RICE WITH CARROTS + E-BOOK REVIEW

My super talented blogger friend, Ada, released an e-book today! When I first got into blogging, she was one of the first to welcome me and leave all kinds of lovely, encouraging comments on my posts. Before I get on to a review of her handy guide-book, I have a quick and easy recipe to share.

Don't let the simplicity of this dish fool you. There's something about this combination that I can't quite put my finger on and I found myself wanting to eat large amounts of it. Perfect as a side or even as a main meal.

Ingredients

(serves 2)

- 1 cup basmati rice

- 2 carrots (sliced)

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)

- 1/2 tsp dried thyme

- 1 tbsp curry powder

- 1/2 tsp chilli powder

- 1 vegetable stock cube

- water

- salt to taste

Heat the oil in a cooking pot and sauté the chopped garlic for a few seconds. Add the rice and cover with enough water (approx. 3-4 cups). Add the curry powder, thyme, chili powder, stock cube, and season with salt. Stir, cover with a lid and turn the heat all the way down. When the water has nearly dried out and the rice is almost ready, stir in the chopped carrots and cook for a few more minutes to allow the carrots to soften. Serve hot or warm.

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E-BOOK REVIEW: GET U.G.L.Y.

Low self-esteem. Body image insecurities. These are issues we all face at one point or another in our lives. In her no-nonsense guide, replete with personal anecdotes, Ada gets to the heart of the matter and offers her reader 10 fool-proof tips on how to achieve that sometimes elusive thing called self-acceptance.                                                 

By adopting the acronym U.G.L.Y. (Unconditionally Grateful Looking like You), she deconstructs the superficial label of 'pretty' and emphasises the importance of searching deeper and recognising the innate value we all possess, regardless of our outward physical appearance.                         

The tips range from the very practical (think posture and the power of smiling!) to the more abstract and perhaps more challenging ("stop trying to be pretty, work on being attractive" - a seeming paradox that she goes on to clarify with much nuance). 

The book will take you hardly any time at all to read and it must be said that the beautiful layout also makes the reading experience that bit more enjoyable. 

Why do I think it is worth checking out? Because although some of the tips may appear obvious at first sight, they are timely truths that we need to be reminded of as often as possible. So grab a refreshing drink of your choice, take a few minutes out of your busy day, and get stuck in.                                                            

Click here to subscribe to Ada's blog and get your free copy of the e-book!