Beautiful Home

Books To Read In 2023

Planning to read more in 2023? Here are some book recommendations to get started with!

By Jemima Varughese

CHRISTMAS HAM

Christmas is here! There are so many things to celebrate and look forward to during the Christmas season and this year, I decided to make an 8.5kg maple-baked ham to share it with our team in Kuala Lumpur. It was demolished in 30 minutes! If you are thinking of making a ham this Christmas, here is the recipe based on 5kgs of ham. Enjoy! 

By Jemima Varughese

red velvet ice cream cookies

Looking for the perfect Mother’s Day dessert for your mum to enjoy? Try these red velvet ice cream cookies!

By Jemima Varughese

comforting homemade scones

Just like how kaya toast is a classic Singaporean breakfast, and banana bread is in Sydney, scones were my go-to snack while I was living in Auckland. And what do all three have in common? They are best eaten warm, and with a brick of butter!

By Ashley Leong

delicious homemade spaghetti bolognese

This meal is perfect for a family or when hosting a dinner! It’s delicious and fun to make!

By Erika Gallaspen

easy breakfast tacos

Craving something savoury? Try these easy breakfast tacos!

By Renuka George

MY TOP 12

Have any must haves that make life just that much sweeter? Blessings from above to enjoy down here! These are 12 of my all time favourites for 2020! Let me know some of your all time favs!

Who knows, I might add them to my list!

By Jemima Varughese

russian teacakes

Growing up, this was one of the first desserts my mum taught me to make. We would stand in the kitchen and chat, while rolling these little teacakes. The simplicity of this recipe means that it’s easy to make with your child! Then once they’re ready, these perfect little bite-sized teacakes melt and crumble in your mouth!

By Daenielle Isaacs

BOOKS TO GROW YOUR UNDERSTANDING

I love to read. I can get lost in a book very easily, time ticks away while I get caught up in the wisdom on the page.

I’d like to share with you three of my most favourite books. The first one on my list is “Sparkling Gems” by Rick Renner. It was a book I found in my dad’s library after he passed away. When I was going through his library, I claimed it as my own and continue to use it for my devotions.

By Marina Rolt

sourdough pancakes

If you have recently joined the sourdough bandwagon (guilty!) then you’d have some form of starter with you. These pancakes are the perfect starting point for making something delicious with sourdough. They are silky, light and airy with a light tang. You need to start the night before for these beauties.

By Ivy Sam

freezer essentials during lockdown

The world as we know it is different and while this is just a season, many of us are clinging to comfort and familiarity during these unprecedented times. So I prep my freezer up with my top three ‘lockdown essentials’ to make all (ok, most) of my comfort food dreams come true!

By Renuka George

choc chip banana bread

A recipe so easy you can make with your eyes shut!

By Gemma Johnson

lemon pound loaf cake

This beautifully moist and buttery lemon pound cake is one of my mum’s favourites and I’m so excited to share it with all of you amazing mums and daughters today. Happy Mother’s Day baking!

By Renuka George

rhubarb and strawberry pie

The recipe for the Rhubarb and Strawberry Pie made during my 2020 Mother’s Day message and our full menu for Mother’s Day meal!

By Jemima Varughese

BOOKS TO FEED YOUR SOUL

If you grew up a bookworm like me, you may have had the same memories of pretending to sleep when you were asked to go to bed, then waking up to read under a way-too-dim lamp. It may still be your sleeping routine now! It’s been a while since I’ve done that, and very many books since.
 
Here today, I’ll be recounting some of my favourite books I’ve read! Each of these books left me astounded in some way and would be my recommendation to anyone who is looking for the next, (pretty intense) read!

By Tyng

a healthy quick fix dessert

Do you find yourself going to the fridge every now and then, just to look inside and see what’s there, craving something sweet but at the same time feeling conflicted to stay healthy? Well, welcome to my life. So, I came up with this healthy, easy and guilty free recipe to satisfy those cravings!

By Lin-nette Yap

pen’s rocky road

Homemade rocky road is my favourite special treat, here is a really simple recipe for you to try!

By Penny Dowell

delicious vegan brownies

Being vegan to me is all about being healthy and eating as clean as possible, consuming whole, unprocessed foods as much as you can. Another thing I love about these brownies is you can add and substitute any of the ingredients depending on what you want!

By Sekbago Kabamba

classic french toast with maple cinnamon butter

Deliciously simple and extremely tasty!

By Renuka George

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE: A GUIDE TO FINDING YOUR STYLE ON A BUDGET

The clothes, the shoes and all the outfits that come with them. Fashion to me is like smelling a good brewed cup of coffee, it’s one of God’s many treats to this world. The pursuit of the right outfit to fully express my mood and aesthetic is one of my favourite things. Your style is meant to express the beauty of who you are, not to try and make you someone else’s form of beautiful. 

By Kutlo Mmereki 

date and orange scones

Having grown up in the Middle East, dates are a staple in my pantry but I must admit I’m not a fan of eating them on their own… but chopped up and paired with the zesty freshness of orange peel and baked into butter flaky scones? Yes please!! If you like scones, you’ll love these, they are easy to make ahead and perfect for high-tea at home or a picnic in the park.

By Renuka George

apple flavoured overnight oat and chia pudding

An apple pie without the butter and the gluten or any fuss!

By Renuka George

MAKING A HOUSE A HOME

Home is a place where we return to feel belonging, a place of retreat, a space of sanctuary. It is not merely a space - it breathes, it has a life, it evokes emotions, it uplifts, it inspires. Each home has a character painted by the owner. It is a reflection of the owners’ taste, history, aspiration and day-to-day life.

By Pamela Mohan

middle eastern carrot and orange cake

This recipe is moist and decadent and, although it’s a nostalgic favourite of mine, I can’t wait for everyone everywhere to try it and love it as much as I do. Carrot cake is a timeless classic, but the aromatic spices and the freshness of orange just gives the old classic a surprising wow factor!

By Renuka George

10 PILATES EXERCISES TO KEEP YOU MOVING

Pilates is a series of exercises designed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s. It was started to help people address their overall health, posture, inefficient breathing patterns, and other stressors of modern society. Today, Pilates is used in various ways. For some, it’s a workout and way to keep fit, and for others, it’s a tool to rehabilitate an injury, surgery or aid postpartum moms. 

By Joanna Koleth

pong teh chicken recipe

Pong teh chicken is one of the signature dishes of the Perankan, or in other terms, Baby-Nyonya in Malacca. The main ingredient of this dish is fermented bean paste which is salty, but the combination of shallots and palm sugar gives it a slight hint of sweetness. It is aromatic and simply delicious!

By Jessica Choong

LIFEHACKS AT HOME

Here are some simple tips to try around your home to make life a little bit easier!

By Katie Deal

jem’s sweet’n spicy scrambled eggs

When we get a Saturday morning free, I usually make this for my family — a sweet and spicy twist on scrambled eggs.

By Jemima Varughese

5 WAYS TO TURN YOUR AVERAGE HOME INTO AN ISOLATION RETREAT

It’s the perfect time to do some revamping of your space, to set the atmosphere and create a place of comfort during this time! Here are 5 quick ways to turn your average home into an isolation retreat.

By Sally Gibbs