August 13, 2016

No Bake Healthy Berry Cheesecake.


This cake was made from the recipe book   'Slatke Strasti' by Mihaela Devescovi.  I was looking for easy no bake cake recipes this Summer and I ran into this great raw deserts recipe book. The book is full of really great no bake deserts and all really quick and easy to make. 

All recipes are followed by gorgeous photos. The book introduction describes advantages of making raw food desserts and it provides simple tips on how to work with ingredients to get the most nutrients out of them. Currently, this recipe book is only available in Croatian.

For one of our Summer parties I made two recipes out of this book, this Berry Cheesecake and fabulous Banana Pudding for which I will share recipe in one of the next posts.

INGREDIENTS


Dough:
1.5 cup of walnuts
1 cup of dates 
1/2 cup of coconut 

Cream:
2 cups of cashew nuts (soaked in water)
3/4 cup of cacao butter 
2 limes (juiced)
1 cup of blueberries & raspberries (fresh or defrosted)
10 drops of sweet orange essential oil
4 tbsp of agava syrup 

Decoration:
1/2 cup of fresh or defrosted raspberries or blueberries
several fresh mint leaves

DIRECTIONS 


Prep: Presoak cashews in water for 2-3 hours for this recipe. Presoaking nuts has great advantages for your digestion. Nuts contain the inhibitor of the enzymes such as phytic acid which makes them hard to digest, soaking them you will get more of the nutrients from the nuts and it will be easier for your body to digest them.

Mix all listed dough ingredients in the blender until you get them well minced. Place the mixture in the small cake pan and press it firmly with clean hands coating the bottom of the pan with it evenly. 

Melt cocoa butter, add it along with other cream ingredients listed in the blender and mix until you get smooth, even, creamy mixture. Pour the cream onto the dough in the cake pan.

Decorate with mint leaves and fresh berries. Cook in the fridge for minimum of 4 hours. 
This cake keeps well so you can store it in freezer or fridge for about 4 days.

This recipe definitely requires some non-standard ingredients which are not necessarily cheap but it is super delicious, gilt free if you are watching your weight, it's super healthy and it's quick to make. All who tried it said they didn't feel heavy and tired as they do when they finish the meal and top it with a desert. It's light and it turned the biggest healthy food skeptics into believers in my home!

Definitely give it a try! You will love it I promise!
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August 11, 2016

3 Post Pregnancy Cellulite Treatments.

Photo: Kate Moss
Like many other women I noticed that I got more cellulite during and after pregnancy. Before I got pregnant I did have some cellulite but it wasn't really visible. I tried to never stress to much about it, I try to cook and eat the best quality diet I can afford and exercise as much as possible with my work schedule and now with a six month old baby. 
About three month after I had Anabela, once her colics reduced and she started sleeping more then a few hours at a time, I kicked of my post prego body and mind recovery. 
I started with basics, I rejoined the gym, went to a manicure and pedicure and since I couldn't breast feed anymore past Anabela's 4 months I started controlling my food intake a bit better, avoiding fats and heavy carbs, eating more fibers and I tried not to eat anything (only drink water) past 6 pm.
On my first full body inspection after pregnancy my doctor recommended starting recovery with lymphatic drainage treatment to help my body push out excess water weight. This treatment reduces water retention and aids digestion. 

CELLULITE FACTS 

 Cellulite is a normal fat beneath the skin. It is a cosmetic condition affecting more then 90% of women in the world, regardless of their weight. It appears bumpy because it pushes against connective tissue, causing the skin above it to pucker. 
Cellulite isn't harmful however many women would like to get rid of it because of the way it looks. It is indeed less noticeable once your skin is darker however stretch marks are then more visible.


WHAT CAUSES CELLULITE? 

According to New York based dermatologist Cheryl Karcher, cellulite is caused by weakened connective tissue as a result of misbalanced hormones, lack of exercise and muscle tone, excess fat, and poor circulation or any of the combination of listed causes.
It's true that cellulite runs in families so if your mother and/or grandmother had cellulite, you have a better chance of also developing it.

CELLULITE TREATMENTS 

Exercise


 Regular exercise cannot completely cure cellulite but in many cases it can help to prevent or reduce its appearance. Weight training is better way to target cellulite then only doing cardio exercises as it tightens the skin and reduces the appearance of cellulite, so it makes it less visible.
I started with doing cardio 3x per week for about 30-45min and then light lifting for another 30min, gradually I increased up to 5x per week, depending when I could get babysitter or when my boyfriend was staying home with Anabela.
Balanced Diet
According to experts, balanced plant heavy diet can help you strengthen the connective tissue, drop weight and reduce cellulite. Aim to eat more cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes and bell peppers, which are all more than 90% water (like many other fruits and veggies. Also, you want to drink lots and lots of water.
Making sure that underwear and clothing you wear is not to tight and cutting your circulation will help reduce appearance of cellulite. On the other hand, none of those tights etc. claiming to reduce cellulite are scientifically proven to work. Also, smoking contributes to appearance of cellulite as it reduces blood vessel flow and weakens and disrupts the formation of collagen in your body.

VelaShape

VelaShape uses vacuum technology to manipulate your skin while infrared light (IR) and bi-polar radio frequency (RF) energies will gently heat fat cells and surrounding tissue. Over the course of your treatments, you will notice a reduction in both circumference and in the appearance of cellulite in the treated areas.


My first cosmetic treatment post pregnancy was as noted above lymphatic drainage and then to start battling newly appeared cellulite my friend who also recently gave birth recommended VelaShape.
Before first session technical measured my legs, hips and stomach and then she used white pencil to mark trouble areas, applied a gel and started the treatment with what appeared and massage. 

First 3-4 treatments were really painful, I was warned it would hurt, but not just how much. The technical doing the treatment was super nice and she indeed warned me it might hurt and even potentially cause bruises. 
Number of sessions needed to see results: 3-10 (2x/week) depending on condition of affected areas.
Results lasting: 3-6 months, requires monthly maintenance appointments.
Price: 40-50 Euro per session (depending if you purchase individual session or a package).

LPG (Endermologie) 
After trying VelaShape I changed the cosmetic salon I was going to and went to one much closer to my house. My intention was to continue with VelaShape but after reviewing my body trouble spots dermatologist recommended to try LPG. My goal is to tighten the skin and to further reduce the appearance of cellulite post pregnancy.
I purchased a package of 10 treatments right before heading to holiday and since you can have maximum of two treatments per week I just managed to use 4 treatments and so I will continue with other 6 once I return to Barcelona.
Just like VelaShape, this technical did body evaluation and provided me with thin elastic body suite over which she used the device over the trouble areas. During Endermologie (LPG) treatment a technician runs a suctioning device surrounded by rollers over your skin, pulling and squeezing your trouble spots for about 30 minutes.  
Also, unlike VelaShape, LPG doesn't hurt at all, you will just feel suction and massage.
Number of sessions needed to see results: 10 sessions (2x/week).
Results lasting: 6 months - 1 year (no maintenance needed).
Price: 50-80 Euro per session (depending if you purchase individual session or a package).


Anti-Celullite Creams & Oils
The fact is that no topical cream, lotion or potion cannot completely remove cellulite. Often creams are advertised to remove toxins from your body which they don't really do because cellulite is NOT caused by toxins. 
Some research showed that products containing retinoids can provide some temporary results by thickening the skin thus camouflaging the cellulite. 
Basically, this is the cheapest, the least invasive but also the least effective way to treat cellulite. 
The natural oil which I tried, noticed results and I can recommend to use along with LPG treatments is a Body Sculptor Body Oil by Alqvimia . Every day I apply it once by massaging it into damp skin.

Number of applications needed: daily 1-3 months.
Results lasting: 1-3 months.
Price: 60 Euro (available only in cosmetic salons).
Did you try any anti-cellulite treatments and were happy with results? I would like to hear about it.
Do share in comment!
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August 10, 2016

4 Fabulous Flat Shoe Designs for Fall.

Photo source: Vogue.us street style 

Since I became a mum I have started wearing more flats. No, no, no this does not mean I gave up on my fabulous, amazing heels...God no...but I did decided to invest in a couple of great quality flats as I am not a kind of mum to walk in sneakers all day long. I walk barefoot or in fabulous shoes, there is no mid ground for me! :)
 Luckily, there are so many fabulous styles to choose from this season! If you are a women looking for a pair of elegant, high quality, comfortable flats for Fall this post might be a great inspiration for you ahead of your first Fall shopping.
I searched for high quality styles and found some sweet deals on high end brands so keep on reading!

Metallic Flats 


Right before Summer I got a pair of beautiful pointy toe kitten heel silver metallic sling backs, I ended up wearing them a lot with floral dresses but also with white t-shirt and cropped jeans.


Nude Flats with Black Toe

For Fall I am looking to get a pair of tie up ballerinas and a pair of Chanel like two tone (nude with round black toe) slingbacks or sandals. This is most definitely a pair of shoe you want to invest because they are timeless in style and if good quality can serve you for yours to come.


Tie Up Ballerina Shoes


Popularized recently by Miu Miu tie up ballerina flats are one of the most popular flats for this Fall, obviously for the places with not a lot of rain! :)  First, all mass market stores were swamped with point toe tie up flats with thin leather tie up string while for Fall we are looking at round top leather ballerina shoes, much like the original dancing shoes with wider satin or leather tie up ribbon.


Velvet Flats



Even though it's super hard to maintain and easy to get ruined, velvet flats can really glam up any outfit, be it a little black slip dress or a pair of mom jeans. My favorite way to wear velvet shoes is with silk dress and chunky sweater.
Bellow if you slide you will find Marc Jacobs velvet flats for only $45 or these Kate Spade beauties above for $328 or Miu Miu green velvet flats from $115.




Two of my favorites for this year (I already ordered one pair) are actually blush velvet tie up ballerina shoes & classic nude heels with black round toe.
Which of these flat shoe trends match your personal style best?
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August 5, 2016

Tick Tock Your Handbag is a Clock.


For some time now I have been following this innovative young accessory brand from Croatia -  CLOX.
CLOX is a time themed accessories brand known for its patented stilettos with fully functional, custom made clocks (yes they really work and show correct time!). It’s a brand searching for all aspects of time, criticizing and playing with it. 

WHAT IS CLOX ALL ABOUT?

In its first collections CLOX was telling stories about circles of time — one day, one year, one lifetime, always asking one question: do we make repetitive circles day after day, like legs on the clocks, or are we moving forward? Clocks on the shoes emphasize movement — we are chasing time, all the time. 
One of my favorite products by this brand is a versatile black leather time bow which can be worn as a bow tie, hat ribbon, belt or a hair tie or any way you want really... just like   CLOX stilletoes and flats  this bow comes with working clock which is really unisex so it can be worn by anybody with fabulous style.


CLOX CLUTCHES &  BACKPACKS 


This Summer CLOX brand launched their first collection of premium leather clutches and backpacks. This capsule collection features 5 different models in light blue and pale pink and just like all CLOX products, all handbags are thoughtfully and intelligently made to be extremely functional and versatile.



Cockoo Bird is a backpack is inspired by old cuckoo wall clocks. It can be worn as a bag or a backpack and is made of premium pink and black leather. Cuckoo bag come in hard   CLOX box with a silk strap.


LUXURIOUS PACKAGING

Another unique feature of CLOX brand is exquisite quality of making, attention to detail and quite unique packaging. Considering that this is a fairly young brand I have to say I am really impressed with their unique Net-a-porteish packaging design which consist of hard boxes and beautiful silk ribbons, really makes a girl feel special! 
If you want to send yourself a fabulous and smart accessory gift - shop  CLOX here.

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July 30, 2016

Simple & Delicious Oven Baked Hake Fish.


Personally I love to eat fish but I used to be very reluctant to buy a fresh fish and test recipes. This Summer I promised myself I will try and learn to make at least 5 different types of different fish recipes. After I mastered different salmon recipes back in Barcelona which even my red meat loving boyfriend dared to try and really liked this time I tried to make oven baked hake dish for my boyfriend and friends who stayed with us for a week, they all really enjoyed it while my boyfriend even said this is one of the best fish recipes he tried, ever.

In total, it takes about 30-40 minutes max to make this recipe and fish remains soft and absolutely delicious! Actually, this was the best hake fillet I ever ate as well! ;)


INGREDIENTS


Main Dish:
1 kg hake fillet
2 lemons (1 sliced to garnish)

Crust:
4 slices of bread toasted (I used a multigrain bread)
50 g / 1.7 oz of grated cheese (I used dry cheddar)
50 ml / 1.7 oz virgin olive oil 
1 tbsp of fresh cilantro chopped 
30g / 1 oz almond slices

Side Dish:
400 g /14 oz potatoes peeled and chopped into bite size pcs
300 g / 11 oz fresh chard leaves
3 cloves of garlic 
olive oil to taste
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

If you are using frozen hake fillets set them aside to defrost.
Peel and chop potatoes into bite size pieces, place it into a pot full of cold water and cook until soft.
Prepare marinade for hake fish by squeezing juice of 1 lemon (with no pits) into a small bowl, adding some sea sold and freshly ground pepper to taste. Place the fillets in the large plate, cover it with marinade and coat each fillet with it on both sides. Let it marinate for about 15 minutes.
Wash chard leaves very well on both sides, dry it well and and cut it into thin stripes. Check if potatoes are cooked, when ready just add prepared chard leaves a little by little into the hot water along with cooked potatoes. Mix gently and cook on medium heat until chard leaves are cooked (less then 5minutes). Drain excess water and serve potatoes and cooked chard into a large bowl. Season it with olive oil, minced garlic, sea salt and pepper and mix gently.
Prepare a crust mixture by adding together toast cut in small square pieces, chopped cilantro, olive oil, grated cheese and almond slices and mix it in grinder until it has a consistency similar to bread crumbs.  Coat ceramic baking dish with olive oil and place thin layer of crust (half of the mixture) on the bottom of the dish. Place hake fillets over the layer of crust, poor a bit of left over marinade over the fish, coat the fish with the remaining mixture to create a top coat and sprinkle some more almond slices over it. 
Place thin slices of lemon over the final layer for decoration. Bake on 150C/302 F for about 15 minutes or until the crust is golden.
Alternatively to cooked potatoes and chard you card serve hake fish with rucola salad.
Bon appetite ladies! :)
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July 28, 2016

Everyone is buzzing about Sache cosmetics.

Photo: 26 Schon Magazine Editorials


After having Anabela I became much more careful about reading ingredients on food and cosmetics labels. I was quite excited to test Croatian organic cosmetics brand   Sache. 

Sache cosmetics  has been ecologically manufactured from 1955. It is completely natural and it is a synergy of bee products and herbal extracts. It contains ecological herbal oils, the best quality wax, pollen, propolis, honey and royal jelly. Thus, it's definitely not for people who are allergic to bee products but it's absolutely marvelous for everyone else including people with sensitive skin and people prone to other skin allergies as it does not contain preservatives, emulsifiers, paraben, artificial colors nor synthetic scents.
During last month and a half I have been testing some of the   Sache products which I have reviewed bellow. My skin is normal with oily T-zone and mad hormones post baby. 
The brand has a range of products accommodating to all skin types using specially selected herbal oils from ecological farming which stimulate skin regeneration and acts as an antioxidant. One of the mail ingredients pollen contains all the vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids which are preety much a „superfood“ that deeply nourishes skin for a long time.
Some of the special advantages of   Sache cosmetics are:
- Natural formula that protects the skin outside and nourish it inside
- Revitalizes and energizes the skin giving it a healthy, fresh and bright look
- High concentration of natural antioxidants, omega fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, amino acids 
- Helps and protects against premature aging of the face and body skin
- Bee products have a scientifically proven positive effects on the skin
- Stimulates a natural skin defense mechanism
- Due to it's natural ingredients, risk of allergic reactions is set to minimum
-  Protects against free radicals, visually reduces wrinkles, reduces skin irritations
- Makes the skin healthy, nurtured, elastic, smooth and deeply nourished
All of the Sache cosmetics I tested is honey yellow in color, it has an oily consistency, neutral natural scent and it's quite rich when massaged into skin. This might be a quite a different experience for those who are used to white commercial creams with perfume scent but it's most definitely cosmetic which gives quick results.

NATURAL INTENSIVE MASK FOR NORMAL SKIN

This mask is packaged in convenient single use saches. It's yellow-gold honey color and it has rich oily consistency. I applied it twice a week for 30 min all over my face after washing and cleaning my face very well. After using it my skin felt softer and I noticed that inflammation I had appearing on my chin reduced. 

This mask is a synergy of bee products, honey, wax, and pollen with olive and St. John wort oil represents selection of all essential nutrients, vitamins, amino acids and fat acids that nourish your skin richly. Honey and propolis with their composition act anti-oxidative and antibacterial and correct defects and return a natural functions of the skin in balance. With the application of this mask, skin will be thoroughly nourish and clearly regenerated.

NATURAL CREAM FOR HANDS AND LEGS

I used this hands and legs cream also on my heels and elbows and it worked amazingly. Personally, I applied this cream on damp skin after showering right after coming from the beach and it really helped my skin stay hydrated and it never peeled. Just like the mask this cream is yellow in color and it has oily consistency but it absorbs quite quickly.

This extremely nourishing cream is composed of beeswax, olive oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, marigold oil and locust honey soothes and heals the skin providing it with the necessary essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.Carrot macerate with its rich composition of carotenoids has an antioxidant effect and protects the skin from harmful external factors. It eliminates skin damage and fatigue giving the skin a nurtured look.
 If you are looking for a truly natural cosmetics which gives quick results I definitely recommend that you try  Sache. You can also shop it through   online shop with prices from 7 to 24 Euro.
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July 19, 2016

Afunguard Casual Luxury.


Recently I discovered great casual wear brand Afunguard from Poland which features simple cut but perfectly (and ethically) made comfortable pieces which can be worn as part of business or casual look on so many ways. 
Different then fast fashion brands you can wear Afunguard items for years as they are very well made out of great quality fabrications.
Afunguard is independent designer brand from Poland lead by Marta Hernandez which aspires is to be a global brand which creates casual women’s clothing by merging timeless aesthetics, high quality fabrics, affordable prices and product value.

Graphic Print Tunic Blouse



I love how versatile this top is! This blouse can be worn as a tunic over a swimsuit while lounging with sleeves 3/4 buttoned up, over jeans or tights as a tunic top or with a pencil skirt for work. Virtually, you can wear it year around.

Loose fit white button up mid way tunic with black flower print. Works great as a tunic for work or as part of casual outfit. Sleeves can be buttoned up 3/4.


Short Navy Cotton Suite


 Since I have started working in fashion I try to avoid wearing classic office suite. I could not resist this Afunguard 'Summer suit' made out of soft navy cotton which makes it so easy to wear separately shorts paired with a t-shirt and sneakers as part of casual outfit for a weekend stroll in town or worn together with a blazer jacket as a light Summer suit. For a coffee with local designer I wore this Summer suit with gorgeous Miss Julie necklace.


Afunguard navy shorts |   Afunguard tailored jacket |   Zara top |   Miss Julie Necklace

If you to love to have really versatile pieces in your closet I promise you will get a lot of wears out of these Afunguard looks!
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July 3, 2016

Croatian Designers Fresh New Looks via Moda.hr


Photos: Goran Čižmešija. 
Styling: Mimi Krtinić Rončević.  
Models: Antonia K., Leonarda Z - Taliamodela, Monika G. - Midikena, Anja Š. - Sonic models. 
Hair: Ivan Pervan, Terezija Duranović, Ivica Palinić,Antonia Krstanović. 
Make Up: Kasandra Draganić and Mirta Pejić.

Even though Croatian government doesn't really support enormous young fashion design talent in Croatia there are some media and enthusiasts who now for years provide creative outlet and directions to young designers, the most experiences of them is for sure fashion portal moda.hr.

For more then 6 years now, twice a year   Moda.hr portal issues a seasonal lookbook featuring Croatian fashion designers and up and coming fashion brands. The first such lookbook was issues back in 2009 when very few local media gave little or no space in their outlets to young talents.

MAK

Stolnik

Petra

Đina Grbin

Hero4Heroes

Matija Vujica

Elfs

The main idea is to feature a signature look for each collection put together in one big fashion story. Due to high demand and interest in local fashion design, these lookbooks became a tradition in local fashion industry.

Designers love to participate in this project as it allows them to present their signature look to wide audience of new potential clients and it also provides them with logistics which they alone cannot always organize on time especially with ever increasing pressure created by fast fashion brands of launching more and more collections each year.



In our first lookbook we had 8 designers participating, this season we had 35. These number are truly impressive for such a small country and they also show the trust designers have in our work."

Lucija Biondić, Moda.hr editor in chief


See full  lookbook here.
Who is your favorite Croatian designer? :)
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