What's for breakfast?

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day. Sometimes I eat two breakfasts in one day! Lately, I've been making fresh bruschetta, guacamole (or guac), and onion ring eggs. So easy and so delicious! Normally people eat bruschetta and guac as appetizers or snacks in the afternoon or evening. But I enjoy enjoying them in the beginning of the day because they are loaded with health benefits and good fats. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which is an antioxidant that helps fight against cancer.

 

Bruschetta Recipe
2 ripe roma tomatoes
2 T of extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp of balsamic vinegar
6 fresh basil leaves
1 tsp of minced shallot
pinch of garlic powder (or freshly minced garlic)
black pepper and salt for taste

Instructions:
1. Dice the tomatoes into small cubes.
2. In a small bowl, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, shallot, garlic, black pepper and salt. Mix.
3. Add the tomatoes and finely chopped basil leaves. Place on your favorite slice of bread or crackers.

Guac Recipe
1 ripe avocado
1-2 tsp minced shallot
1/2 lemon (or less depending on your preference)
salt and pepper for taste

Instructions:
1. Using a knife, cut the avocado in half. Take out the pit. Then, cut horizontally and vertically through the two halves. Using a spoon, scoop out the avocado.
2. In a small bowl, place the lemon juice, shallot, salt and pepper into bowl. Mix and place the diced avocado cubes into the bowl. Mix together and serve immediately.

 

Onion Ring Egg
One onion ring
1 egg
salt and pepper for taste

1. In a lightly oiled frying pan, place the onion ring and cook on medium heat for a few minutes until slightly browned. Then flip over to cook on the other side.
2. Crack the egg and place in the inside of the onion ring. Cook for 2-3 minutes, and then flip the entire egg onto the other side to cook for another few minutes. (The egg yolk will be a bit runny - so yummy).
3. Season with salt and pepper. You can also put dill or basil on top for garnishing.

 

 

These recipes are very easy. You don't have to follow it to an exact T; I usually just estimate the amount, and they still turn out delicious. For the bruschetta and guac recipe, you can also use red onion and garlic instead of shallots. But I love shallots because they're a combination of an onion and garlic. They have an amazing flavor to them.

 

Tip: Invest in a basil plant so you will always have fresh basil leaves handy. The basil in stores are not always very fresh (you can tell by the black spots on the leaves). I bought my plant at Whole Foods for two bucks, and it's been blooming so well!

French Nails

A timeless nail style is the French manicure. There are so many nail fads that come and go, but the French manicure is always classy and elegant. When I was in high school, I would get those thin white strips and place them on my nails to paint my nail tips white. It was a bit arduous. Nowadays, I prefer the white tip pen, which makes doing the French tip at home a breeze. My favorite is the Sally Hansen French Manicure White Tip Pen. (I tried their white pencil one time, but thought it was too subtle).

 

All you need is a steady hand to swipe the pen over the tips of your nails. It requires some practice, but you will get the hang of it in no time. It's like putting on eyeliner, but a bit easier. (Excuse my knuckly fingers).

Supermarket goodies

Normally, I get my skincare items at drugstores or department stores. But for the past year or so, I've been trying out products from Trader's Joes (TJ) and Whole Foods (WF), and have been pleasantly surprised.

TJ has a great selection of skincare products, and they are reasonably priced. Their Nourish Antioxidant Facial Serum is amazing! It is loaded with vitamins and oils to hydrate and nourish your skin. At $10 for 1 ounce, it is a bargain. Normally, serums go for $40 and up at other places, though I'm not sure why. I think I will stick with TJ's serum since it does the job of moisturizing my skin.

 

I've also recently tried their Grapeseed Oil to moisturize my skin. Apparently it is good for acne-prone/oily skin. I'm always looking for a good hydrator since whenever I go get a facial (not very often), the facialist always tell me that I have dry skin. But I'm always in a dilemma because I have combination skin - very dry in some places and super oily in other places.

Yesterday, I smoothed the oil on my face, and went about my day. My face felt soft and supple, and surprisingly my face wasn't as oily as it normally is. The only downside is that I smelled like French fries the whole day. So I think I will stick to using this at night. Or if I use it during the day, I will put a thin layer or mix it with another lotion/essential oil.

Whole Foods also has a great selection of products. But since they have a greater selection of brands, the quality is hard to tell. I've had some misses/hits. I really like the Alba Botanical line - their scrub is really good. I wasn't a big fan of the MyChelle line - their serum doesn't really do much for my skin. But their skin analysis is super fun! You should get a free skin analysis if you are ever in a WF. They tell you everything about your skin from sun damage to wrinkles and pore size. You basically get a rank on how you faired - quite intimidating. But it encouraged me to wear sunscreen every day.

WF also has bath bombs by Hugo. They are amazing. If you like Lush bath bombs, you should try Hugo's. Their scent is long lasting. I've only tried their Lavender & Chamomile, but their Grapefruit Orange one smelled good as well. They are currently having a sale at 2 for $8. Tip: I cut them into smaller pieces (around 4-8 pieces) to use it for several baths.

Do you have any skincare favorites at your local supermarket?