Office Tea Break Recipe – Steamed Sweet Potato

We spend most of our time each day at work, and work can be so hectic at time, it's hardly surprising that we have time to slow down for lunch. However, we need to consume food healthily so that we have more energy to concentrate on taking care of the family.

When you rush through your lunch during work, do you find that you have to load up on coffee or tea when you get a little hungry by mid afternoon? I make this quick snack which I can nibble at my work desk.

Sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A (betacarotene) and Vitamin C which are powerful antioxidants that work in the body to remove free radicals. These free radicals are chemicals that damage cells in our body Free radicals come from smoking, pollution, poisons, fried foods, and as a by-product of normal metabolism. Free radical damage is associated with an increased risk of many chronic diseases..

How you do it? - Steam on high heat for 30 minutes.

Time saving tip - steam while you're in the shower before going to work. Leave it on the table to cool while you're changing and putting on your makeup. Throw into a ziploc bag and into your bag on the way out. 

Ryan's present for his dad

Looks charred, but they are really very juicy banana pancakes. Ryan made them for his dad's birthday. Really good effort, he woke up at 6.30am in the morning to get fresh bananas. The kitchen looks like an after-war zone after that but think Daddy likes the pancakes!

New Vanity Toy – Coffee Oil Nail Balm

This is from my favourite brand. Supposedly, coffee oil regenerates skin cells and enhances collagen production. I like the texture and the way my cuticles felt after applying. It's very easy to apply and spread over the cuticles, fingers don't feel sticky too. No coffee aroma though, maybe a subtle chocolatey scent. How hilarious if my fingers smelled of Capppucino and perk me up during work .....

“Pamper Me Day”

Cut my hair today, really short. The weather has been too hot for me to handle my long hair. Really hard to maintain my cool during work with a not-so-cool office environment and also look really messy when I meet up with potential clients. My short hair will make me look more professional at work, compared to how I look trying to sweep my long hair away from my neck during discussions.

So short hair needs to be updated with a new color, to look sharp and trendy, so this leads to a new brighter color, which also leads to a hair treatment or the color works will make my hair dry.

Which leads me to set an appointment for a facial tomorrow afternoon as my skin has really been stressed out by the hot blistering weather as well as my busy work schedule.

Which then made me think about setting this date every month in the future as a “Pamper Me Day”.  After all, all working mums with kids will readily understand that we do work really hard on maintaining a work-life balance, ensuring the family has dinner ready before I leave for work in the morning. Then when I get on the bus in the morning, I just snooze all the way to work and need a really strong cup of tea to stay awake when I reach the office. And then the rest of the day is just a hectic 9 hours rush, most of the times even rushing through an unhealthily packed lunch. So this “Pamper Me Day” is really a rewarding R&R day for me. Hmmm…… I wonder if a body massage should be arranged as well…..