ARTSY.PK : Natural Living Exhibition

Hello readers!
Today I bring to you something that has completely blown me away.
I was recently contacted by artsy.pk and asked if I'd be interested in doing a feature on my blog. Naturally I got curious as to what it is... and decided to check it out. That is when they won me over, and I'm so humbled that they chose me to be a part of this. So first of all Thank you team artsy.pk.
Now, for my readers I want give a slight background.

ARTSY.PK - Artists make the world beautiful

Artsy.pk is an online marketplace. It gives our local artists and artisans a platform to showcase and sell their products. It's basically a wonder house full of many amazing products by different artists, artisans and businesses under one roof! What more can one want right???

I was extremely excited now and asked if team artsy can be willing to answer some questions for me and were kind enough to say yes. :)
So let's get a little more information on this wonderful project.

What's artsy.pk?
Artsy is a marketplace which celebrates the good work artists and artisans do around Pakistan.

Who is behind the venture?
Artsy.pk is the combined effort of an ambitious young team who realize the need to value and empower the artisans network.

How can we benefit from it?
The readers of the blog will get the most exclusive products delivered to their footstep they will not have to struggle to get their hands on their favorite products.

Where do you see artsy.pk in the future?
Artsy’s aim is to help artist and artisans become self-sustaining and Artsy wants to provide them a source of income that allows them to be independent and for them not to rely on others for work.

Any message for our readers?
Keep supporting the good work artists and artisans do, always try and find an artist within as it is an Artist that makes the world beautiful.

I'm sure as of now my readers know what artsy is all about and they are also in complete awe of the project. Helping our local talent grow, providing them with a platform to showcase their stuff and reach potential customers. . That is what artsy.pk is all about. Celebrating artists, artisans and businesses. :)

The site itself is amazingly simple and easy to use. It provides you with four categories : Natural living, art supplies, accessories, gift and home & living. The products showcased belong to these categories so lots of options to shop from. Also when you enter artsy.pk, you get the option of entering your phone number, that way you will be updated with ongoing sales, deals, exhibitions etc. always and wouldn't miss out on anything :D

And that's not all. Artsy is having a Natural living exhibition as we speak. The duration of the exhibition is from the 15th - 25th of April. So let me get to the most EXCITING part.

NATURAL LIVING EXHIBITION:

There is alot of awareness nowadays on the harmful chemicals and products used specifically in personal care, beauty, bath and home & living related items.
And people are in a fix! We want to use such products but without the worry of the harsh chemicals and substances. Well artsy.pk has just made it very easy. :)

Artsy.pk is promoting chemical - free, organic and all natural products belonging to all of the above categories. Now you can use them without the slightest hesitation. These products are created by local artisans and businesses using only pure and organic ingredients. These products apart from smelling wonderful are extremely gentle to use.

This wonderful initiative by artsy.pk has me going all gaga over their wide variety of products. I mean let's face it, who doesn't want to use products without the slightest guilt of using chemicals on yourself.

Artsy has been extremely kind and sent me some of their products from the Natural living exhibition. I have tried some of them. . And can't wait to try the rest :D
The products were sent to me in the most professional way. Beautiful packaging and tiny details taken care of. The products are themselves of utmost quality and smell heavenly. I'm even guilty of tasting one ( yes peppermint lip scrub, I'm looking at you ;) ). Other beauties in the package are:
- 100 % pure coconut cream
- All natural Rose hip oil
- Sea whisper (sea salt shampoo)
- Special Ubtan
- Hair oil
- Beautifully scented foot soak
- Oriental Bukhoor (incense)

And. .  If this was not enough.. They even sent me a 500rs free shopping voucher on artsy.pk. I mean I'm ECSTATIC!

I'm sure my readers are by now waiting to go artsy.pk and I'm telling you guys.. you will fall in love. It's a complete shopping experience with 100% customer satisfaction.

Artsy.pk is offering free delivery with cash on delivery option available, which adds to the comfort of shopping and paying at your own convenience. So go avail the 10% off limited time offer on Natural living products.  By now I can bet you all are thinking this just keeps getting better and better.. well wait till you hear this. :D
I'm EXTREMELY pleased to announce that artsy.pk is offering my readers and social media followers a SPECIAL SITE-WIDE DISCOUNT OF 10%, WHICH WILL RUN FROM 15 - 30TH APRIL. All you have to do is use the discount code: DRMOM

How is that for a treat! :D
So....? What are you guys waiting for, head over to artsy and shop till you drop. :D and make sure to share this blog as much as you can :D

Have an awesome week ahead lovelies. And once again thank you to team artsy.pk, you guys are doing a phenomenal job. Wishing you loads of success and looking forward to such great service and shopping experience in the future.
Warm regards to the artsy team and my readers,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

To get you started here's the website link.
Don't forget to like them on Facebook

PURE DESI: THE PUREST IT CAN GET

Hello readers!
It's Share it! Saturdays on my blog today :D And today is a BIG one. It's our first in the YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS REVIEW SERIES. I'm extremely excited and proud to Begin with this.
For Today's feature I decided to contact a brand I'm familiar with and frankly a fan of. I have personally used a few of their awesome products and can vouch for the pureness and effectiveness. The brand is knows as PURE DESI. It's a home based business which runs on no compromise on quality and total customer satisfaction. They have a variety of products ranging from hair and skin care to delish pickles, all natural and 100% homemade and free of chemicals etc.

Not only are they extremely professional but also really sweet.
I put up a few questions for them so that it'll be easier for my readers to get acquainted with them. So here's what they had to say. :)

What's Pure desi? A little about the brand please.

Pure Desi - When only the best will do!
Rejuvenate yourself with our completely chemical free products for your skin and hair. Made with utter love and care, only for you!
It's an organic line of skin and hair care products.

If you can elaborate on your product line?

We deal in:

FACE:
- Special Ubtan
- Acne Ubtan
- Anti-Aging Ubtan
- Peau Brillante

HAIR:
- Meetha Sarson Oil
- Karwa Sarson Oil
- Shampoo for Dry Hair
- Shampoo for Oily Hair
- Shampoo for Normal Hair

OTHERS:
- Coconut Oil
- Coconut Cream
- Thaadal (Summer dry fruits drink)

Who is behind the brand, behind Pure Desi?

A young girl, in her early 20's and her parents support striving hard to give you the best. Under the supervision of a qualified beautician, she's brought out what she thinks is very important for girls in todays world.

How is Pure Desi different from other skin and hair care brands out there?

Pure Desi differs from other brands, as we only provide you with the best. The herbs are handpicked carefully and the product is made under clean and healthy environment by my mother without any preservatives and artificial flavors / substances and full of love. Products are provided at your doorstep, at lowest possible prices.

What do you see for Pure Desi in the future?

Pure Desi can be seen growing in the near future. As it's seen, skin and hair problems are increasing day by day, and we are getting away from natural and chemical free things. Because pure desi provides natural and as the name suggests "pure" products, it will go a long way, IN SHA ALLAH.

What message would you like to give to our readers.

Customer satisfaction is our key goal. Try our products, and we promise to not disappoint you. Any problems, any questions, you can always feel free to contact us and have your questions and queries answered, and problems solved!

I would like to Thank Ghunwa Memon and her team personally for taking out time for us. And would like to wish you much more success in the future.
To my readers, hope you liked today's feature and will try PURE DESI products. I'm sure you'll be hooked. :) For ordering purposes you can contact them through their FB page, or you can click here .
PURE DESI was kind enough to give 5% discount to my readers :) just use the code DESISATURDAYS while ordering, offer valid till Monday 18th April 2016.
That's it for today.. see you all with a new entrepreneur next time.
Thank you readers... and Pure Desi.
Order away on Pure Desi now ;)
Regards,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

UMMALI - EGYPTIAN BREAD PUDDING

Hello readers!
We are back on Tasty Thursdays. And for this week I've got the most easy, exotic, out of the box and delicious recipe ever.
UMMALI. This is basically an egyptian bread pudding. There are lots of stories behind how it originated. And so some people even call it UMM E ALI.
I first had it in a very high end restaurant in Karachi. And my family was so much in love with it that they were willing to spend some serious cash on the buffet charges only so they could eat this.
Naturally I got to work and after googling and tweaking.. came up with a recipe, tried it and it was PERFECT! Alhamdulilaah.
Can't count how many times I've made it since then.. and it's always a hit MashAllah.
Hoping you all will try and love it.
UMMALI can be made using various versions.. This is my version, and made using BAKRKHANI.
Enjoy everyone. And as usual would live some feedback :)
Regards,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

INGREDIENTS :

- 250 gm Bakar Khani
- 1 litre milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 packs cream (400gm)
- 2 tbsp rose water
- 1/2 cup mix nuts.

METHOD:

- Crush Bakar Khani and spread in a Pyrex dish. Make a layer.

- In a pan, dissolve sugar in milk and cook for 5 minutes.

- Add rose water in the milk and sugar mixture and pour over crush Bakar Khani. Let the Bakar Khani absorb the milk for 2 minutes.

- Pipe cream on top and also sprinkle the nuts.

- In a preheated oven,  bake at 200 C for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

NOTES:
- Crush Bakar Khani with hands, don't powder it, simply break into small pieces.

- If using sweetened Bakar Khani reduce and adjust sugar according to taste.

- Rose water is optional but I strongly suggest adding it as it adds to the flavour.

See.. so easy, simple yet extremely delicious. Do try everyone :) xx

THE BEST CRISPY FRIED FISH - ENGLISH STYLE

Hello readers!
It's Tasty Thursdays on my blog today :D And we are back with one of my original recipes.
Me and my hubs are seafood lovers.. and nothing beats the joy of having a crispy hot fried fish served with some amazing homemade tartar sauce and french fries.
So I experimented, and tried and tried until I got it perfectly :D
The tartar sauce can be called a variant as the normal ones have pickles and pickle juice in it.
Nonetheless it was YUMMAYYY.
Do try ladies.. and let me know how do you like it.
Recipe is below.
Enjoy! :)
Regards,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

- This is for 8 medium to small pieces.
- Rub the fish fillets (boneless) with salt and vinegar,leave for 5 min, wash and drain.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR BATTER:
- Maida approx. 1/2 cup
- Egg 1
- Salt per taste
- Black pepper 1/2 tsp
- White pepper 1/2 tsp
- Mustard powder 1/2 tsp
- Paprika 1/2 tsp approx

FOR COATING:
- PANKO bread crumbs (they are extra crispy and also absorb less oil).

METHOD:
- Mix well all the ingredients for batter and add water to make thick paste.

- In a separate plate take PANKO.

-Dip fish fillet in batter and coat nicely, then in the crumbs and fry ( I shallow fried) till golden brown.
- Served with fries, lemon and homemade tartar sauce variant.

HOME MADE TARTAR SAUCE VARIANT:
- Mayonnaise 1/2 cup
- White pepper 1/2 tsp
- Worcestershire sauce 5-6 drops
- Lemon juice 1-2 lemons (depends on the taste)
- Mustard powder 1/4 tsp

In a bowl mix all the above ingre together. This gives a close taste to tartar sauce.

Have a lovely weekend y'all. Much love.

BABIES AND BOOKS: DEVELOPING A HABIT!

Hello mommys!
I'm back with Mommy Mondays! :)
This week is about Babies and books.
If you are anything like me.. half of your life was spent reading. And I think in this age nothing beats a good old book, I still prefer a book to all these tablets etc. In fact my idea of a small vacation is a good novel and some snacks to go with it... and woosh I'm off :D
Now I want my LO to be just as BIG if not more of a bookworm. So today I'm going to tell you guys how I'm planning to start her up on reading. :)

BABY BOOKS:
I got Abihas baby books when she was just 2 months old. Yes I'm that crazy lol.
There's a whole market full of these to choose from. I personally think 3 types are perfect as first books.
1) Cloth/Plastic books:
These are perfect for bath times and also for your little ones to nibble on. Because that's what they will be doing most of the times lol.
2) Touch-Feel books:
These are very stimulating for LO. They have small patches etc. With different fabrics which helps the little one feel and identify different textures.
3) Board books:
Again these are very good in terms of staying put. These come in small sizes which is easy for little ones to handle and also come in titles like "animals" or "things" etc. Full of colourful pictures. So they are actually really good for learning.
I believe sound books can also be introduced once your LO gets an idea of what they mean.

THE RIGHT AGE:
I think that depends parent to patent but I believe introducing books from 6-8 months onwards yields the best result. Yes they will mostly be used for chewing etc.  But just get your little one used to the idea of a book. And introduce them to the concept of reading.

DEVELOPING A HABIT:
Remember the first 2 years is the age when your LO starts forming their habits and personality. It might seem useless reading to someone who is interested in chewing down the book instead but believe me it's working.
Make a routine. . Before bedtime or evening. Read to them from the book, point things out.. animate, make animal noises, vehicle noises etc. Act it all out.
Get your little one all excited for reading time.. and before you know it, they will actually be looking forward to it everyday.
Remember stay at it.. persistence is key. And I'm sure your LO will turn out to be a cute little bookworm :)
Reading is not only the most attractive and best habit.. It also stimulates mind.. and is extremely important for excelling in life.
A reader lives a thousand lives before he one. The man who never reads, lives only one.
*George r.r. martin

Do you agree with my tips..? Did I miss something? Please leave a comment and let me know. Would love to hear from you.
Stay happy mommies.. much love to all your munchkins.
Regards,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

DELISH CHINESE CUTLETS!

Hello my readers!
It's Tasty Thursdays in my blog today :D
And today I present to you the most different and yummy cutlets I recently tried :)
Made it countless times since then, and every time they are a hit! This recipe was originally shared on Masala Mornings, I have tweaked it a bit :)
Hope you guys enjoy <3
Regards,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

INGREDIENTS:
- 2 chicken breast, boiled and shredded.
- 1 cup boiled noodles
- 4 green chillies, either in paste form or chopped finely whatever suits you
- 1/2 tsp Red chilli flakes
- 1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp soya sauce
- 2 tbsp Hara dhaniya, finely chopped
- bread crumbs as needed.
- I added black pepper, white pepper, salt and little chicken powder too all per taste apart from recipe.

FOR WHITE SAUCE:
- 4 tbsp flour (maida)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup milk

METHOD:
- Make white sauce by melting butter in a pan, adding flour followed by milk and add the seaaonings. Once it boils/thickens remove from heat. It's ready.

- Next add all the other ingredients to the sauce.

- Shape like cutlets and dip in egg and then in breadcrumbs. Deep fry.

NOTE:
Always put salt and chillies according to your taste.
Adding what I added is entirely up to you.
I shallow fried and they turned out pretty great too.

Enjoy ladies :) xx

BEAT THE HEAT: SUMMERS ARE HERE!

Hello my lovelies...!
Summer is here and with it comes this unbearable heat. Karachi has heatstroke warnings this year too, so I thought why not give my readers some useful tips to beat the heat :)

1) Stay hydrated:
This one is obvious. I mean it's hot ofcourse stay hydrated.. but sadly alot of us forget to drink water which can make you all the more susceptible to heat stroke. People tend to think if you aren't sweating you're not dehydrating, but that is not at all true. There's a thing known as "insensible water loss" which basically means you may not know/feel it but you're losing water. So... drink, drink and drink as much water as possible. And make sure it's not too cold too. If you have a weak memory like me, download the app "water my body" and it'll remind you to have a glass of water :)

2) Electrolytes:
This is mostly important for those extra hot, heatstroke days. Drink water + ORS in order to replenish those salts. . Also if u need to go out on such days.. carry an ORS water bottle with you. Remember excess of anything is harmful and just don't over do it. Also patients of hypertension and diabetes need to consult their doctors if they can take ORS so casually :)

3) Cover your head:
Be it an umbrella or just your dupatta.. make sure your head is a bit covered while going out. This will atleast lessen the hot sun rays getting to your head directly.

4) Minimize exposure:
Go out only if need be. Avoid hanging out for casual trips during the daytime. In short become a vampire haha!

5) Sunblocks:
Get sunblocks and apply it religiously on yourself to prevent any tans and burns. There are special sunblocks available for kids too. Stock them up.

6) Hydrate babies:
Remember to give a few teaspoons of water to babies above 6 months old on very hot days.. even if you're not weaning. Check their diapers for wetness.. If you fear there aren't enough wet diapers please take them to an emergency. Babies are very much prone to dehydration.

7) Clothing:
As evident from the summer and lawn season coming together.. This is the season of LAWN. Wear light weight clothes which are airy. Avoid tight fitting jeans etc. especially during the day time. Tights can also take a back seat as flappers are the new IT thing.. and great timing too.

8) Avoid dark colours:
Remember be it makeup (lipsticks, eye shades etc.) Or clothes etc. Summer is the colour of pastels. Soothing light shades which please the eyes in the scorching sun. AVOID BLACK not only it'll look grim in such heat at daytime especially but also it'll absorb all the heat making you sweat and hot.

9) Diet:
Eat things which have a "thandi taseer" so to say. Have lassis and yogurts. Whip up fresh fruit chilled smoothies. Have loads of ice cream. Make lots of daal chawal.. add loki to your diet, and enjoy the season of MANGOES :D

10) Red flags:
Remember if you feel;
Dizzy
Lethargic
Drained
Feverish
Faint
Rush to the nearest hospital. And if you can.. pour cold water on face..head and legs. Drink as much as possible and seek medical attention.

In the end ill just like to say stay vigilant and take of yourselves and others. Help those around you.. Carry roh Afra, frozen with u in plastic bottles to give out to less deserving. Or ORS and tang sachets. You can also carry wet tissues. You never know when the tiniest action will help someone. Take care you all :)
Have a rocking Summer.
Regards,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

P.S. I am extremely Happy to announce that on SHARE IT! SATURDAYS we will be doing reviews on YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS. I am really impressed by and really admire such people who are so focused and who struggle hard to make something of themselves. These YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS REVIEW SERIES will be an effort from me to show case their talents and creativity. I'm sure you all will thoroughly enjoy reading about them and I know you will equally support them and help them grow :) so STAY TUNED. xox
(If you.. or anyone you know would like to feature on my YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS REVIEW SERIES on SHARE IT! SATURDAYS, please contact me on email (aban.najam@gmail.com) or message me on my Facebook