Health drink to clear your blood vein blockage.

My dad was diagnosed with minor stroke last Sunday (wee hours). Upon knowing about that, my mother in law suggested that we prepare the following drink for my dad. My mother in law saw this in facebook and print shoot the pictures. I have re-typed it for my mum. Not sure if it works, but I am copying this here after sending it to my mum, for future reference.

To prepare:
1. Peel garlic & ginger pieces for fine blending or juicing
2. Use cheese cloth to extract juice from from garlic and ginger slurry
3. Add lemon juice, apple cider vinegar to garlic and ginger juice. Bring to boil then simmer in low heat to reduce the content to 50%

Take a tablespoonful daily before breakfast.

Free one night stay at Holiday Villa Subang

Despite the bad review I made for Holiday Villa Cherating, I made a submission to their facebook constest “Share your photo at any Holiday Villa Hotels & Resorts , get more likes & WIN!”

We didn’t win the most likes, but we were awarded (out of four others) who qualified with submission of photos taken in the hotel during our stay. We receive 1 night stay at Holiday Villa Hotel of our choice (Langkawi/Cherating/Subang/Alor Star/Bali) with conditions applied.

To get our free stay, I went through few emails with their marketing office, Syahida. I must say that he is very good in his service PLUS they were really sincere in giving us the free stay as he reverted to me again when I was still considering when and where we can utilise the stay. After some thinking, we decided to use the free stay at Holiday Villa Subang, which is just few kms from our home – on hubby’s birthday! Syahida even went through booking the room for us and gave me a reservation ID: 946229. The only thing that wasn’t clear was its “conditions applied”. No complain about it – because there is basically no condition, as long as the room is available during our requested date. I also further enquired if free breakfast will be given. He confirmed that there will be free breakfast for two. And, he said that he would send me the voucher via registered mail – but I did not receive it. Nevertheless, I just showed the reception officer the email Syahida sent me when checking it and there wasn’t an issue.

Located just less than 1 km from SJMC, the exterior of Holiday Villa Subang may look old – but its lobby and the walkway to the hotel lift look grand. Then, it may look old the walkway from the lift to rooms, the room we stayed (1602) is “brand” new. They just renovated it, I guess. I am not totally sure if we were given a superior or deluxe room. But, I feel it is really a great free room stay! It was so spacious that little 17chipmunks enjoyed running around (and she even climbed the tables!) Room facilities wise – the basics are there; just that I observed that their hair dryer is an old one.

The other facilities that we used were the Children Playroom and the swimming pool. Though they are kind of old, they are still “useable”. Holiday Villa Subang also caters for members – therefore, there are two kids pool, one family pool, one Jacuzzi (which wasn’t switch on) and an Olympic pool. The water is rather dirty (but it is water rationing season). They have a gym too (which we passed by to have a look – the equipments are kind of old, but since there are people using it – I bet they service the equipments well.) While they have “good” facilities, I have to say that it is kind of “creepy” to be around there alone especially at night. Not forget to mention, they have antique statues there plus their duty free shop seems like back to 1980s/90s. On the breakfast, it just normal buffet breakfast. If it wasn’t free, I don’t think we will be paying for it.

Not to be ungrateful for the free stay, will we be back if we had to pay for a stay? I guess “no” would be an honest answer especially as seen in the website the room rates are not cheap.

 

 

It is important to prepare in advance when you want to keep your little one’s healthy diet

Today was a “mad” rush day from the point we woke up after receiving an unexpected message. Fortunately I had marinated minced pork (with grapes, star fruits and dash of pepper) in the fridge. I just stir fried the marinated pork with olive oil, minced onion & garlic and put into the thermos. Unexpectedly, it smells real good. In a separate tupperware, I packed mixed grain rice & sprinkled with boiled broccoli. My 15 mo had this for lunch and dinner. Also, fortunately I had baked the banana bread last night for breakfast + fresh fruit yogurt is readily available in the fridge + prepared banana biscuits for the weekend.

This reminds me that it is important to do certain things in advance for unforeseen circumstances!

Fourth trial on Banana bread

Most mummies went “crazy” over the Tesco breadmaker – after a few daddies/mummies posted their successful bread loaf over the Healthy Food for my Baby facebook page. So, I have asked for the recipe:

 

I made a little modification – for example, reduced the amount of honey and used brown sugar instead of white sugar. I increased the amount of banana mashed by slightly. I have also added sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. Importantly, leave the water and yeast alone for at least 10 minutes before adding other ingredients. I have left out vanilla essence but added cinnamon powder. And there you go, my fluffy banana bread:

It is not the Tesco breadmaker that did the magic; it is the recipe in it! But, for the price of RM199 breadmaker, it could be worth it (I can’t comment much because I am using another brand of breadmaker – a gift from my hubby!)

Packed food for our 2 days 1 night trip

We are going for a short getaway trip somewhere “So near, yet so far” in conjunction with hubby’s birthday and also our 3rd anniversary ROM! We decided to utilise our free stay at Holiday Villa Subang.

And here are the food packed for my soon-to-be 15 mo!

2 thermos of pork porridge (lunch & dinner)
One meal Earth’s best cereal (breakfast)
Two fresh fruits with yogurt (mid day snacks)
Homemade Banana biscuits (snack)
Heinz teething biscuits (snack)
Water

Pork porridge boiled this morning, ingredients:
1 tbsp millet
1 tbsp tri-quinoa
2 tbsp brown rice
Minced pork marinated with star fruit, grapes & dash of pepper

Boil the grains (soaked overnight) with onion and the marinated pork for 40 minutes.

Anyway, Happy Birthday hubby & papa!

Banana biscuit for my 15 mo

“Weekend” comes early to us this week. So, baking banana biscuit earlier so that my 14.75 mo can have it as snack over the weekend!
Ingredients:

Dry ingredients:
One and half cup self-raising flour
One cup rolled oats
2 tbsp molasses sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp salt

Others:
One egg yolk
One egg white
150g unsalted butter
5 bananas, mashed (I used 5 because my bananas were skinny)

Steps:
1. Mix the dry ingredients.
2. Add in the butter and egg yolk. Stir well.
3. Add in the mashed bananas. Stir well.
4. Make moulds from the mixture (which is wet & sticky) and place them on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil that is greased with olive oil.
5. Brush egg whites on each mould.
6. In a preheated oven of 200 degree celcius, bake for 10 minutes.
7. Lower down temperature to 150 degree celcius. Bake for another 20 minutes.
8. Cool down and keep in air tight container.

* I have about 15 biscuits from the amount of ingredients used.

Teddy bear pumpkin pasta

After seeing few mummies & daddies posting their homemade pasta/noodles at Healthy Food For My Baby facebook page, I have tried it out. It is not difficult to make but with an active toddler around it is. The frustrating part is arranging them on the rack for them to dry up.

So, this is my teddy bear pumpkin pasta. This is hand kneaded, rolled & molded. I have used the following ingredients:

300g plain flour
200g pumpkin, steamed & mashed
One egg
2 tbsp olive oil
Water (as required)
Cornflour (as required)

The longer you knead, the better/easier it would be!, I have tried it out. It is not difficult to make but with an active toddler around it is. The frustrating part is arranging them on the rack for them to dry up.

So, this is my teddy bear pumpkin pasta. This is hand kneaded, rolled & molded. I have used the following ingredients:

300g plain flour
200g pumpkin, steamed & mashed
One egg
2 tbsp olive oil
Water (as required)
Cornflour (as required)

The longer you knead, the better/easier it would be!

Ikan selar (BM) or yellowtail scad (English)

I am BAD at fishes. I am still learning about fishes. While grocery shopping at Tesco, I found that “ikan selar” was quite fresh. So, I thought of testing it – I didn’t have time to google about the fish before buying as I was handling little 17chipmunks. So, I just bought one piece, which cost RM2.66 (If I am not mistaken, the price on that day was RM9.90 per kg). I went home and googled; found that this fish is typically for Malay style cooking. I also found its English name, which is yellowtail scad. I didn’t really “care” so, I just deboned it. Deboning was easy, but getting rid of the fishy smell is difficult. One of my friends recommended that I use lemon juice to get rid of the smell. It works – even on the chopping board and knife (wonderful!).

After deboning the fish, I marinated it with grape juice, parsley and mint. I marinated it overnight. The next morning, which is today, I still find it very fishy smell. So, I decided to stir fry it with garlic and ginger. While it was “sweet” in taste (the end result), it was still kind of fishy – and certainly, I find that it is more suitable for those assam jawa type of dishes. Well, I learn my lesson here. I will remember then that ikan selar or yellowtail scad will be for assam jawa type of dishes!

Baked tofu nuggets for my 14.75 mo’s breakfast

Ingredients (marinated overnight) :
One tiub of silken tofu, mashed
One pear, steamed & chopped (this is to give sweetness to the nuggets)
One sweet potato, steamed & mashed (to give sweetness & hold ingredients)
One big onion, chopped
3 tbsp cornflour
One egg
Dash of pepper

Steps:
1. Mixed all ingredients and marinate overnight (or few hours)
2. Shape the mixture and cover it with breadcrumbs (this needs alot of patience)
3. Place them on the baking tray lined with aluminium foil that is greased with olive oil
4. Put a layer of olive oil on the nuggets
5. In a preheated oven of 180 degree celcius, bake for 15 minutes
6. Lower down temperature to 150 degree celcius, bake for another 10 minutes
7. Cool down before serving

* I only made the amount to be consumed.
* I had this for breakfast too; it is naturally sweet.
* Lo initially did not want to eat; then I fed her a piece. Thereafter she fed herself. Ate about 2.5 pieces for breakfast.

When it will be messy and you have non-wearable cloth

Sometimes little 17chipmunks will take food – which cause stain that is difficult to remove. I thought of a solution – I cut off parts of my old shirts (non-wearable anymore) and then clip in over her body using cloth pegs. This way – you can decide to wash or throw the “bib” after the mess. This is environmental friendly too (especially if you decide to re-use it).

By the way, little 17chipmunks has been taking Farm Fresh Natural Yogurt since she is 8 months old. At the beginning stage, I added puree into her yogurt. As you grow and with her chewing ability, I added fresh fruits. This is really a good source of calcium – which replaces the need to the old way of giving “ikan bilis”. The yogurt is usually served cold (even in shopping malls, I bring a cooler bag to put them as a food/snack along). I believe there is probiotic in yogurt and thus it is important to serve cold.