Fun Food Ideas With Dr. Oetker FunFoods Mayonnaise

Hey everyone

I'm off work these days and enjoying my Christmas holidays. Like always, I love treating my family with some scrumptious snacks whenever I get time to stay home all the day long, because it's really monotonous to eat the same boring food everyday during normal course of work life.

What I tried this holiday season are some variants of Dr. Oetker FunFoods Mayonnaise other than classic flavour.

Mayonnaise Garlic also known as Aioli. It's made from freshest grounded garlic added to the mayo giving it a delectable taste. You can enjoy it with garlic bread, fried cheese & corn nuggets, fried onion pakodas, fish tikka. I gave a twist to my son's favourite snack honey chilli potato using garlic mayo. The crispy fried potato fingers tossed in honey chilli sauce with a hint of garlic tantalized the taste buds with little bit of everything. 

Mayonnaise Tandoori a unique blend of European Mayonnaise with Indian Spices. Add this flavour and create exciting dishes such as Shahi Paneer, Malai Kofta, Tandoori Macarooni or Pizzas. I opted for making healthy Rawa Vegetable Uttapam. Adding little tandoori mayo to this instant recipe intensified the taste with an aroma similar to smoky tandoor.  
Mayonnaise Green Mint which is a fusion of mayo with refreshing mint. It serves as a dip with kebabs or as spread. I made this burger overloaded with vegetables. Mint mayo added ultimate restaurant style flavour that left everyone salivating. Super easy to make, incredibly delicious and filling snack.

All these dishes are perfect starters for any kids party, if you are planning to organize this holiday season. All these mayonnaise flavours are priced at Rs 79 each for 275 gm and the best thing is that these are EGGLESS, so are a perfect choice for vegetarians families like mine.  

What variants of FunFoods Mayonnaise have you tried and liked the most, do let us know in comments.

Eveyday Uses of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a staple product for every household. There are hundreds of traditional and innovative tricks to incorporate in your everyday routine and save some bucks buying expensive beauty/health care products. Coconut oil is not only used topically (on the surface of skin), but is also consumed for procuring many health benefits.

 In this post, I'm covering only its topical application-

• The head massage with coconut oil is the age-old remedy that every woman would swear by. You can not provide food to your scalp in form of coconut oil massage, but can also make it a great anti-frizz treatment, just a tiny dab of oil rubbed on your hands and then through hair does the job. You may ditch your usual hair conditioner by rubbing the oil on your hair, put a shower cap on and leave for few hours before washing. It will give you soft shiny n healthy tresses, if used regularly. Currently, I'm using Oriflame Natural Coconut Hair Oil for my hair. It smells heavenly and feels really pure when you inhale its natural fragrance. Since coconut oil is a versatile product, I've tried to avail a few of its abundance of benefits.

• For the skin, coconut oil makes an excellent natural moisturizer. One can use it the basic lotion by directly massaging on skin after shower (or any time of the day) . It seems bit greasy initially, but absorbs wonderfully. My dry skin loves its intense hydration. If your skin type is normal, you can wipe excess oil from surface of skin. If this exercise is done religiously before bed in the night, it may fight many skin issues. Those who love natural products in their beauty arsenal, would love to use coconut oil as an effective makeup remover for entire face and eyes. It won't sting even the most sensitive skin type while removing every trace of makeup off your face.

• Try mixing Sea Salt and coconut oil to make a gentle foot scrub. The naturally rough sea salt mixed with soothing Coconut oil creates a mildly scented scrub that is both exfoliating and moisturizing. It works well on all skin types especially dry skin and causes no irritation.

• The women who face the issue of itchy vaginal area can give a light massage of pure coconut oil using their fingers around the opening of their intimate area whenever they pee. It calms the irritated skin and serves as a gentle anti-fungal lubricant. Make sure the oil you use is free of any preservatives or added ingredients else may cause allergies.

• The men in the house can massage coconut oil on their face before shaving. It will help the shaving-cream lather stay longer on the face and will allows the razor to glide smoothly over skin. In return, you get a soft n moisturized shave look, while remaining safe from painful bumps and burns.

• The new mommies, who experience painful nipple cracks during breastfeeding stage, can safely rub a small amount of coconut oil on and around the nipple after patting it dry post feeding their babies. It will not only heal the cracks quick, but will also relieve you from the worry of  putting anything harmful in babies mouth.

• If you believe in the benefits of massaging your teeth with finger (like using a tooth powder), then this one is for you. Mix equal parts of coconut oil with baking soda for making homemade toothpaste. You may add a few drops of peppermint essential oil for flavour and scent. It greatly improves the oral health by giving whiter teeth, strong gums and also takes toxins out. Again be specific to use pure coconut oil for internal use.

• Lastly, a tip for little ones in our families. The soothing coconut oil can be applied on irritated bums of babies in place of a promising diaper rash cream. The antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiviral properties of the oil works equally good for curing swelling, redness, itch and burn. I personally have used coconut oil for many years on my son's skin to soothe him from nasty insect bites for instant relief. 

Hope you find the tips effective. Would love to know if you have used Coconut Oil in some other ways..

To Leave Work For Baby or Baby For Work? I Decided Without Answering That Question

My maternity leave was nearing its end. I had always been very passionate about my career. Surely, returning to work wouldn’t be difficult, right? Wrong! As my joining day approached, a painful realization became more and more evident within me: I would be leaving a piece of my heart behind. My little darling, my baby, would have to stay with a baby-sitter for many hours every day. The very thought made me feel terrible. Read More

Mattresses, Sleep Patterns & Online Buying ft. MyIconicHome.com

Every bright day begins with a sound sleep story of the last night. How you feel when you wake up every morning instantly revels about the night you had and the day to come. There is no better feeling than getting up all fresh and recharged after a good night sleep. To me, getting to sleep undisturbed is one of the most fulfilling reward everyone should cherish in this fast-paced life. Because

Do you know we spend almost one third of our lives sleeping? Hence, it makes sense to spend time, effort, thought and money on what kind of mattress to buy. Most of us feel condemn our budget for continual compromise in choosing the right sleeping surface that can be detrimental to our health.

If it convinces you to replace your not-so-ideal mattress, but you don't have the courage for the exhaustive exercise to go from store to store and feeling muddle-mind seeing the same mattresses at different price, I recommend buying one online.

Wondering whether mattress can be delivered at your doorsteps?? Well, yes! Here is a savvy online marketplace myiconinchome.com to help you make informative choices before you find the best mattress for your bedroom (and many other home decor and interior products for that matter)...

The 'iconic' features that store offers are-

Selecting a mattress is very personal choice. And if you are loyal to particular 'brand' since ages and want no looking at other brands, you will be pleased to know that myiconichome retails in most prominent brands in line viz. Kurl-on, Sleepwell, Spring Air, Nilkamal to name a few. And if you're trying to stick to a budget, the store has an array of options to choose from, starting as low as INR 3000 depending on your preference. So rest assure you'll find our best pick without burning a hole in your pocket.

The mattresses available at myiconichome are in standardized sizes. But these days, it's a common trend to get the customized furniture made for our houses. If this is the case with your bed also, then you might be looking for a place to get your mattresses custom-made.  You will be amazed to know myiconichome provides you the facility to make a call to them and obtain expert opinion on the mattress best suited for your requirement. The customer can not only put forward his concern about preferred material, but can also get the hybrid-style mattresses tailor-made on order beyond non-standard sizes. The stores also guarantees quickest delivery at 10000 pin codes nationwide. Kudos to the team! I firmly believe your hunt for the best store to buy mattresses online ends here.

Now, the last thing that you need to ensure is to consider the kind of mattress that guarantees you comfort of your entire body and has the ability to disperse while supporting your body weight, and conforming to your body shape. Ideally, a good mattress is the one that keeps your spine in a healthy alignment. 

Hope your bed will now be adequately prepared for a stress-free sleep.
Happy slumbering!

Himalaya Gentle Baby Wipes Review

Himalaya Gentle Baby Wipes has all the winsome features that a mommy looks for in quality baby wipes. Whether the baby is just a few months old or a growing child, these wipes are a must-have in baby’s diaper bag. I cannot imagine travelling with my baby and not having access to a pack of these wipes, because other than the essential baby cleansing needs like cleaning babies' bottoms, I use it for many other purposes - for myself as well. Read more...

Good Morning to Good Knight : My Parenting Habits

Being a full-time working mother with a child, it really took me lot of mindful effort to set an effective daily routine for my child that would simplify my life while giving me the contentment of offering a happier childhood to my child.

Breaking the daily routine of the child into manageable chunks is the easiest way to start. Here’s how a mother can ensure an ideal morning-to-night routine for a child.

  

Practice Personal Hygiene:

Don't instruct your kids to follow those principles of good hygiene... Because they won't listen. So what’s the point??

I've personally experienced that the habits to maintain good hygiene can either be developed in kids in a play-way method or via leading by example. The trick is to let the kids observe their parents brushing their teeth, washing their hands, cleaning their body parts or wearing clean clothes because they are more likely to follow and mirror their actions.

Healthy Eating Habits:

Whether you are mother to a toddler, a preschooler or a teenager, the 'fussy eaters' or 'picky eaters' are present in most families these days. Making kids learn to make healthy food choices gives nightmares to many parents. Offering something more than formal food in their meals excites kids and enhance their appetite.

Giving choices to pick veggies/fruits of own liking actually helps the kids build positive associations with food. I personally prefer experimenting with recipes by asking my child what ingredient to substitute in a dish so that he would love it more and he waits to taste the new preparation. But make sure you provide them with a healthy alternative option. Eg: you can easily substitute rice with boiled semolina.

Encourage Outdoor Activities:

In this hi-tech age, where most kids choose to spend their leisurely time digging tech gadgets, it has become the foremost concern for parents to curb kids' vigorous activity of TV watching, video gaming, net surfing as these activities tend to refrain kids from connect to their natural surroundings.

The kids should be exposed to interesting outdoor games that would lead to their wholesome physical development. #ChildrensPlayDay is an amazing initiative taken up to encourage outdoor play by Good knight! To know more watch the Children’s Play Day video. 

But remember while sending the kids out for play, don't forget to use a good outdoor mosquito repellent to avoid mosquito bites and thus mosquito borne diseases.

Fix Up Study Hours:

After spending many hours at school, it is hard to convince children to study at home. It's not advisable to force children to study when they cannot concentrate. Give them a break to take some rest or do their favourite recreational activity, whatever they wish to. I, as a working mother, have made it a daily practice to sit down with my child compiling my documents/work assignments while he is studying, so that his momentum of studying is kept higher.

Setting the Bedtime:

"Is my child getting enough sleep?" is one of the concerns that most mothers like me need to get addressed. While many of the parents might not find it easy to evaluate the amount of sleep that children of a particular age might need, they can always ensure to get kids into bed as early as possible. Regular sleep pattern not only helps the child get up with infinite energy but also promotes the physical and mental growth of a child. I always make sure to spare few minutes of relaxed snuggle time with my child as he wakes up in the morning to begin our day with a lovely smile.

I hope my experiences would serve as guiding tips for mothers out there and your kids will enjoy their good morning to good knight routine :)

Share your parenting tips with us and top five will receive a free sample of my favourite Good knight Fabric Roll-On.

Winner update (11.02.17)-
The winners are Ghazala Naseem, Niharika Seth, Meena Mehta, Sumita Kapur and Kanchan Malhotra.
Congratulations ladies! Kindly DM your postal address and contact no. On Facebook, so that we may ship your gift.

Exquisite Eclat Homme Fragrance for Men from Oriflame

Read about my hubby's views on the Oriflame Giordani Man Notte fragrance which I gifted him on his birthday?? He's been so dearly in love with the exclusive perfume that I got him another lovely fragrance from the house of Oriflame. And here is the review of the fragrance by Mr. Hubby ...

Reinterpreted for the man of today, this enduring fragrance is the perfect balance of timelessness and modernity. With its unique signature notes of cedrat and Barenia leather, Eclat Homme embodies sophisticated, masculine allure – the essence of French luxury.

Ingredients:
ALCOHOL DENAT., AQUA, PARFUM, LIMONENE, COUMARIN, BUTYLPHENYL METHYLPROPIONAL, LINALOOL, CITRONELLOL, CITRAL, GERANIOL, PHENOXYETHANOL, BUTYL METHOXYDIBENZOYLMETHANE, CI 19140

Available here at Rs. 1699 (MRP 1999)

Eclat Homme by Oriflame is a Woody Aromatic fragrance for men. The top note of this fragrance is Bergamot, middle note is Geranium and base notes are Woody notes and Amber. A spritz of this seductive fragrance brings out the mysterious man in you. The infusion of freshness of citrusy bergamot perfectly balances the strength of woody base notes with floral accords at its heart.  

With a decently long sillage, the fragrance accentuates the masculine sensuality of a man with trail of woody notes of amber when you smell your skin. This enticing fragrance is expressively magical and spreading an alluring charm all the way.

Without any strong stingy aroma for the smell-sensitive people, a whiff of this sensual perfume can be worn leaving you exhilarated and non-irritant. One may never fail to impress others with a harmonious blend of mesmerizing, zesty fragrance on him wherever he goes. 

A playful yet passionate fragrance like Eclat Homme is an overwhelming addition to any man's grooming essentials. Highly recommended to every man who seeks attention and take pride in smelling good!

(Reviewed by: Amit)

Oriflame HairX Supreme Hold Styling Hairspray Review

Getting ready for a party and spending much time n effort on your elaborate hair style is a familiar scenario at every household this wedding season. And the next concern after getting your hairdo is to keep it in place till the time you don't return back home ;) 

If you're sailing in the same boat and can relate to this situation, you certainly need to invest in a good Hair Spray. I'm patting my back myself that I opted for Oriflame HairX Supreme Hold Styling Hairspray quite timely and used it on my hair some times in last few weeks.

Product Info:

Achieve a beautiful hairstyle with a perfect finish and an extreme 48H hold with Supreme Hold hair spray. Offering flexible movement and a soft touch, this easy to comb out spray is formulated with Keratin to protect and manage hair, leaving it soft and smooth. No residue, non-sticky.

The reason why I wanted to try a hair spray initially, was to find an alternative to hair styling gels that usually weigh the hair down and make hair look sticky. Oriflame HairX Supreme Hold Styling Hairspray claimed to be non-sticky while holding the hair style for extreme duration.

Oriflame HairX Supreme Hold Styling Hairspray came in a long, metallic silver can with black cap. It's an easy to use aerosol can, but may not fit your travel-kit easily due to its tall sized packaging (but I won't mind slipping it in a corner of my suitcase).

The best thing about this hair spray is that one can use it during or after styling the hair. If you’ve got thin hair, it can be a perfect product to add volume and lift to your hair. Simply spritz this hairspray onto your hair brush and then comb it through your hair for a natural looking thicker locks.

I used the spray for a light hold on my straight hair when I went for a usual restaurant party organized indoors and I liked the way they were moving naturally without sticking together. The usual flyaways were under control too. The hair is supplied with certain amount of shine after using the spray.

On another occasion, to go for an outdoor gathering, I sprayed some extra spritz of the product on my top-tuck hairdo because mostly my hair don't stay where I want it to and behave ridiculously unmanageable. And I swear, my hair left me feel proud for not behaving messy at all with strong hold against the effect of wind. 

Also the hair spray is a perfumed one, so leaves your hair smelling nice for next few hours. I liked the fragrance, but some people might prefer a fragrance-free product.

Oh yes! not to forget, my collegiate brother who loves his spiky hair style more than anything else in the world, styled his otherwise flat hair into spikes using this spray and retained the firm hold all day long. {a note of thanks from him was obvious} ;) It means the product is versatile enough to be used by both men or women. 

By now, if you're already impressed with the product efficacy and are wondering about its after effects; let me make my point clear-

• Despite the alcohol content in the product, the spray doesn't induce dryness, brittleness, stiffness or hair breakage provided it's not used on daily basis. (If you are looking for Non-alcoholic spray, remember it tends to let the hair loose their style sooner). 
• It doesn't cause any harm to colour-treated hair.
• There is no skin irritation arising out of the product usage. 
• It's easy to wash off using normal shampoo without requiring any extra effort. 
• Most importantly, follow the right method to use the product by holding the can about 20-30 cm from your hair and spray 3-4 times, else it may not perform the way you expect.

Ingredients:

Alcohol Denat, Butane, Isobutane, Propane, Vinyl Caprolactam/VP/ Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Aqua, Parfum, Lauryl Pyrrolidone, Linalool, Panthenol, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Hydrolyzed Keratin

Availability: Order at Rs. 499 (200ml pack)

The oriflame hairspray may sound slightly more expensive than your average hairspray, but it justifies it price as the product is infused with Keratin that is a protein that fortifies and strengthens weak hair so that they are less likely to get damaged during styling.

All in all, Oriflame HairX Supreme Hold Styling Hairspray is one product to lock your locks into place with a salon-like impression.