SOTD: Black Magic Repete

I came across this song while watching a style video by StylebyQueens and Obsidian. I had to type the lyrics as the song played so I could find the singer. I am truly cray cray. Google didn't pick up the English lyrics so I went to Yoruba and typed "moshe dada moshe jeje" and ta dah, I found BlackMagic. I've played this on repeat for a while and of course had to find out what else he had out there. It reminds me of Burnaboy (still on the fence about him), I actually thought it was him at first. Anyway, listen:

Here's another one (I must be living under a rock as these songs are months old): Big props for the super fun video. So different from the usual same ol same ol.

And one last one. Love love love!

After pulling a groupie move, I realized Bellanaija actually did a post on him. Actually happy that I didn't see this November 2012. That means I was seriously studying in grad school.

Kitchen Beautician

I am a mad concoctionist. I have a serious obsession with natural DIY hair and face products. I can spend hours watching youtube videos of how to make homemade treatments, butters, face masks, toners, peels etc. Lately my face has been a beast- breaking out at the slight sign of stress and I am determined not to start work with massive craters and acne scars on my face. Two new things I've learn via Youtube U that I've now included in my skin care routine are:

1. Honey and Lemon Mask: Mix equal parts (a tablespoon each) of freshly squeezed lemon juice and honey (I use a little more lemon) and apply over washed face. The benefits of this antioxidant facial include brightening and tightening the face, controlling acne as well as correcting hyper-pigmentation (uneven tone). I leave this on for 20minutes before I shower and then rinse off at shower time. I usually cut a lemon in half- use juice from one half for the mask and drink up the rest in water or tea then refrigerate the other half for the next day.

So far, I plan to do this face mask everyday or every other day depending on my energy level. This is what the foolery looks like:

that's totally a nylon bag on my head- coconut oil treatment

 2. Aztec Indian Healing Clay Mask: Mix equal parts (2 Tablespoon each) of the Clay and Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and a few drops of Tree Tea oil. I apply over washed face (I use leftovers on my back). I leave this to dry and then rinse off with warm water. The main benefit is to draw out impurities and unclog pores to prevent acne. You can buy the clay online and in health and grocery stores.

There are a couple of other recipes for Aztec masks here. So far, I plan to do this face mask once or twice a week. This even crazier foolery looks like this:

forgive and forget

Meanwhile, I do have a hair blog where I share my hair concoctions (as seen in the first picture with a bag over my head). Click here!

Spaghetti squash and Chicken meatball sauce

So when I was at dinner with a family here in SLC, I had Spaghetti Squash for the first time. As you may or may not know, Squash is pretty much a fruit (pumpkin is a type of squash) and one of the various varieties is Spaghetti squash which when cooked and scrapped out with a fork looks like spaghetti/noodles. This means you can substitute you carbohydrate-ridden, over processed pasta (and that thing called Indomie) for healthier low-calorie fruit. Pretty much just play wayo on your tummy. Just serve with any amazing sauce and you won't notice the difference. Love it!

I decided to test out this discovery for myself and purchased the smallest spaghetti squash I could find :D. I cooked and served with a chicken and carrot meatball sauce that I made by combining all the kayan miya (hausa for 'stew ingredients') I could find in my fridge. This isn't really a recipe. I hate recipes and usually just eyeball things, mix and match and ta dah! Dinner is served! Here are the pics of my kitchen foolery:

the squash halves

Cut the squash in half, scrapped out the seeds. Then I lay cut-side down on a baking tray with some water, covered everything with foil (steams instead of baking and burning it). Bake in oven on 400 degrees for 40minutes. I used only one half of the squash and ate that for two meals.

magic!

Use a fork to scrape and pull out the 'spaghetti.' I added parsley just because I had a ton in my fridge but the flavor is great!

parsley just makes it look legit. as for the lemon? hmm

meatballs- not sure is this was cooked or not

The meatball consists of ground chicken, spices (paprika, curry, mixed herbs), salt, chopped onions, habanero and parsley and sprinkled flour, mixed and formed the balls. I baked in oven at 400 degrees (same time as squash was in) but for 20 minutes and added it to my sauce.

forgive the plastic of oil on the burner behind #razztins

This sauce is just tomatoes, pepper, onions and carrots stir fried with spices and meatballs tossed in.

Dinner is served.#fromscratch

Then I ate dinner like a boss. My friend called this amaryanci (Hausa word) and I'm not translating. Chai!

OOTD Working at home

This week, I missed my start date at work because of my work authorization and mailing issues (my permit didn't arrive on time/ my address is messed up). Regardless, I woke up early like a boss, went to the gym, ironed half my wardrobe, and dressed up in mourning (pun) clothes aka business casual. I couldn't get myself to wear jeans again (that I've been wearing for like 2 months straight) when in reality I should be starting my career looking like a boss in a power suit (actually I found out no one wears suits at the employer-to-be so dunno what I will do with all my tag-less new blazers- well, 3 of them). Already writing ym acceptance speech for the 'Award for Overdressed new Analyst.'

*cray cray ness* 

I was super upset about the entire mail debacle and missing my start date but there's nothing prayer, fasting, window shopping and cheesecake factory can't cure. So down on my knees and off to the mall I went. mostly to return some wacky purchases that now seem like impulse buys in the days of feeling rich (hello glittery shine-shine ankle pants).

Blazer-LOFT, Pants- LOFT, Top-via TJMaxx, Necklace-Forever21

 

Anyway, this is what I wore until I felt too dressed up and switched the blazer for a sweater (not pictured). I always get suspicious of people who are dressed super formally and in the shopping mall at odd morning hours. Its 9am, you shouldn't be in Forever 21 #GETCHOLIFE. And in jean, my college sweatshirt and crazy hair, I run the risk of looking like I may rob the place so business casual is the safe bet to walk into Ann Taylor without the store assistants totally ignoring me like a riff raff or chasing you around forcing to make a purchase. True story.

sai anjima xx

Veggie cleanse #carbsbegone

A few days ago, I decided to go on a 4 day long plants-mostly diet. I have been settling into a new city while waiting for my work authorization to get approved so I can start work. Since idleness is the devil's workshop, my humble self has been very busy stuffing myself with crap food because I have lots of time to grocery shop, ample time to cook, test new recipes, and eat eat eat. Even after those documentaries I said I watched, a part of me has been living in denial. I finally self-motivated myself by getting rid of all the crap food and filing my fridge with only healthy stuff.

This just my customized form of a cleanse consisting of oat meal and fruit for breakfast, vegetable salad for lunch and baked lemon chicken (just to balance the diet with a little protein) and fruit salad for dinner then whole wheat chips (duh, cheating) and homemade kale chips as snacks. Since I'm still too broke to buy a juicer which only gives you the juice and no fiber, I am just cutting veggies up and mixing them up. Been drinking the usual water, lemon-infused water and green tea.

I made my choice of fruits and vegetables based on price (stayed far away from my favorite cherries: the cause of bankruptcy). I tried to purchase half organic (kale, apples, tomatoes, spinach), half non-organic (blood oranges, oranges, avocado, onion and parsley) to minimize excessive damage on my bank account. I haven't started working yet so organic food is still too expensive considering my financial standing. I paid almost $4 for only 4 tomatoes that tasted whehhh! Plant my own tomatoes anyone?

Organic Kale was much better, tastier and cleaner. Maybe I bought 2 different types of kale, I dunno! I had to was the non-organic kale like 3 times with salt water, vinegar water and plain water. 


The vegetable salad has: a lot of parsley (not as a decoration garnish), tomato,  avocado, carrots, onion, mixed greens (kale, different types of spinach, and arugula) and apple. I actually mix and match so the salad is different each day. I squeeze lemon juice into the salad and Italian dressing for flavor.

then I mixed this with the mixed spinach

The fruit salad has: banana, pear, apple, orange and lemon juice. I still wonder why we put sugar in Nigerian fruit salad. Maybe its the Northern Nigerian sweet tooth (geez 'Hausa' people like sugar). Do other Nigerians do this?

banana, pear and blood orange

banana, orange and apple

The baked lemon chicken was made a week before the cleanse and since I cannot eat a whole chicken my self, its been in the freezer and I cut a piece to eat each day. I am officially sick of chicken (2 more servings to go). Vegetarian (or Pescatarian maybe) diet coming soon!

OOTM: Mirror mirror in my camera

*outfit of the minute* I spent my morning matching clothes and creating outfits to wear to my new job which I start in a few days. I always tend to have too many pieces but not outfits so I end up looking nice decent only one day a week and a confused mess for the remaining 4 days except maybe Friday (Thank God for casual/ traditional Fridays in Naija). 

I plan to return thosepieces  that really didn't fit into any sensible ensemble but I bought anyway due to pressure from over-friendly store assistants or feeling/ pretending to be rich in spirit/ #swipeyocardlikeaballer syndrome or desperation for to look 'normal' after spending wasting hours in the mall with an empty hand (looking like an NFA). There's something about carrying paper shopping bags. Clearly, I may have self-esteem issues.

I also gain and lose weight frequently so I need to check to see all the Christmas sale stuff still fit.

Soooooo, since I don't have a full length mirror yet (too broke for that), I decided to get value out my this new camera by putting it to use as the mirror. Self timer is so stressful, damn! This is not a real OOTD (more like outfit of the minute) post but I'm still posting.

I got this black dress/ suity outfit (comes with the belt which I love to pieces) last week from HM at City Creek mall and still trying to figure out if to keep it or return it. I'm even worried it may have been intended to be a light coat (hmmm, lol). I really like the Olivia Pope feel (in my head) it but in the spirit of being grown up and having limited storage space, I have to consider how many times I'll actually wear it without getting bored (some dollar per usage concept) and having to donate it when I'm moving again. But what the hell, it was only 30 bucks.

 

The sleeves are about an inch too long so I folded them out and because the lining is houndstooth so I shall pretend my fashionista alter-ego got creative. The bottom half may be a tad too small (blame my pear-shaped) so I'm very confused about keeping the dress. Anyway, please forgive and forget the wrinkles (ain't nobody got time for that), ashy knees and messy madmen (pun!) hair.

And, I also have no idea why the pictures are extremely white.

So thoughts? To return or not?

Vegetarian Nigerian- 4aces Clean Eating Challenge

So my first couple of days in Utah, I stayed a few days with a friend's family and had the best time eating healthy organic food over deep intense conversation. When I was in Tennessee, the southern comfort food (think Paula Deen) was yummy but not as healthy.We watched a few documentaries till midnight and I took a few more home with me. Because I love reality shows so much, I became hooked on documentaries in the food genre (juicing, vegetarianism and supplementing), sustainability and recycling.  For interested docu-lovers, I watched:

Bag It
Food Matters
Vegucated
Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
Fork over Knives
You can find the list of other top food documentaries here. Most of them are on Netflix for free.

A few new things I've learned from these films (and plan to make appropriate adjustments):

1. Minimize processed food (duh) for organic food

2. Reduce/ eliminate dairy and meat products (in favor of more nuts and legumes- beans, soy, chickpeas and almonds etc). Nuts like cashew can be medicinal against depression.

3. Juice more green vegetables and fruits (juice cleansers though risky works wonders on skin, shedding inches and eliminating toxins ) 

4. Eat less cooked food and more raw foods (juices, salads, and tons of weird recipes you will find online). Cooked food is dead food essentially. Hmm

I am thinking of going vegetarian again later in the year. I have been vegetarian a number of times- the longest being 3 months and it was the most liberating experience for my palate and allowed me to try new things and appreciate new foods and flavors. I think our Nigerian brains are too subservient to meat (ha!)- we put meat in every and anything and most of our meat isn't cooked in the healthiest manner (frying and roasting blackening). Food can be balanced and yummy without all that goat, shaki, smoked fish, cow leg, snails, kpomo (cooked leather-ha!) and bush meat ALL IN ONE POT OF SOUP.

After seeing Vegucated and having a ton of Vegan classmates, I definitely appreciate a Vegan diet (no meat products like milk, eggs, honey, butter etc) even though I will be only vegetarian instead (I need my boiled eggs and Greek yogurt). Its really a challenge I wish more Africans would embrace a vegetarian diet at least temporarily. Recipes will be uploaded every so often.

Good thing is coincidentally, Nigerian fashion bloggers, Cookie and Ozzy of 4acesdate blog are doing a 30 day Clean Eating Challenge- complete with a suggested shopping list (I will not follow completely and definitely substituting a few things on the list). Everyone should definitely join in.

So thoughts? Do you think Nigerians or Africans can actually be vegetarian?