa a call and speak to them regarding your skin concerns.  The friendly staff there will be able to advise you.  :)

Disclosure:  This is part 3 of a series of sponsored reviews by One Beauty Spa.  No monetary compensation was received.  Terms and product information about the product were provided by them.  All photographs and opinions are true to my own.
  
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{Review} Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Express Treatment Part 2

"Beautiful skin requires commitment, not a miracle" - Erno Laszlo

Oh, how true!

I am never blessed with fantastic skin.  I had a pretty bad skin condition when I started working and can you imagine, there was a period when I actually went for biweekly facials?  So, yes.  I do believe commitment is a requirement.  There is no miracle to beautiful skin, unless Fairy Godmother or Aladdin exist.  :)

Here, you read about Part 1 of my journey with Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Express Treatment.  Today, I am sharing with you Part 2.

After 3 intensive (read: once a week) sessions, my skin started to get use to the rollers.  Irene will decide the intensity of the "rolling" and she mention that my skin seems to be able to handle the resurfacing quite well.  She can also see that the congested skin is starting to clear up.  It is not totally congestion-free but she sees improvements.  Yay!

To me, I can actually feel that the skin is much better.  I used to feel many little bumps when I touch or press my skin.  Those bumps are not visible to the naked eye but I can feel it.  Sometimes, they do pop up like tiny weeny zits and it will be all so uneven when I put on my makeup.  Those who have seen me without makeup will know how I look.  Sometimes I tell people, I feel so "chui" (looks so bad) without makeup.

I had a little bump that has been irritating me on and off and very surprisingly, a couple of days after that session, the bump went off.  It has not popped up since and I am hoping it never will.

Disclosure:  This is part 2 of a series of sponsored reviews by One Beauty Spa.  No monetary compensation was received.  Terms and product information about the product were provided by them.  All photographs and opinions are true to my own.
  
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{Review} Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Express Treatment Part 1

If you know me and have asked me before my skin concerns, you will know that I am very concerned with the pigmentation on my face, especially on my cheeks (okay, don't scrutinise me when you see me next time :P).   Thus, I changed my skincare to the whitening range sometime back.  What I did not know was whitening skincare can be very drying (oh yah, laugh at me.  :D).

I met up with Cherry, Managing Director of One Beauty Spa one fine day and learnt lots from her (you should have seen her skin!!  She looks so good!).  Dehydrated and congested skin are my two biggest concerns.  Cherry emphasises that apart from the facials and the care given by her beauty therapists, home care - the use of the correct skin care products and lifestyle habits are very important in achieving and maximising the effects of the therapy one goes through.

Some tips are:
1.  Sleeping early (we all know that our organs repair and heal themselves while we sleep and our liver detoxifies at some point from 11pm to 3am)
2.  Right use of skincare (for example, avoid products with alcohol ingredients as it is very drying)
3.  Drink at least 8 glasses of water

To deal with my congested skin condition, I was recommended the Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Express treatment. 

Located along Liang Seah Street in Bugis, One Beauty Spa is just a couple of minutes walk from Bugis MRT Station and they have another outlet near Eunos MRT Station.

Once inside, I noticed the various awards.  One of the most important I felt, considering it is a beauty saloon / beauty spa / facial place is the CaseTrust certification.  

Having obtained the Style Picks: 2015 Best Beauty Treats, the Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Treatment is definitely a must-try if one needs help to minimise acne and pitted scars, improve congested skin and balance oiliness.

Dim lights to make customers feel relaxed and at ease

The Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Treatment uses innovative intradermal delivery (transdermal delivery) system with active cosmetic ingredients that penetrates into the deeper dermis layer, stimulating collagen production together with the aid of the Micro-needling procedure.  This, induces the skins' natural collagen creation and resurfacing healing for smoother and even skin.

 Going through the Micro-Resurfacing Rejuvenation Express treatment means letting the roller disc applicator (with acupuncture point at 0.25mm wide in diameter) creates more than 500,000 channels within 5-10 minutes, deep into the epidermis of the skin.  My therapist, Irene will always evaluate my skin before deciding how intensive the treatment should be.  For my first treatment, she was pretty easy on me.  Partly also to test my skin's reaction to the roller, which will create minimal dermal damage without the removal of healthy epidermis so that the healing period will be rapid and natual collagenesis will be allowed to occur.

My chin has been "rolled over".  :D

After the "rolling", a very powerful serum - a cocktail of active ingredients, was applied to accelerate healing.

The whole treatment took about 30-45 minutes.  It is best for busy people, like me.  I actually made use of the time the boys went for their activities to have my treatment done.  Doesn't look like a "lobster" after the first treatment which was phew, good.  The good is that the skin's absorption rate is at its optimal for the next 2 to 3 days so I simply slap on the best hydrating serum I have.  The bad - trying to not go under the sun for long periods of time as there is slight stinging of the skin.

My first session was pretty easy and as you can see, no redness.  The roller sounds scary but it is not.  Irene says once a person gets used to it, he / she might even sleep while the therapist rolls...  Haha I wonder if I will ever get to that stage.  I know it is not a miracle tool or treatment so I am not expecting to see results in just one treatment.  But it does feels good to know that the skin is in the process of being "decongested".  :D  Looking forward to clearer and more hydrated skin.  :)

Disclosure:  This is part 1 of a series of sponsored reviews by One Beauty Spa.  No monetary compensation was received.  Terms and product information about the product were provided by them.  All photographs and opinions are true to my own.

 
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{Review & Giveaway} Simply Life Collections

Sometime back, we were invited to the launch of Simply Life but we were unable to make it.  Despite not attending the launch, the folks at Simply Life sent us some lovely items from their collections.

Simply Life, a new homegrown brand, believes in designing safe and quality products for babies and children.  From baby's wear to homeware, beddings to children's accessories.  

One will also find that in some of their products, there are encouraging visuals and positive words, uplifting one's mood simply by looking at them.  "Dare to Soar", "Blessed", "Dare to Dream" being some of them.  A gift for a child, a student?  These will be perfect.

My first reaction upon receiving them.  So soft!!!  Not the bottle lah.  I meant the towel, pillow case and bolster case covers, underpants (briefs) and socks.

And this was because of the high composition of superior bamboo fibres.  The composition of bamboo in most of Simply Life's range of clothing, bath and bedding products is 95%, thus making it ultra soft and comfortable.  More hypoallergenic, antibacterial and anti-fungal, the all-natural bamboo material is also highly absorbent and moisture-wicking.  Something new to me is the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification.  It is always good to know that the fabrics used is OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, which means that the textile used is free from harmful substances.

Very much loving this towel.  It is soft after the initial wash and still soft after a few washes.  Who doesn't like soft and fluffy towels, right?  :)  I think this will make a great gift for newborns / babies because their skin is so smooth and soft that we do not want to "hurt" them while drying them after a bath.

The pillow and bolster set, is split between the boys.  Someone took the pillow, while the other took the bolster.  Can you guess who got what?  :P

D loves the bolster and in fact, it is somewhat a right size for him.  Because it is made of 95% bamboo, it is soft to the touch.  The elastic ends also means no dangling of strings and such that could well be a hazard for children.

I hardly buy big bottles for the children as they are more difficult to handle for the small hands.  However, this 450ml BPA-free bottle size is just nice.  The extra piece that helps with regulating the water while drinking is good yet bad.  Good because the water will not be "poured" out at one go and wet the children.  Bad -  it makes refilling of water troublesome.  Upon checking out other brands of water bottles, I noted that this part is available to most of them.

And D does not have any trouble screwing / unscrewing it on his own which is a plus for me.

Socks!  Many socks out there for older children no longer have anti-slip studs.  But the ones at Simply Life for older children and in white or black do.  You might not think that older children need them.  But I think they do need especially when they are in the indoor playgrounds, or indoor areas where socks are needed.  Unlike toddlers, parents sometimes let them be on their own and that is when they tend to run and chase their friends.  Safety, will never be the first thing on their minds.  And that's when the anti-slip studs come in, especially on slippery floors.

Photo credit : Simply Life

Now, since it is the end of the school term (oh well, I know it is not applicable to babies and toddlers), I have a special giveaway!

Sponsored by Simply Life, someone will be winning this water bottle, together with a bamboo towel.

Photo credit : Simply Life

To enter:

1. Be a B.C.D.E. That's US Facebook page fan.

2. Be a Simply Life page fan.

3. Like and share the corresponding Facebook post and tag 3 friends.

4. Leave me a comment telling me which item you love the most from Simply Life's collection.

5. Bonus!!!  Follow me on Instagram and regram the corresponding image for an extra chance!  :)

Giveaway ends 4 December 2015, 8pm.

Please note:

- Winner will be chosen at random

- Items are not exchangeable for cash or for other items, unless otherwise notified by the sponsor.

- The giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.

- Winner will be announced on blog, Facebook and notified by email.  Please respond within 48 hours, failing which, a new winner will be chosen.  

Good Luck! 

Disclosure:  Items shown were sponsored by Simply Life for the purpose of this review.  No monetary compensation was received.  Unless otherwise stated, all photographs and opinions are true to my own.

 
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