healthy snacks – HEALTH FREAK MOMMY

Proactive vs. Reactive On Matters Pertaining To Health: Which One Are You?

In the intricate dance of life, our approach to health often falls into two distinct categories: proactive and reactive. Some individuals, like myself, lean towards the proactive side, diligently attending yearly check-ups and routine medical scans. However, there exists a minority who, feeling healthy and in tune with their bodies, dismiss the idea of regular medical examinations. In this exploration of perspectives, there’s been an ongoing debate: Is it necessary to undergo annual medical check-ups, routine scans, and blood tests?

The Proactive Path: As a self-proclaimed health enthusiast or, as some might playfully call me, a hypochondriac, my journey towards proactive health began two decades ago after the birth of my first child. Annual pap smears, ultrasound scans of reproductive organs, and in recent years, mammograms have become steadfast rituals. Any inkling that something wasn’t quite right prompted a swift visit to the doctor. For many, this approach is seen as a vital means of early detection—a proactive stance aimed at safeguarding well-being. After all, any malignancy, when detected at an early stage, gives you a good chance of full recovery and a higher survival rate.

The Minority Opinion: Contrary to the proactive crowd, there are individuals who resist the annual ritual of medical check-ups. They argue that as long as they feel good, there’s no necessity for scans, blood tests, or routine check-ups. My older brother, approaching 53, and my insurance agent, in her mid-50s, both fall into this minority. Their stance hinges on the belief that an attuned awareness of one’s body can obviate the need for regular medical examinations.

The Dilemma: To Test or Not to Test? The question of whether to undergo annual medical check-ups and blood tests sparks varied opinions. The belief in early detection as a lifesaving measure propels many toward the examination table. However, some argue that our bodies often signal distress through symptoms, rendering routine check-ups redundant.

My Conversation with the Skeptics: Yesterday, I engaged in a conversation with my insurance agent about the advisability of a colonoscopy, given that I’m now 50 years old. Her response was a resolute refusal. Feeling good about her body, she dismissed the necessity for any medical tests or check-ups. She has never done any sort of medical check-ups before. I wish that I could be as healthy, assured, and optimistic as her.

Your Opinion: So, where do you stand on the spectrum of proactive vs. reactive health? Do you believe in the power of early detection through routine medical examinations, or do you align with those who prefer to rely on their body’s signals? The debate is open, and perspectives are as diverse as the individuals navigating the labyrinth of health and wellness.

The question lingers: Is the annual medical check-up a necessary ritual, or can a keen awareness of one’s body suffice? As the debate continues, the choice remains deeply personal, guided by individual beliefs, experiences, and a quest for holistic well-being.

My kind of meal – colorful, rich in fiber and high in protein. So yummy. I could eat this everyday.

A simple fruit and veggie salad for Cass’ lunner.

Cass’ request for Fridays – sandwich and salad as she wants something that’s easy and quick to eat. After she comes home from school at around 3.30pm, she has a quick lunner, then rushes to the skating rink for figure skating practice followed by class. She comes home at around 10.45pm on Fridays. Such a hectic and exhausting day but she has no complaints.

No. of times viewed = 31

Peek Inside My Fridge

Curiosity often leads me to peek inside someone’s refrigerator, and what’s inside can reveal a lot about a person’s lifestyle, preferences, and approach to nutrition.

I’ll take you on a virtual tour inside my two refrigerators to uncover the assortment of foods that not only reflect my family’s health-conscious choices but also make meal preparation a breeze.

The Essentials:

Eggs: A staple in our refrigerator, eggs are a versatile and protein-packed ingredient. Whether scrambled, boiled, or used in baking, they are a quick and easy source of nutrition.

Green Veggies and Triple-Washed Salads: Maintaining a supply of pre-washed salads and green veggies is a strategic move to encourage my girls to indulge in healthy snacking. The convenience of having triple-washed salads readily available means my daughters can enjoy their daily dose of veggies without the hassle of washing and chopping.

Shimeji mushrooms, broccoli and sweet potatoes – these items are always available in our fridge. Sherilyn likes to air-fry Shimeji mushrooms and chicken chop to put in her lunch box for college. Sometimes she’ll bring steamed sweet potatoes to go with air-fried chicken chops.

Sherilyn’s typical lunch box for college.
Today she air-fried salmon, which I marinated yesterday. Beneath the salmon is a bed of blanched broccoli layered with triple-washed salad and avocado.

Loads of Fruits: Fruits, nature’s candy, take a prominent place in my refrigerator. From berries to apples, citrus, persimmons, pear, and local fruits, my daughters can take their pick.

Blueberries and avocado – the girls’ favorite fruits.

Dark Chocolate: Indulgence meets health with dark chocolate, rich in antioxidants. It’s the perfect solution for satisfying sweet cravings without compromising on nutritional value. Like me, my girls prefer dark bitter chocolate. Our favorite is Lindt 90% dark chocolate. I recently discovered another cheaper option – Benns 99.9% dark chocolate which tastes just as good as Lindt’s dark chocolate, at a fraction of the price.

Benns 99.9% dark chocolate – my latest guilt-free and healthy snack. A pack costs less than RM30 and is available at Jaya Grocer @ The Gardens Mall.

Lots of Nuts and Seeds: Nuts provide a satisfying crunch and a dose of healthy fats. They serve as a convenient and nutritious snack for those moments when hunger strikes. There’s always a stash of walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, pistachios, pecans, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, melon seeds, sunflower seeds, and macadamia in our fridge and freezer.

Lurpak Lighter butter is slightly salted and less greasy. I bought this for myself and for Cass who loves butter so much that she slathers big chunks of it on her bread or crackers.

Greek Yogurt and Low Fat Yogurt: I love both Greek yogurt and low fat regular yogurt. I started consuming low fat and sugar-free regular yogurt but am now hooked on imported Greek yogurt (sugar-free ones), such as Farmer’s Union, Gippsland, Koukakis and Brownes. But imported Greek yogurt is frigging expensive now as our Ringgit has shrunk to an all-time low. A 1kg tub can cost anywhere between RM29.90 onwards. Cass and Sherilyn are Greek yogurt fans.

Brownes Greek Style yogurt (sugar-free) is super creamy, smooth and milky…. and darn expensive too.

Frozen Goodies:

Frozen Marinated Chicken Chops: For a quick and protein-packed meal, frozen marinated chicken chops are a lifesaver in our household. They eliminate the need for extensive meal preparation and ensure a delicious and healthy option is always on hand. Sherilyn likes to air fry these chicken chops to bring to college for lunch. She usually pairs them with salad.

Beacon chicken breast – for making soups, stir fries or grilled.

Frozen Dumplings (Kau Ji): A delightful addition to the freezer, frozen dumplings offer a tasty and convenient alternative for days when cooking from scratch is not an option. These Kau Jis are a complete meal comprising of meat, veggies, fiber and carbs. I have a very good supplier of homemade Taiwanese dumplings made by a Taiwanese lady. Her Kau Jis are the best in the world.

Beacon Frozen Chicken Soup Packs: Warm, comforting, and nourishing, Beacon frozen chicken soup packs are a go-to solution for busy days or when a comforting bowl of soup is needed. Just thaw, heat up in the pot, add veggies, fish balls, or meat and carbohydrate of choice and a delicious meal is ready in a jiffy.

Frozen Beacon chicken soup packs. Very delicious and tastes as good as freshly boiled chicken soup.

Beacon Antibiotic and Hormone-Free Chicken and Chicken Products: Opting for chicken products free from antibiotics and hormones aligns with a commitment to quality and health. Beacon seaweed chicken products take a prominent place in my refrigerator, ensuring that the meat we consume are free from all the nasties.

Beacon chicken wantan – I add these into Beacon frozen chicken soup, add some veggies and some meat or fish balls and eat it with noodles or rice.

Frozen fish patties and beef patties: Though more expensive, I only buy patties without preservatives and other food additives. Our favorite fish burger patties is Shucked, available at BIG (Ben’s Independent Grocer) at RM12 a piece and it’s super delicious.

Uncle Jacques Black Angus beef burger patties are made with 100% ground beef with zero seasoning and additives.

Air fried Black Angus beef pattie with cheese and mayo on a bed of pesticide-free Romaine lettuce.

From the basics like eggs and green veggies to the indulgent dark chocolate and nuts, every item is carefully selected to support a balanced and nutritious lifestyle of my loved ones. The frozen options further streamline meal preparation, ensuring that my daughters can rustle up a quick and wholesome meal without compromising on quality. So, what’s in your fridge?

No. of times viewed = 99

Thursday, 2 November 2023

I just found out from Cass today that she’ll be sitting for the JUEC exam this week – commencing this Saturday through next Tuesday. Sunday INCLUDED.

And this girl is still so chill!🤨

What is UEC?
The UEC was set up to unify the exams for independent Chinese schools, which uses Mandarin as their language of teaching. The Junior UEC (JUEC) exam is similar to PMR for Form 3 students in national schools (which was abolished during the pandemic). The Senior UEC exam is intended to be an equivalent to STPM and A-levels, and is recognized as such overseas in countries like the UK, US, Canada, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, India, and more. Some students in East Malaysia may also have the option to sit for the UEC exams in English.

Students at independent Chinese schools still sit for national examinations such as SPM. The subjects are taught alongside the school’s own Chinese syllabus, and teachers dedicate lesson periods to teaching the government syllabus too.

As hubby has to work on Saturday and Sunday this week, I will have to take over the chauffeuring duty, which means that I’ll have to wake up before 5am on a Sunday 😞 Cass has to reach school before 7.15 a.m. Oh well…

For lunch today, Alycia and I had grilled salmon fish head and bones alongside food from hubby’s kitchen (chicken curry, chicken gulai, and sauteed veggie).

I always take the trouble to debone the salmon head and bones before serving it to the girls. Them pampered girls are too lazy to do it themselves. Since I’m already wearing disposable gloves to savour the head and bones myself, I do it for them as well out of convenience. I actually enjoy doing it as I find it therapeutic 🤭

Packed with extra-tender meat and an abundance of fat along the jawbones, salmon heads are prized by chefs for stock and soups. Salmon heads contain extra-high levels of vitamin A, Omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc and calcium.

The salmon head and bones that I buy from this sushi eatery at my neighborhood are one of the tastiest. The soft bones are so crispy that they are edible. The flesh is very flavorful and tender, though it’s grilled without salt or seasoning. I prefer eating the meat off bones and head vs. chunky flesh. Even our picky Haru loves it.

My favorite food – grilled salmon bones and head. The head was already in my stomach when Alycia took this photo. Don’t underestimate these bones as they’re filled with a lot of tender meat. This pack of grilled salmon bones and head (RM19.90) yields one soup bowl of meat, enough for three of us. YUMMMMS!!

Haru waits patiently for her salmon treat. Besides grilled salmon, she loves grilled Shishamo and Saba fish. Funnily though, she doesn’t like other types of fried or steamed fish.

Bought this RUPP triangle cheese spread for the girls today as it’s on offer at the supermarket. It’s yummy and not too salty. Hubby forbids me from buying processed square cheese as he says it’s crap food with a bunch of additives. He only buys natural cheese.

Fruits for the girls today – USA Royalty Autumn King green grapes (super crunchy), Korean persimmon, clementine and orange. Cass popped an Envy apple later. She’s a fruit queen.

No. of times viewed = 27

Nostalgia in a Bottle: Why I Love Drinking Vitagen

Vitagen, the beloved probiotics drink that has been a part of my life since childhood holds a special place in my heart. This delightful drink has not only been a source of good health but also a trigger of fond memories and cherished moments from my past. After almost 50 years, Vitagen remains my happy drink of all times.

Vitagen first entered my life during my carefree days of childhood. Growing up with my two brothers, the excitement of getting our hands on Vitagen was a rare treat. It was a drink that we could only enjoy whenever there was a special Vitagen promotion at school. I remember eagerly waiting for our class teacher to distribute the order forms, which I would then bring home and present to my mother, hoping fervently that she would grant me the chance to buy Vitagen.

As I reminisce about those days, I now understand that my mother’s response to my request for Vitagen was not just determined by her mood, but also by the family’s budget. In those moments when she said yes, I felt not only the joy of having Vitagen but also the warmth of her love and care. It was an experience that taught me to appreciate the simple pleasures in life and the importance of familial love.

As time passed, Vitagen evolved, and so did my love for it. Today, my daughters and I find solace in the reduced sugar with added fiber version, which aligns perfectly with my health-conscious approach to life. With each sip, I am not only taking care of my gut health but also indulging in nostalgia.

I usually buy the reduced sugar version, which is slighly costlier than the regular Vitagen. Along with Vitagen, we eat sugar-free yoghurt almost daily. Did you know that optimal health throughout the whole body starts in the guts?

Beyond the memories, the taste of Vitagen itself provides me with a sense of comfort. The familiar and pleasant flavor, enjoyed through a straw right from the bottle, transports me back to carefree days when my worries were minimal, and happiness seemed abundant.

Vitagen has become more than just a probiotics drink; it has become my happy drink of all times. It is a vessel of memories, emotions, and happiness. Whenever I need a boost of positivity, a sip of Vitagen brings back the simple joys of childhood, reminding me of the beautiful moments shared with my brothers and the unconditional love of my mother.

Do you love Vitagen? My favorite flavors are orange and grape. What are your favorite flavors?

PSA – the cheapest place to get Vitagen is at 99 Speedmart.

By the way, this is NOT a sponsored post 😉

No. of times viewed = 59

Sherilyn’s Sourdough Bread Creations: A Journey of Flavor and Creativity

Sourdough bread has been around for centuries, and its popularity has only grown in recent years. For some, sourdough bread is more than just a loaf of bread; it’s a canvas for culinary creativity. This is true for Sherilyn, who has found a passion in experimenting with sourdough bread recipes and creating new and exciting dishes. Sherilyn doesn’t bake sourdough bread though due to time constraints, but she loves to create quick dishes to pair with the sourdough bread.

Creamy Scrambled Eggs with Sourdough Bread

One of Sherilyn’s favorite creations is pan-fried sourdough bread with butter paired with a super creamy scrambled egg dish, which she can whip up in a jiffy. She usually preps this for breakfast if she has to go out and needs something that can fill her up for at least half a day.

Tomato Salsa and Avocado with Sourdough Bread

Another of Sherilyn’s favorite creations is pan-fried sourdough bread with butter paired with tomato salsa, avocado, cheese, and salad.

Grated Cheese and Avocado with Sourdough Bread

Today she prepped pan-fried sourdough bread with grated cheese and avocado for lunch. To make this dish, she simply pan-fries a slice of sourdough bread in a little bit of butter until it’s golden brown on both sides. She then tops the bread with grated parmesan cheese and slices of avocado for a delicious and satisfying meal.

Cilbir (Turkish Eggs) with Sourdough Bread

Turkish Çılbır, pronouned chil-bir, is basically poached eggs served over a bed of thick, garlicky yogurt and finished with a generous drizzle of warmed butter.

Sherilyn cooked this for dinner yesterday. Turkish eggs are a popular breakfast dish in Turkey. For the yogurt spread, she used Farmers Union 50% lower-fat Greek-style yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, black pepper, cayenne pepper, melted warm butter, and dill for the yogurt spread. The yogurt spread also goes well with crackers, toasted bread, and tortilla chips.

Sherilyn served her Turkish eggs with pan-fried sourdough bread for a hearty and delicious dinner.

On another note, our latest love is Farmers Union 50% lower-fat Greek-style yogurt. It’s very creamy and tastes like cream cheese, yet not overly cloy and starchy like other brands of Greek yogurt. We use this yogurt as salad dressing, for smoothies and mango lassi.

Sourdough bread is more than just a loaf of bread; it’s a canvas for culinary creativity. Sherilyn has found a passion in experimenting with sourdough bread recipes and creating new and exciting dishes. Her pan-fried sourdough bread with cheese and avocado and Turkish eggs with sourdough bread are just two examples of her culinary creativity.

Pan-fried sourdough bread with Turkish Eggs. This tastes as good as it looks.

Pan-fried sourdough bread topped with grated parmesan cheese and avocado; Grilled mixed veggies (zucchini, Japanese pumpkin, mushrooms, onions and a bulb of garlic)

Today’s hearty lunch. I’m glad that my girls are more of a veggie person than a meat person. They love colorful veggies, green veggies, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and a wide variety of raw veggies.

Keeping this for Cass for her breakfast tomorrow.

No. of times viewed = 47

Rawsome Salads

I used to eat raw veggie salads and microgreens quite a bit. The leafy greens and vegetables are a good source of natural fiber and contain beneficial plant chemicals which help to reduce bad cholesterol, control blood sugar and fight diseases. I only buy organic or pesticide-free veggies, especially if they are to be eaten raw.

Throughout the lockdown since last year, I’ve stopped eating salads. Our lives were changed overnight. Routines changed. Suddenly the girls needn’t have to go to school anymore and it’s been more than a year that the girls haven’t gone to school except for a short few months last year and two weeks this year. My healthy eating habits went out of the window as I tried hard to adapt to being cooped up at home 24/7 with 3 kids and a mil without any helper. Fortunately hubs is in the essential service and can still work at his central kitchen. That’s one less person to be cooped up with 24/7 in our apartment.

Maria, our most trusted part-time helper has to stop coming into our home once more as we don’t know whom she mingles with the moment she leaves our home. But cooking and chores have to continue without her. I was sick to my head of having to clean up and wash up with a house full of occupants cooking, snacking and eating throughout the day. The house is dusty and dirty all the time. Sometimes I wonder if they are thrash and dirt generators! And everyone seems to be resistant to dust and dirt except me. I was and still am like a human robot cleaner. I CAN’T WAIT FOR MARIA TO COME BACK! But this is only possible when the number of Covid cases start to go down and when we are fully vaccinated including Maria. I’m glad that Maria will get her first dose of vaccine tomorrow.

Suddenly I just didn’t bother about home-cooked food anymore. I ate food from hubby’s shop almost daily though they are mostly spicy and fried dishes. I also ordered food delivery to our home 2-3 times a week. Each time the food arrived, all of us would get excited. After enjoying the meals, there’s not much to wash or cleanup. Such blissful and stress-free meals! I needed this sanity so much.

Throughout our time sheltering at home, I also snacked on chips with the girls but have to stash away some sinful snacks in Alycia’s room. I didn’t want Cass to see these snacks. She can lose herself and binge on them. Because of her health issues, I try to keep junk food away from her. And partly because of her, I’ve started to eat healthy again. I’ve recently started to eat raw vegetables again. I don’t completely stop buying snacks but I stock up the kitchen with more healthy foods and snacks. Instead of ice-cream, I buy yoghurt. Instead of chips, I buy nuts. I stock up the refrigerator with lots of fruits as Cass loves fruits. Cass also loves the roast almonds and mixed nuts from Signature Market and I keep replenishing them so that she gets to snack on healthy foods. My love for raw salads and microgreens have rubbed off on the girls too. They now eat these raw microgreens and salads with me several times a week, when in the past they’d not even try. Which kid likes raw alfalfa and radish sprouts, eh?

My healthy lunch of pesticide-free greens (baby spinach, baby kale, red and green chard) with avocado, a hard boiled egg, almonds, cashews and pecans drizzled with sesame dressing and a splash of apple cider vinegar.

I love the range of pesticide-free salads from The Greenery. Their veggies are grown in fully enclosed greenhouses without the use of fumigation and pesticides.

Our salad for brunch today – with roast chicken breast, lean char siu, almonds, cashews, pecans and homemade radish kimchi.

No. of times viewed = 57

CMCO Day 203, 29 Dec 2020 ~ Sherilyn Made Japanese Nama Chocolate

Sherilyn made Japanese Nama chocolate / chocolate truffles today. One would think that it’s a tedious and laborious process but no, it’s very simple and fast compared to her other bakes. She made her very first chocolate truffles a couple of weeks ago using Milo and condensed milk for her friend’s birthday. It was chocolicious!!

Motivated by the success of her first try, Sherilyn made the truffles again, this time using good quality imported Couverture chocolate. A teaspoon of chocolate liquor was added to the Nama chocolate for a boozy kick and dusted with organic cocoa powder. It tastes very close to Royce’s Nama chocolate, my absolute favorite! The other brand of chocolate truffles which I heart to bits is Love 18’s First Love Series – Mint Dark Chocolate Ganache. One piece of it and my mood is instantly boosted up a few notches.

I am 100% confident that any chocolate lover would love our baking queen’s Japanese Nama chocolates. I have friends who asked me whether the Nama chocolates are for sale but I think the price will scare them and make them think twice about buying it. This is because the Couverture chocolate buttons are very expensive. Anyway, I think Sherilyn has to slow down on her baking and concentrate in her studies as schools will be reopened in less than 3 weeks on 20 January 2021. I have to start nagging the girls to adjust their bed time and get them physically and mentally ready to go back to school after such a long time hibernating at home. As for me, I can’t wait for all 3 of them to go back to school and for our lives to return to normal.

Cutting the soft Nama chocolate is no mean feat and Sherilyn aced in it, though she admitted that it’s not easy. She heated up a chef’s knife on the stove to carry out this task. Some people gave up making this chocolate because of this last step.

These days Sherilyn loves grocery shopping with me and one of the things that she loves checking out is knifes! I got her this cheap chef knife last month and it’s now her personal knife in the kitchen 😁

No. of times viewed = 18

Health Freak Cass

Lately Cass’ taste buds seem to have evolved. After a recent hospitalization for UTI with strong antibiotics administered intravenously followed by a few days of oral antibiotics and an extremely uncomfortable bout of constipation with IBS recently, her gustatory cells seem to have shifted towards healthier tasting food. She no longer craves for meat or eggs, though she still eats them. Instead she prefers instant oats (which she now eats daily), fruits, grilled vegetables and non-meat foods.

Perhaps the good bacteria in her guts are now replaced with good ones from the probiotics that she’s been consuming daily and this could have altered her taste goblets? Whatever it is, I’m glad that she now prefers to bring fruits and vegetables to school for her recess and this is something that she’s never done before! 🥰

We prepped this together on Sunday evening – grilled carrots, potatoes and onions for her recess on Monday. She’s been having a sudden craving for potatoes and has been hounding me to cook potatoes for her to bring to school 😆

Steamed then oven grilled root vegetables and seasoned with just one small pinch of salt, thyme, black pepper and olive oil.

Cass told me to just prep plain boiled potatoes and carrots with nothing added for her recess next week. Seriously? Is this even tasty? But this girls begs to differ.

Potatoes have no sodium, no cholesterol, no fat, has good source of Vitamin B6, vitamins, minerals and resistant starch.

Resistant starch functions like soluble, fermentable fiber. It goes through your stomach and small intestine undigested, eventually reaching your colon where it feeds your friendly gut bacteria.

On Monday, she brought an apple to school for recess:

I sure hope that her healthy taste buds stay with her for good. I always pray that our girls will be health and fitness freaks because it is only through a healthy lifestyle that we can inherit good health.

No. of times viewed = 53

RMCO Day 49 & 50 ~ Tuesday & Wednesday, 28 & 29 July 2020

These yummy goodies from hubby’s shop came at the right time as my post-Carpal Tunnel Syndrome right hand is inflamed and dang painful resulting from over-usage during the MCO (too much repetitive movements from house chores and washing after cooking 2-3x a day) when our daily part-time helper couldn’t come. Yesterday was another cook-free day for us, a day for my right hand to rest. I guess I’ll take the easy way out again tomorrow from hubby’s kitchen😁🥳

Mee Siam:

Ayam Masak Lemak (Chicken curry):

Stir-fried mixed vegetables with fresh shiitake mushrooms:

Ikan (Mackerel) masak cili berlada:

Acar Rampai:

Traditional Rainbow Ghee rice / Nasi Hujan Panas:

My ultimate kryptonite – angku kuih and all types of fattening kuih muihs 😆

Will need to see a physiotherapist soon 😥

Sherilyn’s lunch box today, which she cooked last night:

Gaji-namul (Korean seasoned steamed eggplant) and
Gyeran Mari (Rolled Omelette)

These are our favorite Bapsang (side dishes) whenever we have Korean. They’re very easy to prep, healthy and yummy.

Gyeran Mari– thinly pan fried eggs rolled up with Japanese rice and kombu (from the Dashi that she made) seasoned with soy sauce and sugar (optional).

Gaji-namul — steamed egg plant, minced garlic cloves, chopped scallions, soy sauce, hot pepper flakes/chili flakes, fish oil, sesame seed oil and toasted sesame seeds all mixed together.

She made extra eggplant for me, which I had it for breakfast this morning 😊

The food critic giving comments on Sherilyn’s rolled omelette 😆

Our lunch today is exactly the same food as yesterday as there were orders for Nasi Hujan Panas from his customers again today 😁 Tomorrow there are orders for 100 boxes of Nasi Lemak again but I don’t think we can stomach anymore spicy food. However, if hubs calls me to collect extras from his shop tomorrow, it’s going to be hard to resist the temptation 🤭

No. of times viewed = 29

Keto Coconut Bread

I love bread but have for the past few months started to consume bread sparingly, as part of my low-carb diet for better health and for a trimmer bod. I only choose whole grain breads made with wholemeal flour and occasionally buy flour-free sprouted wheat bread.

I was really excited when I found out that my friend, Cynthia is selling keto coconut bread at her kopitiam. I sent in an order immediately and collected the delish bread the following week. The keto bread is pre-order and will only be made by the baker when there are orders.

To get the record straight, I am not on a keto diet. I don’t think I am disciplined enough to stick to a 100% keto-compliant diet nor can I stomach a 100% keto diet. Too much fats and meat make me feel sick. Rather, I am more towards adopting the Mediterranean Diet and I think that this flexible diet suits me rather well. I eat healthy carbs and still indulge in the occasional sinful fast carbs.

OK, back to the keto coconut bread! It’s made with coconut butter (Mana), eggs, Madagascar vanilla beans and Himalayan pink salt.

Price is RM20 a loaf (8 inch)

Texture of the coconut bread is like cake and best eaten when toasted.

I like to pair the toasted coconut bread with homemade pandan kaya or homemade peanut butter (salt, sugar and oil-free) with a small wedge of Whittaker’s almond chocolate toasted together. So lip-smacking good!

If you’re keen to order this keto coconut bread, do Whatsapp Cynthia at 016-229 1429 or drop by at her kopitiam at Kedai Makanan Kuen You. She makes keto pandan kaya and serves keto-compliant meals at her kopitiam too.

No. of times viewed = 67

Aunty Nutty Homemade Walnut Milk

The health benefits of walnuts are manifold and include reduction of LDL (bad) cholesterol, prevention of inflammation, improvement in metabolism, improvement in heart health, boost bone health, weight management, and diabetes control. Walnuts also benefit brain health and act as a mood booster.

Walnuts rank second on the list of ‘antioxidant-rich’ foods, just under blackberries! The rare, powerful antioxidants such as quinone juglone, the tannin tellimagrandin, and the flavonol morin present in walnuts have remarkable free-radical scavenging power. These antioxidants also help prevent liver damage due to chemicals.

There’s so much interest in walnut that for the past 50 years, scientists and industry experts have gathered annually at the University of California, Davis, for a walnut conference discussing the latest walnut health research!

According to the USDA Nutrition Data, walnuts are a rich source of vitamin C, B vitamins (vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and folate), vitamin E, as well as minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and zinc.

Have you ever tried homemade activated walnut milk? Last weekend I tried it and love it! It’s very refreshing and nutty, is vegan (dairy -free), gluten-free and paleo-friendly. Walnut milk is a great milk substitute for those who are lactose-intolerant and healthy beverage to beat hunger pangs.

I have never seen fresh walnut milk in the market before. Last week, I stumbled upon Aunty Nutty’s homemade walnut milk on my friend’s Facebook page. It piqued my interest right away and I messaged her immediately and got 8 bottles to try!

Information on Aunty Nutty homemade activated walnut milk
1. Only walnuts from USA are used.
2. The walnuts are activated for at least 24 hours in a controlled temperature environment to avoid nuts turning rancid.
3. Walnuts are very delicate nuts. Activation is required and crucial to neutralize enzyme inhibitors and anti-nutrients removed to activate the walnut’s full nutrient potentials.
4. No direct hand contact. Food grade gloves are worn at all times while handling and cleaning the nuts to avoid contamination.
5. Aunty Nutty processing facility and utensils used are segregated mainly for this purpose to avoid contamination.
6. Cold pressed nut milk using hydraulic press. This method protects and preserves the nutrients in the walnut as no heat is involve as how blending does.
7. Nut milk is suitable for the young and old but NOT for toddlers below the age of 2 and those with tree nut allergies.

Benefits of activating nuts

Activating nuts and seeds is the process of soaking raw nuts and seeds in salt water for a period of time that is long enough to start the nuts and seeds germinating. This process is believed to breakdown the Phytic Acid in the nuts and seeds and in turn you get what raw foodies call a “live” nut full of accessible nutrients that beforehand where bonded up in the Phytic Acid.

Activating nuts and seeds also seems to make them a lot more digestible. There are many reports of people who couldn’t eat nuts before, but who can now tolerate eating nuts and seeds that have been activated.

Aunty Nutty’s fresh activated walnut milk comes in 2 flavors: lightly sweetened with coconut nectar and unsweetened.

I love the coconut nectar flavor. It has a nutty and creamy texture (tastes a little like soy bean but NO soy is used) and the taste reminds me of Cendol! The Cendol taste comes from the extra virgin coconut oil and coconut nectar.

The one sweetened with coconut nectar has a brownish hue.

One with no coconut nectar added. It has a mild nutty taste and right level of creaminess.

As no preservative and stabilizer are used, the walnut milk is best consumed within 3 days from date of production. I drank it on the 4th day and still tasted good.

The ingredients.

Even Cass, my very very finical daughter loves the walnut milk. On the day Shereen delivered the walnut milk to me, Cass quaffed down the entire bottle herself!

If you’d like to try Aunty Nutty’s homemade walnut milk, you can get in touch with Shereen either through:
PM at Aunty Nutty
OR
Whatsapp at +60 12-921 6892

No. of times viewed = 142

Healthy Grub

This week is another NO REST WEEK for me!! I can’t believe it! I just got to know from Alycia that she still has to go to school this Saturday to wrap up a project that she and her team mates are working on though it’s a school off-day this Saturday. Guess who’s going to be the Grab driver? It’s not the hubs as this week is another full-house week for him. And on Sunday, Alycia has to leave the house at 6:30 a.m. for a marathon! For Sunday’s marathon, I am going to tai-chi the driver’s chore to him! I need my sleep!😴

Ok to be fair, these are my responsibilities as a mother. I shouldn’t complain too much. Before I know it, the girls will blow the coop and I will be longing to be their driver again. But I really need that 3-4 extra hours over the weekend to stack some Z’s before a new crazy week starts again. I just need to blow off steam here coz I feel so sleep deprived the past one week. I’ve been waking up with a nagging headache the past two days and feeling really zombified in the morning.

Not getting enough sleep is just as bad as eating junk and it’s impacting my cholesterol level that’s quite high as I have familial hypercholesterolaemia (genetic high cholesterol). Researches have found that sleep loss leads to changes in genes that are responsible for regulating cholesterol levels and sleep deprivation may have a negative impact on cholesterol levels. I’m already not getting enough sleep, so I should eat healthily to prevent my cholesterol level from skyrocketing.

Here’s what I’ve been eating lately..

Breakfast of low-fat sugar-free yoghurt with Brazil nuts, pistachios, organic goji berries, pomelo and seasoned Korean seaweed.

Dinner of blanched organic ferns with peanut sauce from hubby’s kitchen. His Indonesian cook makes the best peanut sauce!

Dinner of organic traditional rolled oats with beef bolognese sauce, while the girls had Penne pasta.

Sunday night dinner of organic red bell pepper with peanut sauce and sauteed assortment of organic shrooms.

Cooked organic rolled oats with low-fat sugar-free yoghurt and fresh pomegranate. Sherilyn made this for breakfast.

As a result of eating clean with an intensified workout session five times a week, all my pants and skirts have been dropping off my waist! 😬

No. of times viewed = 20

Potato And Cabbage Salad

Cass and I worked on this little project in the kitchen on our Sunday evening yesterday while Alycia and Sherilyn continued shopping with their grandma at Mid Valley Megamall.

In the car, on our way back from Mid Valley, Cass and I were discussing what to have for dinner. We could not settle on anything that’s healthy (not salty, not oily, no MSG) that’s restaurant / store bought. So I suggested homemade Japanese potato salad, which is Cass’ favorite salad but I had a condition ~ she had to help prep the dish. Cass was more than eager to help!

What’s needed (makes 3 servings):
2 large USA potatoes
One large handful of organic cabbage, thinly cut. Lazy me used a pair of kitchen knife to cut.
5-6 small onions, chopped
1 organic cucumber, cubed
1/2 a carrot (optional), cubed
2 hard-boiled eggs, mashed
Sweet corn kernels

Seasoning:
Black pepper
Salt
Japanese mayo

Method:
~ Cut potatoes into 3-4 wedges.
~ Boil until soft.
~ Mash the potatoes with a fork but not until smooth like mashed potatoes. Leave some bitey chunks unmashed.
~ Season with salt, pepper and Japanese mayo. I did not have enough mayo and used Uncle Jeff’s Creamy Parmesan Caesar Dressing (from the Beerenberg family farm in Australia). This salad dressing is my favorite.
~ Add in all other ingredients and mix well

Cass did most of the work from peeling to chopping, mashing to seasoning.

The remaining plate of cabbage is all mine. I love raw cabbage with Uncle Jeff’s salad dressing.

How to remove hard-boiled egg shell effortlessly

Cass wanted to try out this kitchen hack that she watched from You Tube to see if it really works. It requires putting a little water in a bottle together with the hard-boiled egg and then shake the bottle vigorously. Remove the egg from the bottle and zap off the egg shell effortlessly in just one peel. It worked!

This salad is so good I can eat it everyday. It tastes even better the next day. For those on a diet, you can add more cabbage and eggs and reduce the potatoes. It’s a pretty complete meal too with carbs, protein, fiber, iron and vitamins!

No. of times viewed = 27

Busy Evenings

The past three evenings have been super duper hectic for me. I’ve been training new part-time maids in between chauffeuring Alycia and Sherilyn back from school, to and fro tuition and dance classes, on top of revising with Cass who is sitting for her final exam this week. Dinners are normally at my work desk, sometimes swallowing a spoonful or two before rushing off to fetch Sherilyn back from school and only finishing it half an hour later, by then the food had already turned cold.

My most trusted and much loved part-time maid, Maria has gone back to Indonesia to get married. She finally summoned the courage to ditch her East Malaysian Chinese boyfriend of 10 years who has no serious intention of marrying her to marry an Indonesian man whom she has only known for a year. I hope that Maria will find marital bliss with her new hubby. And I pray that she will return to work for us after 6 weeks as promised. Maria has been a God-sent helper of 6 years to me and has brought a lot of joy and peace to my life. We treat her as part of our family. Life is tough without her coming over to help me in the evenings.

The new temporary part-time helper whom Maria recommended to me stopped working after just 2 days as she is afraid of walking home at 9 at night. She found her friend Wati, to replace her and thank God Wati seems very capable and has an amiable disposition. But the same issue cropped up. Wati is also afraid of walking home at night. Yesterday she asked if she could bring along a friend to work together with her so that she has company in her nightly walk back home. I was very reluctant but acceded anyway as I know the feeling of having to walk home alone in the dark. I went through this phobia for 6 years before I finally moved out from my rented room in Jalan Ipoh when my handbag was snatched by a scumbag motorcyclist and then bought my first car.

But this friend whom Wati brought along is O.M.G.! She looks like a hoyden of a thug who has ciggie breath when she talked. I almost wanted to blurt out and ask Wati whether her friend is a male or a female! She certainly does not look like someone I want in my house with 3 young girls and an elderly mil. On some nights, I have to leave Cass at home alone with the maids while I fetch the two older girls back from tuition, Muay Thai or dance class. I felt really uncomfortable just talking to that tomboy who even named herself ‘Din’ (a Malay name for males).

Long story short, I told Wati that I can’t accept Din to work with her in our house. Today when I Whatsapped Wati to ask if she’s coming for work, she lied to me that she has fever and can’t come. I was forthright with her and asked her whether she still wanted to work and she said NO.

Fine. This means I will be maid-less until Maria comes back mid of November, that’s if she ever comes back. In the meantime I tried calling all the part-time maids’ numbers stored on my phone but as fate would have it, all the numbers seemed to be out of service / unreachable.

I’ve had a maid almost half of my life ~ 10 years with a full-time maid and 7 years with a part-time maid. Now I have to adjust my lifestyle and learn to live without a part-time maid. I’m sure I’ll be resilient enough to live without someone helping me. Worst case scenario is to pick up the phone and order an hourly paid maid through a maid agency. Everyone in the house will have to sacrifice and help out to make the household run smoothly. I may even have to relook at our kitchen layout and engage our contractor to find a way to install a dishwasher.

Cass is sitting for her Science finals today. Breakfast for her today is pan-fried sweet corn fritters (cooked yesterday evening and heated up in the toaster this morning).

Lunch for her is takeout salmon shio yaki bento.

Dessert ~ cut orange, mango, organic cherry tomatoes and a glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice lightly sweetened with Manuka honey.

No. of times viewed = 37

Tuesday Eats

My breakkie this morning was something pretty healthy ~ high in protein, high in fiber and almost zilch carbs.

Leftover dinner from last night, eaten cold: organic long beans omelette, organic broccoli and red + yellow bell peppers. I only remembered to snap this photo half way through eating, thus what you see here is just the remains.

Did you know?
Broccoli is a nutrition powerhouse that supplies loads of nutrients for few calories. While there are no single ‘superfoods’ that can prevent cancer and certain risk factors for cancer are unrelated to diet, there is evidence that eating a healthy diet can reduce the risk of cancer. A key component of broccoli is a phytochemical known as sulforaphane, which also gives broccoli a slight bitter taste. Studies have shown that sulforaphane may play a part in enhancing detoxification of airborne toxins, such as cigarette smoke, and could help reduce the risk of certain cancers. Further research has suggested that broccoli may have anti-cancer properties and could reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

After a healthy breakfast, I had another high protein lunch of char siu, siu yoke and curry noodles with the hubs at Happy Garden.

One of the best siu yoke in the Klang Valley can be found at this kopitiam. Sorry I forgot to take note of the name of the kopitiam! This roast meat stall used to be stationed at Kedai Kopi & Makanan Mooi Mooi (corner lot) but the owner has since moved his stall to another kopitiam just next door. He is now occupying the whole kopitiam. The once dark and rundown shop is now refurbished and transformed into a brightly lit Chinese herbal wholesale business.

mooi mooi, roasted pork, siu yuk, happy garden, thai temple
Same owner (man in blue tee) in different kopitiam now.
Photo credit: Open Rice

Best in the world melt-in-the-mouth charcoal roasted siu yoke! And this is the owner’s claim to fame! No one else makes such crispy siu yoke that melts in the mouth as him.

But I can’t stomach so much fat and don’t fancy fatty food. After a few pieces of siew yoke and a few pieces of 99% lean char siu, I already felt cloy. The hubs with a bottomless pit chomped down 2 small plates of siu yoke, 1 small plate of char siu and 1 plate of rice. Patrons are free to help themselves to the gigantic pot of aromatic soup (chicken feet with radish) outside the shop.

Damage today for 2 small plates of siu yoke, 1 small plate of char siu, 1 plate of rice and takeaway char siu, siew yoke and roast chicken with 1 packet rice (enough for 2-3 pax) was RM113. Pretty reasonable eh? The bowl of curry noodles was from the kopitiam next door.

Address:
Jln Rukun 2, Taman Gembira (Happy Garden)
Old Klang Road
58200 Kuala Lumpur

No. of times viewed = 30

Hungry Girl and HFM’s Exercise Regimen

My 13-year old dancing, fighting and drama queen has a voracious appetite. I am in awe at how her digestive system can process food at such amazing speed as she eats every two to three hourly! She usually has a pretty heavy breakfast at 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. and by 10:30 a.m. or 11 a.m., she eats lunch with me before going to school. Before going to school, she prepares another heavy snack for her recess at 4 p.m. Her dinner is of course heavy too.

This is what she prepped today for her 4 p.m. recess:

2 slices of bran and wholemeal bread with poached chicken breast, a fried egg and avocado.

Her breakfast today comprised of her own DIY Mediterranean salad (lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, onions, nuts and a poached egg) and 2 slices of bran and wholemeal bread with avocado. Lunch was poached kampung chicken rice and a few pieces of stuffed brinjal with fish paste and fish ball. The hubby and mil went to Ampang for Yong Taufu with hubby’s visiting heart surgeon uncle from London.

On the fitness front, I’ve recently ramped up my strength training by adding 15-20 minutes of lower abdomen exercises and bodyweight movements before my 30 minutes power walk and jog. And it is definitely speeding up my declining metabolic rate up a few notches.

One of the reasons why I started to add lower ab exercises is because my 3 daughters with flat tummies are asking me why I still have a jiggly tummy though I exercise and don’t eat carbs!

That’s because I’ve stopped working on my abs ever since Cass was born. Plain lazy. And it is after the birth of Cass that I developed a jiggly tummy.

Besides working on my abdomen in the morning, I also do it in the evening (together with Cass) and if I am not too frazzled, I do it again before bedtime. Lower abdomen exercises are pretty fun (can be painful though) as you can even do it on your bed. I do it on the pool side deck chair and bed. But once you get the drift, your body gets used to it and you can easily do 30-40 times for each movement and then repeat.

With the addition of lower abdomen exercises and bodyweight movements, I get hungry faster and I can see a slightly flatter ab. Am I imagining things I wonder? haha!

No. of times viewed = 11