15-minute Dark Choc Brownie recipe :) (Low-fat, reduced sugar)

Dark (60% cocoa) chocs are lower in fat + good for your sex life ;p
I love dessert, but I don't like anything that's tooooo sweet
unfortunately, that's what most ready-made cakes are like
- they contain too much sugar
So, start making your own dessert:)
it's easy
What I have here is a fool-proof dark choc brownie recipe:)
- yes, it CAN'T go wrong AT ALL if you use the 3 key ingredients listed below
& you only need 15 minutes to mix it up & pop it into the oven:)
- and then you can go have a quickie with your partner & practise the Lusty Leapfrog position while waiting for the choc brownie to cook

There are 3 main secrets to making good low-fat choc brownies :)

1) use good dark chocs (Lindt)

- and they'll turn out nice, no matter
(well, it doesn't have to be Lindt, but if you can get some good 50% & above choc bars.. that would do :) )

but of course..if it's for a big party, you may wish to substitute Lindt chocs with dark cooking chocs - eg Cadbury or Nestle
But cooking chocs suck - they render this "waxy" aftertaste in ur mouth

...my advise is - splurge on the dark choc, skimp on the flour/butter
You don't have to buy expensive butter/self-raising flour
they're all the same
- just get the Home Brand items
more people buy them & they're always fresher

2) fresh self-raising flour

- check the expiry date before purchasing.
The fresher the flour is, the more active the raising agents are

- and hence, the cake would rise more beautifully

3) use "salted" butter. real butter. no margarines

- do you know that real butter is actually healtier?

yes, the cholesterol content may be higher compared to margarines, but the calorie amount is about the same + 'pure' butter contains far less chemicals

Salted butter brings out the sweetness of the brownies - and you won't have to use quite as much sugar

The Recipe:)

a) The bottom layer

2 cups plain flour

1 1/2 cup melted butter

Mix well & line the bottom of the cake tin with the pastry

Prick the pastry with a fork

b) The middle layer

1 1/2 cup pure butter

+

1 1/2 cup icing sugar

+

5 large eggs

+

1 cup high-quality cocoa powder (Hershey's)

+

1 teaspoon 'real' vanilla essence ( not the fake vanilla flavourings, please. it's gonna spoil the brownies)

Mix the above ingredients. Then add

2 cups self-raising flour

Pour into the cake tin. bake at 180 degree Celsius for 40 minutes

Melt 300g dark choc (Lindt) with 1/2 cup skim milk and pour over the brownies

Put the tray in the freezer for 5 minutes.

Then add chopped almond, pecans, hazelnuts or any other kinds of nuts that you prefer

'Weird' Pumpkins are so 'common'...(no pun intended);p

It's not difficult to come across weird-looking pumpkins:) lol
In the past 6 months, I have seen at least 10 unsual pumpkin shapes
These are some of the beauties...

It looks a bit like a teapot
of course, those of you who are mischievous enough might notice the phallic extension ;p

... and this looks like...(it won't be appropriate for me to mention it here)

Flower-shaped pumpkin

Don't ever shave! Just pluck ;) (using a tweezer)

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Whether or not you'll be wearing a sleeveless top/dress, do make it a habit to pluck :)
If you pluck often enough, you won't even have to shave!

Plucking is much better than shaving:-
(1) smoother
(2) armpit hair regrows at a much slower rate if you pluck
(2) hazard-free;) you needn't worry about accidentally shaving off your skin

What you need - a good pair of stainless steel tweezer

I started plucking ever since I had my first hair - at 15
so, I never had to shave
Some of my girlfriends used to shave, but ever since they started plucking, they LOVE it!
Do try plucking :)
If it hurts on your first attempt,..try using a bit of topical anesthesia

Where to get a good pair of tweezer:)
- Sasa Cosmetics - http://www.sasa.com/

Sasa.com offers round-the-clock access to the best beauty and health products –  worldwide shipping. Skincare, fragrance, makeup, slimming, haircare, nailcare, bath and body care, health and beauty supplements, as well as men's products

Beautiful Auckland skyline :)

Here's a pic overlooking the harbour taken at the ASB Tower on Wellesley Street :)
(where Delucas Cafe is)
The view from the offices at Lumley Centre is much better, of course...
but hey, this view's not bad too:)

Other places to see in Auckland :-
- Albert Park
- Parnell Village
- K-Road
- White House Entertainment Centre ;p hehe

Things to eat:-
- Gengis Khan Mongolian BBQ
- Istanbul Kebab & Pizza
- Restaurant & Sake Bar (Korean)

Spicy "Ma Po" beancurd: Best dish on a cold winter night :)

Mapo tofu owes its unique taste to "Szechuan peppercorns"
- which renders a numbing feeling on the tongue
it's spicier than curry
more lethal compared to wasabi
I love it! :)

It is a combination of tofu (bean curd) set in a spicy chili- and bean-based sauce, typically a thin, oily, and bright red suspension, and often topped with minced meat, usually pork or beef.

Mapo dofu is probably one of the best stuff to eat in the winter:)
keeps you warm

Whether you're in Europe, Asia or America...you can easily find Mapo dofu in Chinese restaurants

Crunchy vacuum-fried NZ mussels (Low-fat) : D-I-Y :)

Discovered a good recipe for crunchy vacuum-fried NZ mussels when I accidentally dehydrated some fresh mussels while cooking them in the microwave :)

The "dehydrated" mussels taste as good as the Japanese deep fried baby crabs (omg..I sound so cruel) - normally sold in small packages of 100-200grams.

The best part about the mussels :)
- no oil is used for frying them.
Crunchy + low-fat

Remember the egg bombs? :)

 

It's funny how some of the best recipes are discovered when cooking experiments go wrong...

Have you ever seen a "Public Handphone Charging Booth"?

This is totally new to me...
I remember having wished that there are such handphone charging booths, but I didn't see any when I really needed one

So, nowadays I make sure that my handphone batter have enough juice whenever I leave the house.

Saw this handphone charging booth in Parkson @ The Mall, Kuala Lumpur
(opposite Putra World Trade Centre- PWTC)

RM1.50 per use :)

pretty reasonable

Well, we do need more public handphone charging booths! :)

Boss, gimme a "Rava Telur Bawang Tosai/Dosa"

One endearing thing about Malaysia is that
- you can hear anyone calling just about anyone else a "boss" :)
At schools, teachers call the naughty students "Boss"
It's meant for sarcasm, of course :)
eg, "Boss, tolong senyap sikit" (Boss, please be quiet)

At corporate organisations, you might sometimes hear CEOs calling the security guard a "Boss"
- "Selamat pagi, boss"
In Malaysia, it's perceived as a gesture of humility

Take a walk at a morning market - you'll hear something like
"Boss, kasi satu kilo peha ayam"
"Boss, I'd like to buy 1 kilo of chicken thigh"

Guys also call their buddies "boss"
But, nowhere else will you hear the word "boss" as commonly used as when you're at a "mamak" (South Indian restaurant)
My favourite "mamak" dish is "Rava Telur Bawang Tosai"
-served with coconut chutney, dhal curry and chicken/lamb curry

It tastes a bit like savoury french crepes :)
- just spicier

What's a "Rava Telur Bawang Tosai"?
- well, it's an egg + onion + spices crepe :)

Gotta go, Boss :)