Category Archives: special occasions

Make your own all natural energy drink


all natural energy drinkThese days i feel like a train hit me! I am physically worn out. I am sure lots of moms (or even dads) have been there and felt exactly the same after those long sleepless nights and busy days without a help. To cut it short, i am dog-tired!

Luckily and finally mom is coming next week. Yeyyyy! can’t wait. But till then all i can do is drinking from this energy drink to survive. A homemade, all natural drink to boost your performance.

all natural energy drink

  • 1cup orange juice (2-3 oranges)
  • 1/2 cup mandarin juice (2 mandarins)
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice (1 lemon)
  • dash of salt
  • 1 tbsp honey

You can add 1/2 cup of water to these ingredients if you don’t want a really tangy taste. This super easy energy drink is the best when you need a quick jolt of balanced revitalization, and being full of vitamin C, it works as a prevention from cold and flu as well.

Citrus fruits, especially oranges, are a good source of electrolytes. For the people who doesn’t know what are the electrolytes, they regulate our nerves and muscles function, our hydration, the pH of our blood, rebuilding damaged tissue, and determining blood pressure. They are basically calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium chloride, hydrogen phosphate (a mineral) and hydrogen carbonate (a salt). So having this tangy drink is a smart option to replenish depleted electrolytes.

all natural energy drinkHoney, as they call it liquid gold, is a natural sweetener that directly enters the bloodstream and deliver a quick boost of energy and memory.

Salt (sodium chloride) is needed to maintain the proper stomach pH. It’s also known that salt lowers adrenaline spikes to improve the sleep quality.

This fire booster drink is a healthier substitute to coffee, if you wish to lower your daily caffeine intake.

all natural energy drinkCitrus fruits are in season now, don’t hesitate to try this homemade all natural energy drink and keep up your verve all day long.

Offer this drink to your kids after school (not later than 4 o’clock, they will be full of energy and find difficulty to sleep and you will hate me), it will recharge their energy and protect them from catching cold.  Skip the dash of salt, kids might not appreciate the taste, and don’t worry, the lemon will do the job, it is a super alkaline which helps your body maintain a healthy pH level.

all natural energy drinkall natural energy drinkNow catch me if you can 🙂

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Back to school – Double chocolate chip cookies with origami paper pouch fold tutorial


double chocolate chip cookiesBack to school means summer is over. I still recall this period of time from my childhood; full of excitement and concern. But this time is different, it’s my precious boy’s first year at school. Yes, my baby love is all grown up now… I have mixed feelings; i am happy, proud and anxious.

Hopefully it will be a good new beginning to a promising future. I wish you all the luck habibi Nady.

Like all kids of his age, he is fond of chocolate. I said why not preparing together a nice chocolaty dessert for his first day at school; double chocolate chip cookies for double happiness!

double chocolate chip cookiesTo prepare these rich cookies you will need

  • ½ cup butter (100g almost), softened
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup cocoa powder sifted
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 180°C, and prepare your baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Add the baking soda, salt, cocoa powder and flour. Mix well then dump in your chocolate chips. I am telling you it’s very simple to make it 🙂

Shape the cookies, place them on the tray and bake for 10 minutes. This quantity makes 12-14 big pieces. Let them cool before serving.

double chocolate chip cookies

 

These cookies have a fudgy texture, they melt in your mouth, leaving an after taste of heaven. When you shape them, make them a bit thick to enjoy the taste.

double chocolate chip cookiesdouble chocolate chip cookiesThese cookies are meant to be part of Nady’s lunchbox. So we need to wrap them in a nice way. I prepared a paper pouch for each cookie. You already know i am fan of origami.

double chocolate chip cookiesThese pouches are really easy to make. Easy like 2 minutes! trust me. Follow this step by step tutorial:

how to fold a pouch

 

  • 1- Cut a square paper (color and size of your choice)
  • 2- Fold it in half diagonally
  • 3- Fold one of the lower corners to the middle of the other side
  • 4- Fold the other lower corner to the middle of the opposite side
  • 5- Fold down one layer of your top corner to create your pouch
  • 6- Now it’s ready to fill in your cookie

This type of folding is called diaper fold pouch!

double chocolate chip cookiesYou can use it not just for cookies, you can fill it with corn flakes, sandwich, pop corn or anything of your choice. Maybe just a paper with a message 🙂

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Fortune cookies favors for newborn – DIY


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Make your fortune cookies say what you like or wish! A cute and memorable favor to welcome your little one.

Feel like the luckiest mom on earth with these really cute and easy fortune cookies. The best thing is there is No baking required!

fortune cookies

These non edible cookies are made with a colored salt dough. To prepare it you need;

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 1 cup water
  • coloring gel of your choice

fortune cookies

Mix all ingredients and knead well. Roll the dough and cut out circles, this quantity yields 12-15 circles (depending on how big you want it).

Place your customized message in each circle before folding to half. Pinch the middle of the cookie with a knife to twist it.

fortune cookies

You can make many batches to get all the colors you want. Leave them to air dry before offering to people.

And here are my cookies full of wishes and good fortunes for my new little Joud.

fortune cookiesfortune cookiesIt was a great way to share with the family and friends our happiness and fortune to have our bundle of joy among us.

I am sure these favors will be memorable, as a surprise factor and non usual favor. Don’t hesitate to try it, write whatever you like to say and jazz up your happy event.

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Meghleh (floured rice pudding)


meghleMeghleh, is a traditional Lebanese sweet, served on a special occasion such as the celebration of a child birth or christmas. It’s a floured rice pudding spiced with caraway and cinnamon, and garnished with shredded coconut, assortment of nuts (almonds, pine seeds, walnut, pistachio) and dried raisins.

meghlehThe word meghleh in arabic means boiled, knowing that this dessert is served cold, after being boiled for almost 45 mns.

If you are expecting a baby or simply you want to enjoy a quick, easy and flavorful dessert, don’t hesitate to give it a try.

meghleh

You will need:

  • 1/2 cup floured rice
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp ground caraway
  • 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
  • 5 cups water

To garnish you will need shredded coconut, almond, pine seeds, pistachio, walnut and dried raisin. All the garnish is optional and depending on your taste. Personally i like them all, and i soak the nuts in the water before serving to become softer.

In a deep pot add the water, floured rice, sugar, caraway and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Stir over medium heat until the mix comes to a boil (20-30 minutes) Continue to cook the pudding while stirring over medium low heat for 5-7 more minutes, or until the pudding is thick. You know it’s done when it drips from the spoon as a sharp line.

meghleh

The secret of success of meghleh is in the continuous stirring over medium low heat. Make sure to stir continuously and scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent the pudding from sticking.

Remove the pudding from the heat and pour it into ramekins and set aside to cool completely before garnish.

This pudding should stay put, try not to shake the ramekins so the surface doesn’t get cracks.

meghleh

It is said that this brown pudding is symbolic of the fertile rich soil, and the nuts on top are like seeds that will sprout and grow on this soil – a perfect symbol for birth. Welcome my baby boy Joud!

meghle

meghleh If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

 

Let the world know… (along with a free printable)


Print

Let the world know my bundle of love is here, welcome my son Joud to our warm nest. My family is growing and so is my heart!

Now i have two boys, Nady and Joud, the eyes i see the world through.

Now i have grown two wings, and i am ready to fly… with you Antoun lets conquer the world!

welcome joud

I wanted to share with you our happiness and a free printable welcome door signage. If you like it, all you need is changing the name or size, i’ve attached to you a high resolution file, (vector) that you can edit easily!

Click here to download the file.

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.