Matcha Madness

What is Matcha? Matcha is finely ground green tea. The Japanese tea ceremony is based solely on the preparation, serving and drinking of this lovely powder. It's also used as a dye or to flavor various foods like cakes, pasta and the amazing wagashi. It does have an acquired flavor. Quite bitter actually. But if prepared just right, that can be avoided and thoroughly enjoyed. Besides the fact that it is a unique flavor, it's crazy-good healthy for you. Since you're ingesting the whole leaf, and not just the brewed water like usual green tea, you're getting way more benefits. In fact, one cup of matcha is the equivalent of 10 cups of brewed leaves.Here are a few benefits of matcha:

Anti-oxidant. 10 times more than blueberries.
Amino Acid L-Theanine which promotes relaxation and awareness.
Energy Booster
Calorie Burner. Burns fat and boosts metabolism without raises heart rate or blood pressure.
Natural Detox

So...really good for you. Now, it doesn't have to be too complex to make it in tea form, but I drink so much tea of other kinds already, I like a little variety. So I make matcha popsicle.

My recipe is simple enough. And you can adjust the ingredients and amounts to you liking. You need:

• A Cream base
• Matcha
• Something to sweeten 

Here is what I use: Coconut Cream and Agave Syrup or Organic Cane sugar and coconut milk to loosen is necessary. 

It's easy enough. Through all three in a blender, and mix. Add more liquid if it's too dense, and more sugar if not sweet enough. But remember...the point is that matcha isn't overly sweet. I will add an extra ingredient which is my little secret: CINNAMON. Seriously, don't ask me how, but tsp of cinnamon will actually calm down the bitterness. 

The final texture should be like a thick soup. Not too liquid or you will get an icy popsicle instead of a creamy one. You will noticed when poring it into your molds that it has a satiny look to it. From there on...freeze and then enjoy!

If you ever have a small amount leftover in the blender, (which I always hope for) I will add more coconut milk and make myself a milkshake to enjoy right then and there. Of course, you don't have to make popsicle to enjoy it...just blend some matcha with your choice of milk and sugar. Or if you have a hankering for something richer, use good quality vanilla ice cream, a splash of milk and throw in some matcha. Amazing!

My Matcha Popsicle Recipe

• 1 Can Coconut Cream
• 3 tbsp Matcha Powder
• Splash Coconut Milk
• 1/3 cup Organic Cane Sugar

Coco for Coco

Mommy recently posted on how she uses coconut oil to eat and put on to her hair and skin (which I like to lick off when I think she's not looking) But she also knows how much I love it too and let's me have all I want! After she gives me a bath or whenever my hair is dull or dry (yes, I have hair...not fur. Yorkie's are special like that), she will rub some through her hands and cover me with it. It makes my hair soft and shiny! She'll also put some on the pads of my paws to moisturize them. Since I don't wear shoes, my paws can get dried out and sore. So I get some there too...although mommy has to reapply it because I keep licking it off, it tastes so good!
On that subject...I get to eat it too! I mean, right into my food! Solid coconut oil is kinda messy to mix in, so she'll heat it up in the microwave until it's liquid and cover my food with it. She let's it cool down a bit, and then...I get to eat it all up! It's great for me! It helps with all of this:

Improves digestion and nutrient absorption
Aids in digestive disorders
Reduces bad breath
Aids in coughing
Has powerful antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal agents that prevent infection and disease.
Helps reduce weight and increases energy....and more!

Point is, it tastes really, REALLY good and it helps me inside and out. 
So I agree with mommy on this one...get some of this stuff for your special puppy...oh, and yourself of course. 

Blacksad: A Silent Hell

This is the fourth book of the Blacksad collection and I believe the most beautiful and intricate if them all. The story is unique, intelligent, moving...but then again all of them are. I just adore Blacksad. No better concept, art and story line. This page is incredibly intricate and beautiful. I really enjoyed doing it. In all honesty, I actually thought it would be a longer project, but I got so into it, that I finished it in 2 days. I was actually VERY hesitant about coloring it in...but it didn't feel like a complete challenge until I did.

Rogue

My second favorite comic female. I feel connected with her since she drains energy from men...and women. Haha!

Fathom!

I love...love...LOVE this artist. His work is inspirational. And his back story as well. He was a lame excuse as an artist, until someone gave him a chance and he surpassed all expectoration. A real under-dog story. I was completely heartbroken when I heard that he passed away. The great one always die young...

Well...already did some fan art from Witchblade, but I love Fathom even more. This picture is way to simple the way I drew it (except for the bubble bottom). I hope to one day do a complete duplicate...but that will be a great challenge for later.

Coco Obsession

My first post for this beauty section is the one thing I absolutely cannot live without...
Coconut Oil. 
I heard it around, but didn't pay too much attention to it. I did and continue to have an obsession for coconut milk and cream which I use in a lot of my cooking, sweet and salty. (But that's another post for my cooking page) I started to use coconut milk as an alternative to soy milk. (Again, more on that elsewhere.)
After enjoying coconut milk so much, I looked into the benefits of coconut oil. And the information I found was staggering!
Obviously it can be used for cooking, but do you know you can use it everywhere in your house and basically all over your body for just about anything? I found a great list on another blog Wellness Mama, if you'd like to take a more detailed look, but here are the uses for beauty:

Use on skin as an amazing moisturizer.

As an eye-makeup remover
To lighten age spots when rubbed directly on the skin
To prevent stretch marks during pregnancy
To help increase sun tolerance and avoid burning.
As a naturally SPF 4 sunscreen
Topically to kill yeast or yeast infections
As a massage oil
Use all over hair to calm frizz and add shine.As an intensive nighttime facial moisturizer
Mixed with equal parts sugar for a body scrub
Rubbed on lips as a natural chap stick
Topically, can help skin heal faster after injury or infection
As an incredibly intensive natural conditioner- massage large amount on to dry hair, put a shower cap on and leave for several hours.
On feet to fight athlete’s foot or fungus
In place of Lanolin cream on nursing nipples to sooth irritation (also great for baby!)
Can help sooth psoriasis or eczema
Rub coconut oil on the inside of your nose to help alleviate allergy symptoms
There is some evidence that coconut oil helps digestion and may even kill intestinal parasites or yeast
Can help reduce appearance of varicose veins
After initial heat is gone, can help speed healing of sunburn
As a natural personal lubricant (not really beauty...but I don't have a sex-ed page...yet!)
As a naturally antibacterial skin cream
As a natural shave cream and after shave lotion
When used consistently on skin it can help get rid of cellulite
Can help resolve acne when used regularly
Can be rubbed into scalp daily to stimulate hair growth
By itself as a great tanning oil
Mixed with salt to remove dry skin on feet
Can help speed weight loss when consumed daily
By itself as a natural deodorant
By itself or with baking soda as a naturally whitening toothpaste
On cuticles to help nails grow
Rub into elbows daily to help alleviate dry, flaky elbows
Naturally clears up cold sores

Use on eyelashes and eyebrows to strengthen. With age, those start to fade as well!

I actually have three different coconut oils. One my mother brought directly form Thailand, which is one of the top producers of this amazing stuff. She works for the ministry of agriculture and gets sent on random trips to look for all these organic wonders. When she bought it, it was liquid (not surprising with the Thailand temperatures) When she unpacked it, she freaked out because it had gone from liquid transparent to solid white. It took awhile for me to explain to her that this oil goes to solid pretty easily. Below 76 degrees to be exact. The texture was kind of gritty, but it worked wonders all the same. Just had to scoop it out somehow to use. And the scent is soft and nice.

This one I bought myself from a natural online store in Chile called Foodies. This one is definitely smoother and easier to use. Also, it's certified edible (yeah, not all of them are, so you have to check for that because sometimes they'll add a little something...which is why I insist if you buy one make sure it's 100% virgin and organic.) 

And the last, my mother bought on a roadside stand in Columbia. This one had no labels or information of any kind. It also had a really strong toasted smell. We guessed that they roasted the coconut before extracting oil...but who knows. I definitely don't consume this because I have no clue what's really in it, but for hair and body it's great. Honestly, it's more or less for Coco's personal use. 

So there you have it, my own personal coconut oil collection. I'll keep adding recipes and posts on how to use it here or in cooking, so keep an eye out for my posts to come!

And go get coco!

Red, White & Blue

Actually, it's more like Burgundy, White & Navy...just not as catchy.

Once I started the pair these colors I just couldn't stop!

And it all happened by accident. I was looking at some artwork by my favorite illustrator, Jaqueline Bissett 

(you might notice her signature style on my blog title), and I saw this image...

...and I thought...I wanna wear that!

I found a burgundy pencil skirt pretty quickly and on sale (I have a gift for getting everything on sale even when I don't want it), and found a striped sweater at the GAP. 

I actually got the navy striped sweater only because I couldn't find a black striped one anywhere, but it was meant to be. I loved the combination!

From there, I realized I had every item in my closet to make this great collection...and what's great...is that it can just keep growing! The combinations are endless!

...Now all that's missing are those fabulous shoes in the illustration. But no worries! I always find what I want.