Shrimp with Tomato Sauce

I love cooking. Lately I've been trying to think of new stuff to cook especially for dinner when everyone is present. The other day, I was able to buy some shrimp. Usually, what we would do with it is cook it with tamarind and stew it. But I thought why not whip something differently.

I don't know what to call this recipe but its two main ingredients are the shrimp and the tomato sauce, thus the title Shrimp with tomato sauce. I never tried this before! But quite honestly, it turned out very delicious!!

I hope it looks delectable. I honestly love the color. The shrimp is bright orange, the sauce red-orange and my veggie green. It even feels like Christmas! The taste? I added some curry for a lil kick, so it is a tiny bit spicy but still kid friendly and my kids loved it!! It is sweet also as the shrimp was fresh and fresh shrimp means sweet broth/sauce! Plus a tiny bit sourness from the tomato paste. Just so right.

Ingredients: (I was never really a fan of measuring, I eyeballed all measurements! What I did was just put a tiny bit first then If i need more flavor, i add more)


1/2 kilo of shrimp (as I eyeballed it...) medium size, but i guess this would also be great for prawns
tomato sauce - 400ml
tbsp. of curry
kamote tops (i put lots of it for the kids, for them to get to eat healthy stuff)
onions
garlic
oil
tbsp of worsterchire sauce 
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
2 tbsp of cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1/2 - 1 cup of water

Procedure:

1.  Heat pan. Heat oil
2. Suatee garlic, onions till transparent in color
3. Then add the shrimp. If it is orange in color, add the tomato sauce.
4. Add the water, a bit at a time, just see if you want it super saucy or not :)
5. If it is simmering, add a tbsp. of curry and you can start seasoning it if you like. I season it this point now, adding the pinch of salt, worsterchire sauce and pepper.. if you want more kick probably you can add more curry powder and pepper. But if you have kids like me, I have to control it as they might not eat it! :)
6. When it is starting to boil, you may turn the heat down and add the cornstarch mixture then mix it immediately so as not to form lumps! Taste it, if it is up to you liking, then you may now add the kamote tops.

Enjoy! :)

Ponds Facial Foam, Scrub and Ponds Moisturizer

I am fairly a no fuss kind of a person. I do not even spend more than 200 in a beauty product! But there are still essentials that I need to keep in my kit ;) These products I have been using for more than a year now, or two if my memory serves me right.

So I will be giving a bit of a review for three products. :) Pond's White Beauty Detox Lotion, Pond's Clear Balance Oil Control Skin Mattifying Facial Foam with Mineral Clay and Pond's Clear Balance No Blackheads Deep Cleansing Facial Scrub with Volcanic Clay. 

Long names!! :D

Ok, first off. Pond's White Beauty Detox Lotion

I would like to apologize as the picture is not upright! ugh and I am at lost as why. It was looking at the right direction on my phone! :(

Product Description: Pond's White Beauty Detox lightens and fades dark spots and acne marks while nourishing and lightening skin from the inside out. 

How to use: Use every morning after cleansing your skin. Smooth lotion over entire face, use fingertips. 

Verdict: I am loving it. Before I used to use Pond's facial cream,but I still keep getting dry areas around my nose! It really bugged me as it was itchy and my skin cracks and peels around that area. When I found out about this Detox Lotion, I tried it and I am loving it. The skin around my nose doesn't crack, chap or itch anymore! Plus I love it's consistency. It is not creamy like thick paste, it is just right. It's consistency is like Olay's moisturize which I also used before but that was hard to find here. 

See? Sorry the picture isn't that clear. My husband's cam isn't available. The consistency is just right. You can easily spread it around. Just like water. As for it being a Detox Lotion, I am not entirely sure what that is. lol. But I love it's effect on my face. So I guess you should try it out too. Plus it doesn't make my face oily as well.

Next is Pond's Clear Balance Oil Control Skin Mattifying Facial Foam with Mineral Clay

Again, the picture is not in the right direction lol.

Product Description: Pond's introduces its advanced Skin Mattifying Facial Foam, with the power of unique mineral clay. Unearthed in its pure form, Mineral Clay is known to be highly absorbent. New Pond's Oil Control effectively sponges up excess oil, dirt and make-up without overdrying skin. With regular use, skin feels instantly clean, refreshed and balanced, with a matte finish look you dream of!

How to use:Wet your face, foam the cleanser, apply to face with gentle massage, and then rinse off.

Verdict: The feel of the foam feels great on the face. A bit cool and it do exfoliate also as it has little beads in it.

I am not sure if you can see the beads, but that is the facial wash, it's color is actually light blue, with light beads. After using it a couple of times. I expect it to help my face, as I tend to have little pimples. I am not much of an acne person Thank God. But I do have these small pimples that itch, I don't know why. But they aren't that visible but they itch a lot. So I looked for a product that can help me minimize or totally remove it. After using this product, sad to say it didn't help. The itching went on, plus my skin was dry. Yes it solved the oily part but the area around my nose, it got worse. The skin there chapped, itched and peeled. It was hell. Probably it will go well on other types of skin. But not mine. So the facial foam is still here and unused. I might give it to someone who wants to try it.


Third, Pond's Clear Balance No Blackheads Deep Cleansing Facial Scrub with Volcanic Clay

Still not in the right direction lol.

Product Description: Pond's introduces its advanced Deep Cleansing Facial Scrub, with the power of unique volcanic clay. Extracted from the depths of the earth. Volcanic Clay is known to be highly absorbent and acts as a powerful magnet. New Pond's No Blacheads draws out oil and dirt from deep within skin and with the soft but hard-working beads, helps exfoliate dead skin cells that clog pores to prevent the appearance of blackheads. Skin is deeply and effectively cleansed to look smooth and magnetically beautiful. Up to the Epidermis Layer!

How to use: Wet your face, foam the cleanser, apply to face with gentle massage and then rinse off.

Since it is from Volcanic Clay, the color is actually light brown :D

Verdict: This is the one for me. I am loving it. Even though I know that facial scrubs should only used twice a week (i am not sure) I am using it everyday. It helps especially around my problems areas. My face doesn't itch anymore, those little pimples around my forehead is gone! I am highly recommending this for you to try! :)

Xylogel

Yesterday was our follow up appointment at the pediatrician. Things went well since my son is recovering quite well. Though I am not happy with his weight since he lost quite some. When he was admitted, his weight went down to 13 kgs.! During the follow up check up, it was 13.9 kgs. I am not sure if I should be happy about the increase of weight but somehow I am thankful he is better.

By the end of the visit, the pediatrician advised us to avoid cold foods for him like ice cream and drinks with lots of ice since he was diagnosed with tonsillitis as well as urinary tract infection. The doctor also advised us to use Xylogel for the kids. I am not aware what Xylogel is. But I followed his advise and bought one for my kids.

Thus, I am making a review for it as well. :)

Xylogel is a Natural Teething Oral Gel with 5% Xylitol. I honestly, don't know what Xylitol, good thing the box also contains information about Xylitol! :)

Xylitol is a natural plant sugar substitute (so it's natural!) that prevent dental caries. It inhibits the growth of caries producing "streptococcus mutans". It also has natural soothing effect.

And I don't know what strepto is...so I asked for Mr. Google's help and Ms. Wikipedia says...

Streptococcus mutans is a Gram-positive organism that is the primary causative agent in the formation of dental cavities in humans.Gram-positive bacteria are those that are stained dark-blue or violet by Gram staining. This is based on the physical properties of their cell walls, as opposed to gram-negative bacteria, which cannot retain the crystal violet stain. Streptococcus is a genus of spherical Gram-positive bacteria belonging to the phylum Firmicutes and the lactic acid bacteria group. S. mutans, a member of the human oral flora, is widely recognized as the main etiological agent of dental cavities.

Pretty much that is a bookish answer :D Plus our pediatrician said that using Xylogel aside from preventing tooth decay, the bacteria it prevents from growing will also not go to my son's tonsils thus causing tonsillitis!

Active Ingredient: Xylitol 5% (as explained above)

Ingredients: Purified water, Glycerin, Xylitol, Sodium Carboxymethycellulose, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Potassium Acesulfame and Bubblegum Flavor.

Flavor: Bubble Gum (my kids are loving it!)

Safety: The United States Code of Federal Regulations has certified that naturally occurring Xylitol may be safely used in foods. (so it is definitely safe!)

Directions: Apply a small amount of Xylogel on your clean fingertip, cotton bud and apply Xylogel on the gums and teeth after feedings particularly at bedtime in babies who drink milk to put them to sleep. To enhance  the cooling effect, place the squeeze tube container in the refrigerator (not freezer compartment!)

May also be used by adults! :) nice!

This is the product inside the box :)

Verdict:

So far, we are loving it. My kids find it fun using it. I actually do not apply it directly on their teeth since they are already big. What I do (as what our pediatrician said) I put a small amount of Xylogel in their toothbrushes, then also put their toothpaste. So it's part toothpaste and part Xylogel when they brush their teeth :) 

I would continue using it, if it means healthier kids! :D 

I would also recommend it for moms with toddlers who are starting to grow their teeth. It might help sooth the discomfort during teething time. 

I am just so sad I forgot the price. Really. But from my estimate, it was just around 100 pesos. So affordable and worth it.