Rice is such a staple food for me. I almost always have rice at home. I usually eat the same way, but I am challenging myself to spice up my rice game. Therefore, I would like to share a few dishes I’ve learnt about that incorporate rice. If any interests you, I encourage you to look up a recipe online and try to prepare it or you can get it from a restaurant if you’re not really into cooking.

Nigerian Jollof Rice: This is a dish prepared by combining rice with a pepper base (a mixture of tomatoes, onions, spices, bell peppers). It is often served with some type of meat or fish. Long grain rice is commonly used in the preparation of this dish.

Rice Pudding: This is a sweet rice dish made by combining rice with milk or water. Flavouring (e.g. vanilla) can be added. Typically, short grain rice is used.

Arancini: This dish is believed to have its origin in Sicily. It is also called rice balls. Rice is wrapped around minced meat and cheese (the stuffing may vary). This rice ball is then coated with bread crumbs and deep fried.

Rice and Peas: I learnt about this dish from a friend of mine who is from The Caribbean. It is a popular dish made with rice and red kidney beans. It is commonly eaten with gravy and some type of meat. Traditionally, long grain rice is used to prepare this dish.

Paella: This savoury rice dish has origins in Spain. It is cooked in a shallow pan which is where it gets its name from. Bomba rice or arborio rice are the most popular types of rice used to prepare this dish.

Rice Bread: This is bread made from rice flour. To make your own rice flour, you simply blend rice at home into a smooth powder and use it to bake.

Waakye: This is a Ghanaian dish made from rice and beans boiled with millet leaves which is where it gets its colour from. It is often wrapped in banana leaves when served.

Puffed Rice: This can be enjoyed as a snack. It is a bit time consuming to prepare as you have to boil the rice, dry it, then fry it. It can be seasoned to make it sweet or savoury. I’ve read that the best type of rice to use is basmati rice.

Gimbap: This is a Korean dish that consists of rice, vegetables and meat which are wrapped in a seaweed sheet. Short grain white rice is commonly used in the preparation of this dish.

Chicken and Rice Soup: This is a “brothy” soup made with vegetables rice, and chicken. It’s nice to have on a cold day.

Biryani: This is a dish that has its origins in South Asia. It is a rice-curry combination. It contains vegetables, meat (optional), and spices. Basmati rice is traditionally used for this dish.

Rice Pilaf: Basmati rice is said to be the best rice for this dish. Any other long grain rice works as well. The rice is usually toasted first then boiled with a broth and other vegetables.

Arroz Con Pollo: This is a Latin American rice dish. It means rice with chicken and is traditionally prepared with vegetables, spices, and chicken.

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Do you have a favourite rice dish? If so, what is it?

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I don’t know about you, but I love a good smelling place or person. I don’t just want a place to not smell bad, I want it to smell good. I also read somewhere that scents (like music) are a great way to capture memories. If you visit a new city, you can use a specific fragrance there such that when you use that fragrance afterwards, the memory of that city is brought alive in your mind.

Oil and perfume make the heart glad;
so does the sweetness of a friend’s counsel
that comes from the heart

Proverbs 27:9 (AMP)

That being said, here are my favourite fragrances as of right now:

Live Luxe by Jennifer Lopez

Top notes: Melon, Peach, and Pear

It’s very fruity and has this feeling of luxury to it. I guess it was designed that way from the name. I always receive compliments whenever I use this scent. It lasts a decent amount of time. The bottle also looks nice with the curves and colours.

Versace YELLOW DIamond

Top notes: Citron, Pear sorbet, Neroli, and Bergamot

To me, this has a depth to it. It smells very mature and is long-lasting. I like the colour of the bottle. There are different sizes available. There is also a perfumed body lotion available. Can be purchased here.

A good name is better than precious perfume

Ecclesiastes 7:1A (AMP)

Burberry Brit

Top notes: Icy pear, Sugared almond, and Intense vanilla

To be honest, I found this really strong at first, but it grew on me. It has a sweet smell to it and honestly I think it could pass as unisex. Also, I usually struggle to open it as the bottle cap fits really snug. There are different sizes available (50ml, 100ml). Can be purchased here.

GUCCI BAMBOO

Top notes: Casablanca lily and Bergamot

This perfume is light and has floral notes to it. I don’t think it lasts very long. It is good for casual or daily use.

Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes.

Ruth 3:3A (NIV)

Dior Sauvage

Top notes: Bergamot and Ambroxan

This one I haven’t used as it is advertised to men, but I know people who have and it smells so good. The bottle is also simple and is good for a minimalist aesthetic. It’s also long-lasting. Can be purchased here.

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Have you tried any of the above? What are your favourite fragrances?

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I’m of the opinion that everyone has creative ability and it is expressed in different ways.

Some tips on how to get started

1. Pray
2. Write down your ideas (no matter how silly they sound)
3. Exercise (even if it’s just a walk)
4. Talk to people
5. Look around
6. Ignore your inner critic

Areas to showcase your creativity

Fashion: I used to be rigid with fashion. I would wear an outfit the exact same way over and over again because I was scared of trying it in a different way and messing it up. One tip I can give in this area (even though I don’t consider myself a fashionista) is to look within nature. Look at flowers, birds, the sky and draw inspiration from their colour combinations and textures.

And why worry about your clothing?
Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow.
They don’t work or make their clothing
yet Solomon in all his glory
was not dressed as beautifully as they are

Matthew 6:28-29

Food: You can find creative ways to prepare your usual meals. If you’re like me and don’t enjoy cooking, maybe try plating your food in a different way. Below I tried to switch up my basic bread and fried egg breakfast and I actually enjoyed it. For the smoothie, I have coconut, yoghurt, bananas, and vanilla extract.

Friends and Family: Be creative with how you interact and show love to your family and friends. Give them unique gifts. Surprise them with calls or special messages. Observe them for a period of time or reflect on what you already know about them and act accordingly.

Faith: For the people of faith here, this may sound tricky. I know that God has His set rules that we must follow, but He also made us creative. Some ways I thought one’s creativity could shine here is how one shares one’s faith with others, prayer, and Bible study. Here is an example, the book of Luke has 24 chapters so reading a chapter a day in December will end on Christmas Eve and that way you’ve either learnt of the Christmas story or are reminded of it.

Finances: There are many creative ways to make money out there so you can find ones that fit with your gifting and lifestyle and use them. Alternatively, you can find creative ways to use the money you already have. Here’s a challenge: Try to do more with your current budget and maybe make some things that you can at home instead of purchasing them. Alternatively, you can borrow certain one time use items (e.g. hammer, bread maker) from a neighbour or friend.

Final Thoughts

We are all gifted in different areas so it’s not wise to compare oneself to others. In addition, practice causes improvements to happen. You may not be a top chef today, but you can get there if you keep trying.

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Which areas are you going to express your creativity in moving forward?

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If you don’t know what this means, it is simply gifting someone with a gift you’ve received from someone else. Different people have their opinions on this. However, I am in support of regifting and I’ll provide my rationale below.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received 
to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace 
in its various forms.

1 Peter 4:10 (New International Version)

1. Increased likelihood of use

We receive gifts from different kinds of people; family, close friends, colleagues, and so on. Sometimes it’s not my style or something I use and while I appreciate the gesture, if I know someone who may put the gift to better use, I believe such a gift could be re-gifted. Because what usually ends up happening (at least with me) is that I use it once and try to take a picture/video so I have a reference if I ever get accused of not using it or it just sits in a corner of my house and after a few months or years, I donate it. Why spend money on a different gift for someone when I have a perfect one at home?

2. It is economical

Sometimes one is just not in a position to spend money on a gift. Gifting something you currently own is a great way to bless someone else. I once received a box of chocolates and while I love chocolates, I decided to regift it because I would have spent money that could have been used elsewhere on a possibly overpriced seasonal chocolate.

3. It saves space

People receive gifts for different occasions. I remember my parents receiving the same type of gifts from different people. At some point, we had a lot of dinnerware sets so my mum would change our dinnerware ever so often. This is one strategy, another is to regift the duplicates which creates more space.

Let us thank God for His priceless gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15 (Good News Translation)

All of these being said, I believe re-gifting should be done with decorum.

1. Don’t re-gift too often or just for the sake of it
2. Put some thought into it just like you would buying a fresh gift
3. Remember who gave it to you and don’t re-gift to that person. Also, try to avoid re-gifting in the same circle
4. Don’t re-gift family heirlooms or sentimental gifts
5. Make sure the item is in good condition

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What is your opinion on regifting? Have you ever regifted? Would you consider doing it now?

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I am not an expert on these subjects as I just dipped my feet in. I heard about them and found them interesting so I decided to learn a bit more. This led me to change and obtain certain things and here are my lessons so far.

1. Space saving

Some of the items save space which was beneficial for me as I do not have a lot of space to work with. On the other hand, it has helped to reduce visual clutter.

2. Creative thinking

It forced me to think of new ways to use old items because I don’t want to purchase something I’d only use occasionally. I recently hosted a games night with a few friends and realized I didn’t have jugs for the homemade drinks I planned to make and I thought of purchasing some cheap plastic ones, but I remembered I have a bunch of mason jars which would make the perfect self serve options.

3. Aesthetics

There is the aesthetic element that comes with sustainable living. The stainless steel straws, bamboo cutlery, the differently shaped glass jars and more. I love it! Note: Not everything looks pretty though.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.
The world and all its people belong to Him

Psalm 24:1 (NLT)

4. Time consumption

Certain things require more of your time to maintain. For example, I obtained reusable facial rounds and they require washing as opposed to just disposing of them. Another example is in the kitchen, I bought just enough cutlery so sometimes I have to wash them more often in order to use them. If you are considering switching to more eco-friendly/minimalist living, factor in the extra time.

5. Decision making

Minimalism especially helped me to make quicker decisions on certain things as there were limited options available. Both also helped me to be more intentional when making decisions. For example, ordering food was something I did a lot, but I thought more about the plastic bags, extra sauces, plastic cutlery etc. involved and it has reduced how much I order food.

6. Opinions

When I mentioned it to people, they had different opinions about it. Some were in support of it “for me” while others questioned it. Some others pointed out “flaws” in the lifestyle. The mixed responses weren’t anticipated, but were not surprising at the same time.

The heavens belong to the Lord,
but He has given the earth to all humanity

Psalm 115:16 (NLT)

Some of the items listed, I learnt, may not be as eco-friendly as one thinks. All in all, it is a personal decision and one needs to be convinced before going into it or it’ll be easy to give up or put in minimal effort into it which may even defeat the purpose.

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Have you ever considered adopting a minimalist lifestyle? What prompted you or prevented you?

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