WONDERBOX: DISCOVER. CREATE. LEARN.

Hello readers and welcome to Mommy Mondays! Today I bring you mommies a treat!
How many of us as children wanted to build stuff like little projects which we can create? I for one always wanted my very own DIY kits. I used to see kids having these amazing chemistry sets and science sets which had these mini puzzles that needed to be solved along with instructions and I was really fascinated.
Now that I'm a mommy.. ofcourse I want the same curiosity for my LO especially during today's technology advanced era full of gadgets and whatnot I truly believe kids need to go back to basics. . Away from screen time and explore their creative side and stimulate their thinking process.
Which brings me to my latest find!
Wonderbox. :)

Wonderbox is basically a box comprising of DIY puzzles... every box comes with full instructions and materials. I contacted one of the mastermind behind the project and asked her some details so I can spread the news to mommies around me.. and with summer vacations around the corner.. I think it's the best time.. :D
So let's get to it shall we.

What's Wonderbox all about?
Wonder Box is a science and crafts kit for children aged 7 – 14. We aim to promote tactile learning and scientific literacy through project based learning methods. Each kit contains a mixture of science and DIY crafts project materials along with a project guide.
Children learn best when they are actively engaged and experience firsthand the concepts they learn about in text books. The Wonder Box aims to do just that and develop critical thinking and problem solving skills in children.
In that endeavor, we try to keep in projects which teach kids about scientific concepts or just gets them excited about making things with their own hands again. So there will be a DIY catapult in there as a part of a goal scoring game which teaches about the kinetic and potential energy or there will be a DIY ninja ball in there that’s just a fun project and teaches about the crafting with unusual materials.  Each month a new box with new projects will be delivered to the customer’s doorstep.

Who is behind Wonderbox and how did this idea transpire?
Two Hinas are behind this concept: Hina Jawed Palwala and Hina Naz Nagi. Both marketing grads from IBA.

During college, we were involved in various endeavors that promoted the arts or involved developing education models, and over the years we have engaged with a lot of students, schools and even adult literacy programs. We have seen firsthand the impact of tactile learning on how quickly a child absorbs a concept and how long they retain it.

So after graduation we brainstormed and decided to start a venture which focuses on this aspect of learning. I have always learned ALOT more outside the class than I did inside of it and I am a big fan of Steeve Spangler, Mythbuster and the likes. So we had an idea about the the kind of vision Wonderbox would have.

In the end we wanted to promote scientific literacy through fun learning methods. Basically make learning fun. Before we went commercial, we undertook a long list of projects ourselves and developed the projects to ensure they were meaningful and fun. We sent out test boxes to some volunteers to help us further improve the projects. Once that was done, we were open for business.

What can we expect from Wonderbox in the future?
We’ll definitely expand the range of Wonderboxes in the future. At the moment it caters to 7-14 year olds. We hope to target different demographics with different offerings that fall under the umbrella of our main theme.

Any message for your potential customers?
I think kids these days are glued to screens or buried in their text books. If this continues, that spark or curiosity in them extinguishes. I believe it’s necessary to get them away from their gadgets and involved in making things with their own hands again. Where they are actively engaged to solve problems and develop essential critical thinking skills. And I think the Wonderbox is a good way to do just that.

Can you guide our readers on the pricing and contents of the Wonderbox.
Each box costs PKR 1000 exclusive of PKR 100 delivery charges. We will also be developing a club for kids on our facebook page. Certain projects involve joining the club to see why something happened or what the correct answer to a certain question is. We’ll keep updating that on our page.

Other than that, There are around 5-6 projects per box. Each box has a mixture of crafts and science projects. So some are about crafting with unusual methods or materials and some are experiments explaining the scientific method. We try to keep a good mix.

Sounds really exciting doesn't it :D
Well I'm hoping for a Wonderbox that caters to mommys real soon ;)

This is the link to their Facebook page.
They have started their first batch orders so all of you mommies are on time :D

Wish you alot of success Hina Jawed Palwala and Hina Naz Nagi. And thank you for taking time out for me.

That's all from mommy hood Mondays you guys.. will be back next week with more awesome finds.. tips/ tricks and mommy hacks.

Till then happy mommying and lots of love.
Regards, 

Dr. Mom Chef xx

SUMMERY PEACH COBBLER

Hello readers!
I know I've been mia for much of my posts... my baby was again unwell.. and then I caught the dreaded flu. Hopefully we get a break from all these viruses now. Pray for us <3
So... moving on, today is TASTY THURSDAYS on my blog and I decided to hunt down some summery fruits for this beauty. And I found PEACHES! The fruit that screams summer... :D
I always wanted to try my hand at a cobbler.. but seeing different recipes online i decided to mix a few.. experiment, so you don't have to.. and give you the perfect Peach cobbler recipe which is easy yet absolutely delicious :)
Recipe is below as usual.. hope my readers enjoy and give me feedback.
And for this Saturday I have a very different and fun venture to talk about so don't miss it :)
Have a wonderful weekend ahead everyone and take care and stay hydrated in this blistering heat.
Much love!
Regards,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

DISCLAIMER: THIS is a sweet dish.. and so is meethi. . Please adjust sugar according to your preference in the peach mixture. I would suggest start with half cup of sugar and increase according to taste.

INGREDIENTS:

- 6-8 fresh, ripe peaches (about 5 cups), peeled and sliced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (about 1 minute in the microwave will do)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornflour

METHOD:

- Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.

- Pour melted butter in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

- In a medium sized bowl sift together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add in 1 cup milk and stir just until all ingredients are combined. Pour the batter over the butter. DO NOT STIR.

- In a large saucepan, combine sliced peaches,1 tablespoon cornflour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour the peach mixture evenly over the batter. DO NOT STIR.

- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

- Cool slightly before serving.

- Serving suggestions: Ice cream (vanilla)

*NOTE:
- One option for modifying this recipe to make it less sweet is to use 1/2 cup of sugar in peaches. ( I recommend using half cup initially and tasting in increasing to taste)

- The order is correct. Butter, batter, peaches. During baking, the batter rises above the peaches!

- I used salted butter, made no difference.
- The batter will be runny, don't worry.

Enjoy xx

CAULIFLOWER MANCHURIAN: When in doubt, cook a veggie

Hello readers!
It's Tasty Thursdays on my blog today :D
Since summers are heating up I personally don't feel like cooking much let alone eating. What I do crave are rice dishes and vegetables. :)
So this week I present to you.. The unique and tasty CAULIFLOWER MANCHURIAN :D
It taste really good and iA perfect for those hot days you don't feel like eating any meats.
The recipe is inspired from Masala Mornings and is improvised by yours truly :)
Hope you guys will try it out and like always ... I'll be looking for feedback.
Take care my lovelies and remember to stay hydrated.
Recipe is below.
Enjoy cooking :)
Regards,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

INGREDIENTS :

* For batter

- 1 Cauliflower (phool gobi)
- 3/4 cup flour (maida)
- 4 tbsp cornflour
- 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp chicken powder
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp ajinomoto (optional)

* For sauce

- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1/2 cup sliced onions
- 1 green chilli chopped (or more to taste)
- 2 tbsp cilantro (hara dhaniya) chopped
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- 2 tbsp soya sauce
- 2 tbsp chilli garlic sauce
- 4 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 tbsp chinese chilli sauce
- 1 tsp chicken powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 cup water ( or more for gravy)

METHOD :

- Mix batter ingredients with little water and make a thick paste.

- Dip cauliflower pieces in it and deep fry. Set aside.

- In a pan add oil and sesame oil. Fry ginger garlic paste till it sizzles.. add onions and green chillies and fry for 2-3 minutes.

- Add all the sauces and spices. Mix well.

- Add the water and bring to a boil. Keep as much gravy as you like.

- Taste and adjust spices.

- Add fried cauliflower and cilantro, toss well till coated evenly.

- Serve hot with any rice of choice. I made vegetable fried rice.

Enjoy guys. . It was veryyyyy yummy and different :)

MINDCRAFT: AFFORDABLE ART, STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART.

Hello readers. . Long time no see I know.
Was extremely busy with getting things back on track.
But I'm back with a bang. :D The latest in the new entrepreneur series! MINDCRAFT STUDIO.
I'm sure all of us have this eye for art. I mean who doesn't want to beautify their homes/offices or workplaces with beautifully painted abstract or any kind of art. And on the other hand most of these pieces are really expensive to own.
Well.. not anymore :D
I came across this beautiful artist whose starting a venture based solely on the concept of affordable art. And her pieces are just like her.. beautiful inside and out. :)

As she is relatively new in the business she needs every bit of encouragement which I'm sure all of my readers will give. Take it from me when I say this.. This girl knows what she's doing. :) she was kind enough to answer some questions for me and also share some pictures with all of us. She is super skilled and her pieces are breath takingly beautiful and original and above all EXTREMELY POCKET FRIENDLY. Now that's my kind of art ;)

So let's look at MINDCRAFT STUDIO more closely shall we :D

What’s mindcraft?
Mindcraft Studio is the brainchild that happened when someone who had come over to my house saw one of my paintings and asked if they could buy it. Prior to that, I used to paint (and still do) as a hobby. Given my busy lifestyle with a full time job and a baby, I hardly get to go out and socialize, so I invested in a hobby that provided a creative outlet and it was something I could do at home, too.

Who’s behind it?
Behind Mindcraft Studio is Sundus Ghulam. I grew up in the Middle East and found myself in Karachi during my summer holidays at the age of 21, where I decided to enroll in a trainee program at a bank for a few months just for fun. Almost 8 years later, I ended up achieving a great career progression, got married, and have a beautiful daughter. Although my fulltime job and domestic responsibilities take up alottt of my time, I still felt unfulfilled from a creative perspective, which is when I started to revive my old hobby of painting.

What does Mindcraft Studio aim at?
My target audience is anyone and everyone interested in sprucing up their home décor. But what I’m really aiming for is customized wallart at *very* reasonable prices so that people can have unique pieces in their homes. I find that these things are quite expensive at big stores and even places like Sunday Bazaar. I want to offer a medium for people where they can create their own pieces through me in terms of color choices, sizes, design, etc. However, my work may not appeal to all audiences since my prime focus is abstract art.

What makes Mindcraft different:
I don’t think there are many such businesses operating from home in Karachi so I am aiming to change that with Mindcraft. Secondly, I don’t intend to make exorbitant profits out of this and want my work to be affordable for everyone. That includes university students who don’t earn, etc.

Future plans:
I am currently in talks with a furniture and home décor store in Karachi for stocking my pieces. Unfortunately when that happens (inshallah), I will not be in control of the retail prices at the store. However, I will continue to charge my regular prices if the orders are made from my page. Since the launch of the page, I have received a lot of positive feedback even though I am no expert by any standards. I intend to grow this page. I can also do abstract with any sort of message painted on it, for special occasions.

If you can share a few technical details about your work?
I work on canvases of ALL sizes be it 6x6", 24x24" or even 50x50". I primarily use acrylic paints and water colors. The paiting of the skyline was done using water colors for the buildig and acrylics for the background sunset. Some of my work also has glitter on it, like the sun's and sands piece.

Message to customers:
Nothing really. Just need support and appreciation even if you don’t order, lol

I would like to thank you Sundus for being such a sweetheart and giving us time. Also truly you're an inspiration for not just me but alot of other women out there. 

Handling home, a kid, work AND pursuing your hobby.. WOW.

I wish you tons of success in your venture. And to all my readers I urge you guys to head over to MINDCRAFT STUDIO. The link to the Facebook page is here.

And let's show some support to motivate Sundus. :)
Keep up the beautiful work Sundus. Much love. Can not wait to own a piece by you <3
See you all with another entrepreneur real soon guys.
Regards,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

THE MOST PERFECT VANILLA CUPCAKES

Hello readers!
So sorry I was MIA since almost 2 weeks. Abihu was down with a stomach bug and I was exhausted with travelling between khi and lhr.
Back now and inshaALLAH will be more regular :)
Don't forget we have a new entrepreneur this Saturday InshALLAH :D So stay tuned.
Today I bring to you.. The most PERFECT and EASY Vanilla cupcakes.
Now there are tons of recipes out there. . But this one is AMAZING, and rest assured.. perfectly tried and tested and hence, today's feature on TASTY THURSDAYS.
Don't forget to read the notes on the bottom. And have fun you guys <3
Have an awesome weekend.
Lots of love.
Regards,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

P.s. Originally the recipe belongs to Natasha's kitchen. And I give her full credits. Here's where I got it from.

INGREDIENTS :
- 1¼ cups cake flour
- 1¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup canola oil
- ½ cup buttermilk

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners.

- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1¼ cups cake flour (or Canadian flour), 1¼ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda and ½ tsp salt. Set flour mix aside.

- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 2 eggs with the whisk attachment on medium speed (15-20 seconds).
Add ¾ cup sugar and continue to beat on medium speed (30 seconds).

- Add vanilla and oil and beat on medium speed (1 minute).

- Reduce mixer speed to medium/low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour mix and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl. The batter should be thin.

- Pour batter into a lined muffin pan. Fill to about ½ full.

- Bake for 12 -14 minutes at 350°F. Let them cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then remove.

- Once the cupcakes are cooled to room temp, pipe on the frosting.

NOTES:
- This makes 15 - 18 cupcakes.

- My oven takes longer, I always check with a toothpick, if it comes out clean that means they are done.

- To make cake flour, take out 2 tbsp of flour or maida from 1 cup and substitute it with cornflour. For this recipe 1 cup is made like I just mentioned and for 1/4 take out 1.5 tsp of maida/flour from 1/4 cup and substitute it with 1.5 tsp of cornflour.

- To make buttermilk. In 1 cup of milk add 1 tbsp of white vinegar and let it stand for 5 minutes. This recipe calls for half cup buttermilk so I just halved it.