What do you do with a loaf of bread with a ‘Use by’ date of tomorrow? Make fun food!

It is always funny to me how a slice or two of bread for a casual snack sounds excessive (at least to me), but transform them into a dessert and it becomes a snack that just disappears from the plate (into my tummy) within seconds! I had a few slices of bread which were just starting to go stale. The expiry date was the next day and there was no way we would be able to finish it. I sometimes toast them and make bread crumbs to coat my chicken fillets with, but most of the time I’m too lazy to do it.

So in order not to waste food, I made French Toast Nutella Rolls with the bread yesterday! Ok I didn’t exactly use Nutella, but I used Ovomaltine, which I bought from Candy Empire for $10.80 and later found in Sheng Siong for $6.90.

It’s really simple: choose your fruits (I had the freshest strawberries and bananas from PurelyFresh), spread a layer of Nutella or Ovomaltine on your bread, arrange the chopped fruits at the edge of the bread, roll it up and lightly press the seams down on your plate or work bench. Dip in beaten egg and fry in a little olive oil. Rotate all sides with a pair of tongs till they’re just turning golden.

My aunt and I had two flavours each and Jason polished off the last one. Leftover bread? No problem! This would be a fun activity to do with your kids or nieces and nephews. If you’re not into strawberries and bananas, you could also use blueberries, blackberries, apples and even cheese (chocolate and cheese is super yums)! Have fun rollin’!

Jason has been talking about French Onion Soup for the longest time. He had wanted to attempt it for our anniversary dinner but realised it’s a tad too complicated for a ‘simple’ clear soup. It’s not exactly complicated, but it is time-consuming.

To make a good French Onion Soup, the onions have to be caramelised well. The caramelisation takes 30-45 minutes to achieve, and after that the broth is left to simmer for another hour or so before serving. I topped my soup bowl with a slice of crusty toasted baguette with melted swiss cheese (you can use Gruyère, plus I added a bit of mozzarella in the mix).

Some recipes call for the soup to be ladled in a ramekin, then you top it with a baguette and loads of grated Gruyère before finally baking or broiling it in the oven till bubbling.

This soup is great for the rainy November/December season. With its strong and rich flavour, you would do well with a lighter-tasting fish dish as your mains. Enjoy!

Back from Malacca, still on leave and didn’t feel like cooking up a storm today – I’m leaving that for tomorrow (I’m making fall-off-the-bone ribs in a lip-smacking cantonese bbq + plum sauce)! Lunch for today was a simple pasta with bacon and Portobello. Jason loves his pasta in cream sauce, while I’m a fan of tomato based sauces or ragù. But since I have some cooking cream in the fridge, I was going to make his day!

How many of you love delicious white sauce but are quite done with using bottled sauces? I’m never happy with bottled cream sauces as they either taste watered down, too salty or very heavy on the palette with no real aroma. Plus you don’t know what really goes into the bottles. You won’t get any of these if you make your own sauce. It’s not as difficult as you think!

I like to thicken my sauce with eggs. It’s not quite carbonara because no cooking cream is used in carbonara, and cheese is added. I’m not crazy about cheese in my pasta, so when cooking white cream sauce, I leave it out. The husband sometimes sprinkles his own separately but most of the time the dish is already so flavourful that he forgets about the parmesan! The trick to getting loads of flavour and body in the sauce is to sweat some chopped onions in butter and oil – it lends a subtly sweet and savoury taste that ups the flavour up many notches.

This creamy white sauce will also be great with spaghetti or fettuccine. The 80-year-old aunt has always like white sauce (she’s a big fan of the Alfredo from Rocky’s Pizza!) and polished off the entire plate today. Looks like I will be making this again sooner than I think!

I’ve been on a yong tau foo craze recently. I can’t seem to get enough of it!

What’s there to like about YTF, you ask. Just some bland, boiled vegetables in clear soup. Hardly appetising! I think that’s because you haven’t had really good YTF with subtly sweet savoury soup, full of body from the soy beans and chicken/pork bones, the freshest bean curd and eggplant stuffed with homemade fish paste and a wide variety of yummy fried items to choose from!

My favourite YTF stall SO FAR has got to be Xi Xiang Feng at Blk 724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6, which I strangely haven’t blogged about yet. Bad lighting is the reason! Maybe I’m giving myself an excuse to go back for another round! Today, I checked out another hot favourite, My Favourite Cafe at level 6 Lucky Plaza. I’ve heard that the queue can be horrendous during peak hours and if you go in the mid afternoon, the famous meat balls would have been sold out, so since I’m on leave today, I left home at 9.30 am for my ytf fix.

I ordered my usual items: stuffed eggplant, stuffed bean curd, broccoli and fried tau kee, a fried wanton, plus their famous crunchy meat balls and braised mushrooms. Had it with kway teow in soup – I’m not a fan of the sweet sauce and even if I eat YTF dry which is super rarely, I eat it plain without lashings of sweet sauce and chilli. If you’re looking for your bean sprouts, kang kong or chye sim at the counter, they’re not there. The aunty will ask you if you want any of these as you hand your selection over to her. After that, get a place to sit and pay only when your food arrives.

At 10.15 am, the place already had 8-10 customers including me. Within minutes, my food was here! I paid $6.60 (I did order quite a lot!) and tucked in. Mmmmm a very good bowl of soup with depth, not just clear boiling water with some seasoning. I also loved the fried shallots they splash on top. My favourite item has got to be the eggplant and stuffed bean curd – although they’re a common sight at all YTF stalls, the ones at My Favourite Cafe were incredibly fresh, and the fish paste so smooth and soft that it almost slid down my throat.

The meat balls were crunchy and perfectly fried. I have heard of people ordering 10 meat balls and nothing else to go with their noodles. I can understand why but I can’t eat that much! I ordered two and that’s the max I can take, although I did tabao-ed 20 home for the aunts and hubby. The meat balls are actually very old school. They remind me of the YTF stall (next to or behind duck rice stall) at Commonwealth Crescent Market that Ah-Mm used to buy at when I was little. She always tabao-ed back the meatballs and ngoh hiang for us greedy kids! Wow it’s more than 20 years ago!

The mushrooms are also worth a mention. They’re braised in some kind of stock, almost like bak chor mee mushrooms but lighter and whole, not sliced into small pieces. And I’m glad I was there early because by 11.20 am, a snaking queue had already formed at the food counter.

Overall, taste wise, 喜相逢 at AMK is still hard to beat, but location-wise, travelling to town is much easier as compared to going to AMK from Bukit Batok, so I should be back here more often. This is one of the best YTFs in Singapore. I really don’t mind eating it every day!

My Favourite Cafe
Lucky Plaza #06-46/47
Singapore 238863
Opening hours: 8.30 am to 6 pm daily

This dish was supposed to be Slow Cooker Soft Bone Ribs but silly me defrosted the wrong packet of meat! Luckily this recipe will also be good with the pork collar (五花肉) that can’t wait to be cooked, so here’s what we’re gonna have for today.

I was dreaming of a sweet and tangy sauce ala 排骨王 when I thought of the ribs. Imagine sticky ribs slow cooked to supreme tenderness.. I can easily polish off a whole pot by myself! You can either use Char Siew Sauce, Hoisin Sauce or what I used here, HK Style BBQ Sauce in this recipe. This sauce by Chef King (available at Fairprice) is one of the best Char Siew sauce I have tried out of a packet or bottle. I have oven-roasted prime ribs and wings with it and received raving reviews. Give it a try if you can grab a packet.

Apart from Char Siew sauce, you also need plum sauce, tomato sauce, a little bit of black vinegar and Worcestershire. Then it’s all about leaving the pork to cook on low for 3-4 hours in your slow cooker if using pork collar or pork chop slices or about 6 hours if using soft bone or prime ribs. The end result is extremely tender!

One optional step to make the gravy more sticky: ladle a portion from your slow cooker and cook over the stove top for a few minutes until reduced. You can also choose to deep fry the pork but I don’t usually deep fry my food.

This dish is excellent paired with rice and some blanched leafy vegetables by the side. That’s about all you need. The ingredients in this recipe is sponsored by PurelyFresh. I especially like how you can ask for your fresh meat/fish orders to be customised to your liking. I didn’t even have to slice the pork collar myself!

I was in Malacca a week ago for a short holiday. Since we’ve been to Malacca a couple of times, this trip essentially became a rest & relax and eating trip! We stayed at Cheng Ho residences which is just one perpendicular street – literally a minute – from Jonker Walk. Took a coach from WTS Travels which dropped us at Casa del Rio hotel, just 5-8 minutes on foot to our hotel. Here’s what the spacious room looks like – it’s for 3-4 people but from the second night onwards, Jason and I had the room all to ourselves cos Jonny flew us aeroplane. Thanks Jonny!

It’s better than I expected and in a great location with good price, about SG$100 per room per night. I’m sure the double/twin room is cheaper. It’s near to Jonker Walk, within walkable distance to local sightseeing places and even to Mahkota Parade area (about 15 minutes on foot). I recommend this place!

Cheng Ho Residence
101, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock
75200 Melaka, Malaysia

Ok now, FOOD! There were a few ‘must-try’ places that we read about. We tried a number of them, some hits and misses.

1. Good New World Restaurant 好世界酒家
131, Jalan Melaka Raya 10, Taman Melaka Raya, 75000 Melaka, Malaysia
Jason’s only request was eating at Good New World Restaurant – the old-school restaurant where his buddy (he’s a local) held his wedding dinner. He said it was the best (tasting) wedding dinner he’s ever attended.

Not many people have written about this place still stuck in the 70’s, but we really love their food! We ordered yam ring, hot plate tofu and delicious tender fried pork + rice for RM55 ~ SG$18.30. Jason kept looking at other people’s suckling pig but we can’t possibly finish la! Love the 家乡炸肉 the best. The pork belly is first braised till fall-apart tender and then fried till the exterior is crispy and shiok! Near Dataran Pahlawan Megamall.

Yam Ring.

Hot plate tofu.

Delicious fried pork with sticky sauce.

2. Nancy’s Kitchen
13, 13-1, 13-2, Jalan KL 3/8, Taman Kota Laksamana, Seksyen 3, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
Take note of their new address as of September 2015. They have shifted from their old outlet off Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock. Some say Nancy’s Kitchen is overrated, but we don’t think so. The food is delicious! We made a next-day 11.30 am reservation on their website and received a confirmation in a few hours. Wanted to try the Ayam Rendang but it wasn’t available the first day we went (yes we went back!). Ordered Chicken Curry (Jason gave it 9.5/10), Steamed Otah (8.5/10), Deep Fried Squid (8.5/10) and the BEST Chendol we’ve ever had (10/10!), beating even the one at ABC Market. Everything was good! Total lunch bill for the first day was RM49.50 ~ SG$17.

Chicken curry.

Steamed otak-otak.

Fried calamari.

The best chendol of the trip!

Luckily for us now opened selected Tuesdays in December. We returned to try other dishes just before heading back home! This time, we tried the Ayam Rendang, Bak Wan Kepiting and Crispy Fried Fish in Ginger and Scallions. I’ve had better Bak Wan Kepiting and prefer the chicken curry on the first day (as compared to the Ayam Rendang) but the fried fish was really good.

Ayam rendang.

Bak wan kepiting.

Crispy fish with ginger and scallions.

Some also say Kocik Kitchen just opposite Nancy’s old location is a close competitor. We tried both places – there’s no fight.

3. Kocik Kitchen
100, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
I dare say this was the worst meal we’ve had in Malacca. And this was dinner on our first night! Nancy’s Kitchen’s move to Taman Kota Laksamana must be the best news for Kocik Kitchen. They were a minute away from each other, now Kocik Kitchen is on its own in a really prime location with almost no competition! But I wouldn’t eat there again even if it’s convenient. Among three people, we ordered the Otak/Ngo Hiang mix plate (RM12 ~ SG$4), Sambal Petai Prawns (RM20 ~ SG$6.50), Chap Chye (RM14 ~ SG$4.50), Nonya Laksa (RM8.80 ~ SG$3), rice and drinks. The total bill about RM70 ~ SG$23. We can get better food elsewhere for sure.

The Otak was like packaged otah fishcake (strangely dry and bouncy), the Ngo Hiang quite tasteless, the Chap Chye err I can cook better (swear), the ‘Laksa’ we couldn’t bring ourselves to finish it – no fragrance, no oomph, nothing! Only the Sambal Petai Prawns were barely passable. Very disappointing! I really liked the décor though, very traditional with a family feel, plus the service was not bad. Too bad the food left much to be desired.

Otak-otak and Ngo hiang.

Sambal petai prawns.

Chap chye.

Nyonya laksa.

4. East & West Rendezvous
60 Lorong Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
It is easy to find this place while you are at Jonker Walk. Just turn left at the junction of San Shu Gong, walk for a minute and the shop is on your right. We thoroughly enjoyed the Nyonya dumplings here (the boss’ black face is another matter altogether though).. and even having eaten countless Nyonya dumplings in SG, I have to say, this one in Malacca wins any other versions I’ve tried. It is that good! I mean there are nice food in Malacca but most of what we had were just so-so. But this was delicious! Chockful of meat, winter melon strips and delicious mushrooms. I could do with one right now. RM6.50 ~ SG$2.15. I LOVE BAK CHANG!

So photogenic!

The best Nyonya chang in the universe.

Waiting for takeaway.

5. The satay stall at Lung Ann Refreshments coffeeshop 马六甲古里街隆安茶室
93/807, Lorong Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
Just diagonally across from East & West Rendezvous is this supposedly yummy satay stall. We bought 15 sticks to share among three of us (we were stuffed!) and I let the boys have the rest of my four sticks after trying one. I didn’t think the meat was well-marinated nor was the satay sauce good. The meat was too tough and the sauce was watery. I won’t recommend it but you can buy a few to try at RM0.70 ~ SG$0.25 a stick. Sorry my house opposite the satay nicer.

6. Jonker 88
88, Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Meleka, Malaysia
Most people would agree that this is the most popular eatery in Jonker Walk. Our Malacca friend told us he used to frequent this place in his school days, but since it became popular with tourists, he’s not been back. The Baba Laksa wasn’t as tasty as I remembered it to be.. fragrance was lacking and the curry wasn’t thick enough. We ordered three bowls of the same thing – only one was complete. One bowl came without egg and the other came without cucumber and onions shreds. The cook must be too busy till dizzy. The chendol was also just ok, but delicious enough for me on a scorching hot day. The place was crazy packed at 3pm. We had to eat standing up! I only took a photo of the chendol cos it was kinda the only thing I liked there.

7. Wanton Mee at Heng Huat Coffee Shop
127, Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
Our favourite wanton mee in Malacca! The coffeeshop was full of local families when Jonny and I were there on Sunday morning. The husband was still sleeping so off we went to eat without him. We stood around for a while and I finally decided to ask the stall owners if I could share the table they were using to prepare ingredients (there was enough space for two) and they gladly let us sit there. And it was another 20 minutes of waiting time before we had our delicious QQ wanton mee in front of us. The aunty loosens each ball of noodles by gently dropping it on the countertop before cooking, then blanches them just right. The wanton was yummy and the char siew too lean. The star was really the noodles!

Wanton mee large, RM5.50 ~ SG$1.80

Simple but unforgettable mee.

Guru at work.

I’m really intrigued by the sauce that they use.. very light but so fragrant and flavourful. Every lovely strand of noodles is perfectly coated.

8. Tengkera Duck Noodle 大树下鸭面
33, Jalan Kota Laksamana 1/2, Taman Kota Laksamana, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
This stall at Jalan Kota Laksamana is a branch from the main outlet at Jalan Tengkera, which we visited the last time we went to Malacca. It looks nondescript but the duck noodles are still very good. The husband ordered the small version and ate it all, after our lunch at Nancy’s Kitchen! I tried a mouthful and indeed the tender duck meat had the same delicious flavours as I remembered and the soup full of herby goodness.

Small serving, RM3.80 ~ SG$1.30

9. Asam Pedas Claypot
86, Jalan Laksamana 5, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
I had no idea what to eat for our dinner on the second night so I started to google. Turned out that Asam Pedas Claypot is just 2 minutes away on foot from our hotel. And this was also the place Jason’s buddy brought them to a couple of years ago when the whole gang went to Malacca for his wedding. They have a few choices of fish: mackerel, stingray, snapper.. prices differ. The server will also place a basket of otah on your table. If you don’t want it, don’t touch it. They will count the sticks at the end of your meal and only charge you what you ate.

Power chilli and very fresh fish!

10. Pak Putra Tandoori & Naan Restoran
Jalan Laksamana 4, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
This is one of the most popular places to eat in Malacca! Just round the corner from Asam Pedas Claypot which means it is about 10-12 minutes walk from Jonker. We took a short cut from the back gate of our hotel so for us it was 3 minutes max. It is great as a supper place as it opens from 5.30pm to 1am. I’m not a fan of tandoori chicken and naan but the chicken here is REALLY moist and juicy (you get a choice of thigh or breast) – just look at the pic! The chef told me he cooks it for 20-25 minutes. The naan was really thick and way too doughy for my liking though. We ordered one butter and one double cheese, both were so-so and to me, they’re not worth my calories. This place has its legion of fans though. The chicken is yummy but it’s hard for me to rave about it cos I just don’t like tandoori chicken, but if you do, you’d love it! Jason gave the chicken 8.5/10 and naan 3/10.

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Overall, top picks of the trip: East & West Rendezvous Nyonya Chang, the Wanton Mee at Heng Huat Coffeeshop and Nancy’s Kitchen’s chendol. I’m not biased, but apart from these three which really REALLY stood out, give me SG food anytime :)

The problem with most home-cooked salmon is that it tends to get overcooked. I’ve heard many people (my own family included!) say that salmon sashimi ‘always tastes better than cooked salmon’ because it is so moist and tender, and cooked salmon tend to be dry. That’s because you’re frying your salmon to death!

I’ve seen lots of recipes cooking salmon in the airfryer for 15 minutes and the cook wonders why the salmon is tough after cooking. If your salmon is about 3/4 of an inch thick (as most salmon fillets are), all you need is 6-7 minutes in a preheated airfryer. For even thinner slabs like the tail part, 6 minutes max is all you need.

I use the first-generation Philips 9220, so I set the temperature to 180C, then turn the knob to 5 minutes. In the mean time, I prepare my fish (just sprinkle Cajun seasoning all over – not too much, just enough to coat) and when the orange light is off, I fry my salmon skin side up, on the grill pan for 7 minutes. Eat immediately and don’t let it sit in the airfryer. You don’t want the residual heat to continue cooking the fish. I use this Cajun seasoning but you can use any other brand:

Optional step: If you like crispy keropok-style skin like in this old Airfried Cod Fish recipe, just open your AF drawer at the 3rd or 4th minute and use a pair of tongs to gently lift the skin off the salmon. Fry the skin alongside. When the time is up, remove the salmon and continue to fry the skin for 2-3 minutes until the timer goes off. Let it remain in the airfryer for 1-2 more minutes so it’ll be super keropok-style crispy.

Have fun with this super-simple recipe. You’ll never have to eat dry salmon ever again. Moist, juicy and delicious, always!

Does anybody else love Hakka Abacus Seeds? I’ve only eaten these 2-3 times as not many places sell them nowadays. And no wonder, it’s quite tedious to make! If you’re not familiar with them, I guess the closest I can compare them to is gnocchi, just no egg added.

The procedure is time-consuming but not difficult – steam and mash yam, add tapioca flour while the yam is still hot, adding some hot water as you go along. The mixture will be sticky and all over the place initially, but as you continue to add flour and knead, it will become a smooth dough ready for shaping. It smells really good even at this stage! And then it is time to pinch off a 20-cent coin size of dough and shape it into rounds with an indentation in the middle, waiting to be cooked in boiling water and then stir fried.

I love their soft and bouncy texture, which I didn’t know was the result of adding more compared to less tapioca flour. The ones I eat outside may be soft and stretchy (like QQ boing boing texture, you know?) but they don’t actually taste much of yam. So when deciding to embark on the adventure (it’s a real adventure for a Teochew girl who has never made these before or seen anyone make it!) of making my own, I used the ratio of less than 1:2 tapioca flour to yam. For 500g of yam, I added 200g tapioca flour for more yam fragrance and bite. See my hilarious abacus seeds after 3 hours of kneading and shaping!

My forearm ached the next day – I’m not exaggerating… seriously noob LOL!

My consolation is that Jason loved the slightly harder texture (he’s my best supporter he ate four servings in two days!) but I’m not a fan. IF I go out of my mind and decide to make them again next time, I would increase the tapioca flour to 250g or even 300g. It’s up to you – I don’t think there’s a right or wrong but most recipes I’ve seen use 1:2 ratio. And as a newbie, I found it easier to have a bowl of hot water on the side and dab a little on the seeds as I shape.. it helps to reduce cracking. You can use chopsticks for the indentation but I simply used my fat fingers.

I stir fried them in a simple seasoning of light soy sauce, fish sauce, a little bit of oyster sauce and just a bit of water. I don’t know if that’s traditional but they taste pretty good, maybe a little dry for Jason’s liking. This guy gave it 7.5/10 for the first version and 9.5/10 when I made a little extra gravy to serve with leftovers the next day.

Traditionally, folks use firm beancurd (tau kwa), cuttlefish strips, dried shrimps, mushrooms and black fungus in the stir fry. I forgot to buy tau kwa but had some fish cake in the fridge so that’s what I used. I’ve listed tau kwa as the ingredient in my recipe below. I also suggest you don’t go overzealous with the dried shrimp. I think I added a bit too much and the shrimps were almost overpowering the yam fragrance. My recipe has the reduced amount which I think would go better.

If you have any tips for making Hakka Abacus Seeds, please leave me a comment below… I will keep them in mind when (IF) I attempt them again!

I can’t believe it’s already the end of the year. 2015 seemed to have whooshed by in a flash! I had fun cooking and experimenting, although not as much as I’d like due to job demands and terrible lighting at dinner time :) I hope to bring us even more quick and simple recipes in the coming year!

I have posted about 100 recipes in the past year, and if you’re looking for a few to start with, here you go! My favourites of 2015, in order of preference:

1. Creamy Homestyle Chicken Stew, June 2015
Recipe at: http://budgetpantry.com/homestyle-chicken-stew/

This is a family recipe, passed down from my 80-year-old aunt. I’ve never seen anyone else cook chicken stew this way! Everything is from scratch and I don’t use canned soups or packaged creams. I ate this as a child and still love this today. My favourite way to cook this is on the stove top. This dish is perfect with rice and my #1 comfort food! Try it and you’ll know why!

2. Airfried Cod Fish with Crispy Skin, HK Style, January 2015
Recipe at: http://budgetpantry.com/airfried-cod-fish-with-crispy-skin/

I often cook this dish, or variations of this dish using different types of fish like sea bass and salmon. The best part is that it can be done easily in the airfryer. You don’t have to worry about over steaming it, nor do you have to care about skin that sticks to the pan (and messy splatters!) if you choose to fry in oil. I love how the rock sugar and boiling hot oil (that you ladle over at the end) really makes a difference to its flavour.

3. Mongolian Chicken, October 2015
Recipe at: http://budgetpantry.com/mongolian-chicken/

I seldom deep fry my food, but when I do, I make sure it’s worth it! And this is worth it! ‘Mongolian Chicken’ doesn’t seem to be available in Mongolia, just like how Singapore Noodles is non-existent here, but deep fried chicken pieces slathered in creamy, buttery gravy perfumed with evaporated milk and curry leaves is too good to pass up, no matter where this dish really is from.

4. Wok Fried Kam Heong Prawns, October 2015
Recipe at: http://budgetpantry.com/kam-heong-prawns/

One of my missions for 2016 is to make seafood-in-a-bag with kam heong sauce! Imagine crabs, prawns, lala, corn and carrots served Dancing Crab style but with kam heong sauce.. I think it’ll be a great match. Let’s see if it happens!

5. Salted Egg Sotong, March 2015
Recipe at: http://budgetpantry.com/salted-egg-sotong/

I did a few versions of salted egg sauce this year. This version is my favourite. I prefer not to steam the egg yolks first to get the sandy texture and more fragrance. The addition of stock also made a big difference to how this dish turned out. This recipe recorded the highest hits ever for the blog, with over 5000 unique views in a day!

6. Traditional Pumpkin Rice 南瓜饭, May 2015
Recipe at: http://budgetpantry.com/traditional-pumpkin-rice/

This is another of my go-to recipes for fuss-free dinners, especially when I don’t know what to cook! When you’re out of ideas, all you want is to throw everything into the rice-cooker and let it do its magic.

7. Airfried Cajun Salmon, December 2015
Recipe at: http://budgetpantry.com/airfried-cajun-salmon/

When cooking salmon, always remember not to overdo it! I’ve had my airfryer for 3 years – it’s the first generation Philips 9220 and it has served me well. The one thing I have cooked the most in my airfryer? Salmon. I will never pan fry salmon again with this fool proof recipe. Just wash, sprinkle on Cajun spices, and airfry for 7 minutes in a preheated 180C AF. This recipe is so simple, dinner is literally on the table in 10 minutes, including prep time!

8. Low carb lunch idea: Grilled Cauliflower Steaks, June 2015
Recipe at: http://budgetpantry.com/grilled-cauliflower-steaks/

One of the most beautiful dishes I have photographed.. I’m not a fan of cauliflower when it’s stir fried but when roasted, grilled or baked, cauliflower is totally transformed, emitting a delicious, intense, nutty flavour. So good!

9. Hakka Abacus Seeds for Noobs, December 2015
Recipe at: http://budgetpantry.com/hakka-abacus-seeds/

I had to include this because it was the most back breaking thing I have ever attempted. If you’re a noob at this like me, you’d like this recipe.

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So that’s my round-up for 2015! Thank you for sticking around, especially those who are with me on my Facebook Community – you have no idea how much your likes, shares and comments mean to me!

Love,
Chris

One of my favourite comfort food is lasagna, but since I need to watch my weight, I can’t have it too often! I pack on the pounds faster than you can say, “Fat!” whenever I start eating more carbs than usual. But that’s ok, I think I have found a great substitute with my no-pasta vegetarian lasagna recipe!

I’m a little obsessed with eggplants – I could eat it every day. I love them stir fried in spicy sauce or dark sauce, in curry fish head, grilled till melty and topped with tuna, and like in this dish, as a substitute for pasta sheets. They work wonderfully with zucchinis, marinara sauce and stretchy mozzarella cheese.

The key thing is to get them melty and tender before popping the baking dish into the oven or airfryer. I’ve seen recipes calling for the eggplant to be steamed, but eggplant always tastes better when in contact with direct heat, where the flesh breaks down into melty heaven. What I do is grilled them under low heat on a frying pan. The flavour burst and texture is phenomenal. You can never achieve this by steaming.

This recipe is vegetarian, but if you prefer, you can add some minced meat, like chicken or beef between the layers to add more flavour and protein. After grilling the eggplants, use the same pan to fry the minced meat, salt and pepper to taste, then add the marinara sauce or tomato paste. There is no need to preheat the sauce if you don’t use meat – just spoon it directly on top of the eggplants in your baking dish.

One secret ingredient that I added is… chopped apples. I find that adding apples lifts the taste of the lasagna and reduces the richness of the dish, making it less tomato-ey and more appetising. I really like it! I served this together with a fresh salad and airfried chicken fillets which I seasoned lightly with Old Bay seasoning. The result? Something I would make again and again!

Quick post! I have been craving for this dish since forever and finally cooked it tonight. It is super easy to cook and everything is done in one pot, so washing up is a breeze. I thoroughly recommend this for weeknight dinners!

You should be familiar with the confinement dish 猪脚醋? This is similar except I used chicken thigh pieces instead and way less ginger. I say chicken goes really well with the gravy. I prefer it actually. I didn’t add hard boiled eggs but you totally could to make this dish even more complete.

I used Chan Kong Thye Black Sweet Rice Vinegar which I conveniently ordered from SGvegetables.com:

Too bad I can’t eat an entire pot of rice (fat issues blah), but this vinegary dish still satisfied and warmed my tummy on a rainy night. The husband prefers oyster sauce chicken aiya but what does he know. You should cook this, this week!

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Pizza is the main food group of my two pesky little brothers. They can eat it any time of the day! They say that pizza is a well-balanced diet with carbs (pizza base), veggies (tomato sauce and vegetable toppings), protein (chicken meat, bacon or ham), calcium (cheese) and lots of vitamins. Ok, I can’t disagree with that!

At home, I often come up with easy meals to feed the whole family. Jason is a big fan of pizza, especially no-frills ones like Pizza Margherita or Three Cheese Pizzas. He loves the simplicity of fresh tomato base with tasty cheese, and I agree with him that good quality cheese topping is really essential in bringing out the fresh flavours of a simple pizza.

For this recipe, I chose Perfect Italiano’s Pizza Plus, a superior blend of three delicious types of cheeses: Mozzarella, Parmesan and Cheddar. Mozzarella gives us the super-stretchy texture we’re all familiar with while Parmesan and Cheddar add delightful flavour to our homemade pizza.

I used pumpkin and zucchini as the main toppings as their subtle sweetness and slight crunch doesn’t overwhelm and is a perfect accompaniment to the flavourful cheese. I added a bit of bacon for that extra flavour, but this recipe is great already without it, super if you wish to sneak some vegetables into your kids’ diet!

And if you know me, I am someone who invariably opts for quick and nutritious meals at home, which is why I decided to go with ready-made wheat pita bread as the pizza base. I like the pocket in the middle as compared to a full-on dough base as it puffs up slightly in the oven for a more delightful texture. If you can’t get freshly baked pita from a nearby bakery, you can get them at the supermarket, along where you’d find bread and wraps. Do what works for you and your family and please don’t feel obliged to make everything from scratch. Cooking should be a stress-reliever, not a stressful affair!

I’ve adapted this recipe from the Perfect Italiano‘s website. Their amazing recipe library is full of easy-to-follow recipes to inspire you all-year round.

Perfect Italiano cooking cheese is available in leading supermarkets. Whether you try this recipe or come up with your own creation, remember to share it with me by hashtagging #perfectitalianosg. Pizza as effortless as this? Yes please!

I love shabu shabu style pork, and I don’t only eat them during Chinese New Year! Because of how thinly-sliced they are, the meat is always soft and tender. No tenderiser needed and very good for stir fry.

Because I had some potatoes to use up, I bought a tray of these pork collar shabu shabu slices to cook tonight’s dinner. The husband kept exclaiming, “Home-cooked taste!!” throughout the meal, it was hilarious. He loves oyster sauce pork and chicken with rice and one of his favourite ways to eat this is to scoop the thickened gravy over steaming hot rice. I suspect he can eat the rice with gravy alone! If you’re not a fan of thickened sauces and prefer a lighter dish, visit my recipe for Japanese Ginger Pork – Japanese cooking doesn’t use cornstarch to thicken the dishes.

Note: The gravy recipe is very versatile. You just need your tastebuds. If you prefer more gravy, add more water and adjust the seasonings by doing a taste test. If you have some Japanese Shogayaki Sauce, you can add approximately 1 tablespoon and omit the sugar and ginger.

With Chinese New Year approaching in 2+ weeks, many people around me are starting to go on a diet! Here are some ideas for you to eat well, eat yummy and still lose weight!

I pack lunch to work almost every day. My office pantry has a microwave which I use to heat up my food, unless I’m eating a salad. I use the FÖRTROLIG glass containers from IKEA to store my lunch. If you don’t have access to a microwave, you might want to use a thermos lunchbox instead.

My lunch and dinner are mostly low carb. That means no rice, noodles, starch, potatoes or beans. I eat a lot but I fill up on meat and all sorts of vegetables. I often cook fish like salmon and barramundi because they’re so easy to prepare, but I also eat a lot of chicken, salads, stir fry vegetables or cauliflower steaks. I eat at least one tomato a day but take note if you have a reduced kidney function as tomato is a high-potassium fruit. You can read more about kidney function and high-potassium levels here.

That said, I do eat whole meal bread and whole wheat crackers as a snack – but I eat it with a protein like eggs, cheese or almonds so that the blood sugar doesn’t rise as quickly. I’m not diabetic, but I like to take note of these things. I also get my carbs intake from other food sources – apart from fish and meats, almost everything else has some kind of carbs in them, including vegetables and milk although these are healthy carbs which get slowly absorbed into our systems, minimising spikes in blood sugar level.

It’s very interesting, this whole nutrition thing. I’m constantly learning! If I could turn back the clock, I think I wouldn’t go on my communications route and instead study something food and nutrition-related.

Not all my meals are super healthy but I try my best to make them enjoyable! And yes I eat fried chicken. Here are some samples of my actual meals (my Facebook followers will find them familiar!):

1. Airfried Cajun Salmon

I love salmon! I simply rub it with cajun seasoning and airfry for 7 minutes. Add a variety of vegetables to fill you up. Here, I have blanched Chinese spinach (puay leng), cherry tomatoes and carrots. To not overcook the salmon (by microwave heating from chilled), I only airfry it in the morning before I leave for work. You can leave the airfryer on while you take your shower! Recipe for Cajun Salmon: http://budgetpantry.com/airfried-cajun-salmon/

2. Mesclun Salad with Shabu Shabu Pork

I get a huge packet of Mesclun salad mix from http://www.sgvegetables.com almost every two weeks. I use it to prepare the husband’s breakfast and my lunchbox, and when the aunt is in the mood for fresh greens, I prepare portions of it for her as well. One pack of 500g can last us at least six portions, but plan carefully and use them up in 2 days! I added a hard boiled egg, yellow peppers and Shabu Shabu pork slices, prepared the same way as my sister-in-law’s Stir Fried Beef with Bell Peppers recipe (I only used a different type of meat): http://budgetpantry.com/stir-fried-beef-with-bell-peppers/ The best part? You don’t need to heat this up! I skip the dressing whenever I prepare this as the pork is already very flavourful.

3. Grilled Cauliflower Steaks

Mmmm.. this I grill the night before because you really need to give the cauliflower time in the oven to cook till it achieves a delicious nutty flavour. Slice the cauliflower down the middle, then slice again to get 2-3 one-inch steaks. I served this with Bacon and Peas, onions and blanched snow peas. Recipe for grilled caulifower: http://budgetpantry.com/grilled-cauliflower-steaks/

4. Tuna and Kale Stuffed Peppers

Grilled peppers! This is one of my favourite things to cook because it is so easy. I first stir fry kale leaves in some garlic oil, and add in tuna in brine to mix. Season with a bit of black pepper and spoon the mixture into bell pepper cups before baking or airfrying. You can also use Chilli Tuna. I really love Chilli Tuna (I use Ayam Brand). I like to have it with cherry tomatoes and blanched broccoli, but of course, any other vegetable sides would be great.

5. Tofu “Pasta”

Pasta! Ok not really but these tofu sheets are a nice substitute. They don’t give you the savoury feel of pasta – they’re light and slightly chewy, but they do fill me up. I like to have them with sliced chicken breast, mushrooms and asparagus. You can have them with bolognese (minced meat in tomato sauce) for your pasta fix without the carbs! Here’s a variation in light cream sauce that I cooked a while ago: http://budgetpantry.com/tofu-pasta/

6. Open Face Sandwiches

Yes I eat bread! Open face sandwiches like the one here are my favourites. I like to slather on some cream cheese (I use full fat Laughing Cow cream cheese – no point if you eat light cream cheese!), top my sandwiches with a sunny-side up along with grilled peppers and mushrooms. I also often make roast chicken sandwiches using individually quick frozen (IQF) chicken fillets from Lebon which I get from Giant.

7. Grilled Eggplant with Egg and Chilli Tuna

Eggplant! I LOVE eggplants! They fill you up and are very low in calories, only about 25kcal per 100g. I’ve made so many versions of these I’ve lost count. Start with grilling some eggplants as a base, then top with whatever you like. I find that tuna works really well and I especially love Ayam Brand’s Chilli Tuna with my melty eggplants. I fry the tuna with egg sometimes and I also top them with mozzarella cheese. Add chicken, tomatoes and greens for a full meal. Recipe: http://budgetpantry.com/grilled-eggplant-tuna-cheese/

8. Stir Fry Vegetables and Brown Rice Vermicelli

This is for days when I don’t know what to cook and I have an entire drawer of vegetables. Make a vegetable stir fry! All you need to do is chop up whatever vegetables you want and wash them free of pesticides (I use an organic fruit and vegetable wash), defrost some meat or prawns and soak brown rice vermicelli till just turning soft. Heat up your wok and fry garlic, meat and vegetables till done then add some XO sauce. Add the vermicelli last. And you have a whole box of goodness! In this picture, I have heaps of celery, kale, sweet peas, peppers and cabbage underneath the vermicelli.

9. Omelette anything!

Make a hearty omelette with two eggs and anything you want! I like to stuff my omelette with leafy greens, mushrooms and cheese. I don’t particularly LOVE kale, but they’re good for me so stuffing them in omelettes is a REALLY good idea. Crack two eggs in a bowl, add some milk and beat till fluffy. Heat up your pan with some oil, pour in the eggs and wait till just slightly set. Spoon the pre-fried ingredients on top (veggies, onions and mushrooms) and add cheese slices or mozzarella. I also like to cook cheese scrambled eggs with chopped tomatoes, edamame and truffle salt. Effortlessly good!

10. Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms and everything else!

On days that I can afford more indulgence (of time!), I prepare a “big breakfast” kind of lunch. Airfry a Portobello mushroom stuffed with goodies like okra, bacon and cheese (http://budgetpantry.com/stuffed-portobello-mushrooms/) and have it with tomatoes, leafy greens and even an open face chicken sandwich with egg.

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What do YOU pack in your lunchbox? Share your quick, easy and healthy lunch ideas with me!

I guess now is the time for the big reveal: I am pregnant! After more than 24 weeks in my tummy, “Chua Bee Bee” is now 30cm long and weighs 700g. Yes I am 6 MONTHS pregnant! I am amazed that I managed to keep quiet all this time. Here’s what our cutie pie looks like during the detailed scan one month ago:

Some background on the nickname “Chua Bee Bee” … when Aegon and Cara were born, I told my brothers and sisters-in-law that Singaporean babies MUST HAVE dialect names. So they all “forced” me to name my baby Chua Bee Bee! They say must have Chua Bee Bee in the baby’s birth cert regardless of whether it’s a boy or girl because “you ownself say one, must preserve our heritage”! I actually think this name is super cute! Cara even sang a song about Chua Bee Bee many moons before I was pregnant (I hope this video loads on your phone! It definitely works on laptop/desktop):

How adorable is my niece? And so, the nickname has stuck. This post is the first of my pregnancy series. If you’re interested in baby stories and ultrasound scans, welcome to my baby world!

Testing postive
We started trying for a baby after coming back from Japan. A few days leading up to the date of my last period, I experienced the usual cramps. And even as my period was late for three days, I told Jason it was highly likely that we didn’t make it because the cramps were exactly the same as period cramps. But I was still dying to know. I tested the next morning with Guardian house-brand test kits and saw nothing on the “pregnant or not” window. I was already two days late – there was no reason for the kit not to pick up even the tiniest amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone produced after implantation, IF I was pregnant. So I left it as that.

The period still didn’t start. I went through another two test sticks and it still showed nothing. Negative. Zilch. Finally, on 4 September, I tested with Clearblue digital which dated me as 1-2 weeks based on HCG levels.

Instead of feeling happy, I felt fear. Clearblue digital works by measuring HCG levels that should increase as your pregnancy progresses, and then “slots” you into the range of 1-2 weeks, 2-3 weeks or 3 weeks+. For Clearblue digital to show me as 1-2 weeks when I should have been 2-3 only meant that my HCG levels were low. This meant two things: 1) I ovulated late and I was indeed 1-2 weeks from conception; and 2) My levels hasn’t been increasing significantly since last week.

To be continued……

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p/s – remember this photo when I said we were on the way to Emporium Shokuhin? We were actually only going there AFTER going to Dr Koh’s (I go to Dr C.H. Koh at Toa Payoh) clinic to see Chua Bee Bee’s for the second time! :) We heard the heartbeat two weeks ago when the baby was merely 1mm big! Can’t believe the little cutie pie is more than 30cm now!

Although I am wayyyy less stressed than I was before week 20, the reality has sunk in that I HAVE NO CLUE about this whole mom business… which means it’s an ENTIRELY different form of stress from here on out.

If you have first-time mom tips or recommendations of baby products, please let me know! There’s so many different brands of diapers, baby detergent, cleansing liquid, sterilizers, milk bottles, pacifiers OF VARYING prices and styles that I don’t even know where to start. And it’s just three more months to go!

In the mean time, I will be posting ultrasound pictures and more updates very soon. Follow me on my Facebook page to get notified!

I love vegetables, especially when they’re simply steamed or blanched in water without any seasonings. The husband doesn’t share the same love so this stir fried dou miao dish is perfect for him.

I had some leftover Taiwan sausage in the fridge (yes I buy processed food too!) and sliced them up to add to the dish hoping that someone else would eat it. Although Taiwan sausage is delicious, I really recommend adding sliced chicken fillet strips (or pacific clams!) instead :)

The thing about stir frying vegetables is that it can become limp if you add too much seasonings like soy sauce or oyster sauce, and I’m not a fan of soggy vegetables (cooked-to-death napa cabbage and fishballs soup is another matter altogether. I LOVE IT!). My vegetables must be stir fried on high heat and remain bright and crunchy from wok to plate. Just a little bit of seasoning is enough. Really, vegetables give out water on their own and drowning them in even more liquid will make it a soggy mess. My choice of seasonings for stir fried vegetables are mushroom granules, XO sauce or a light sprinkle of fish sauce and Chinese cooking wine.

This is the mushroom granules that I use and I get a whole big packet from Sheng Siong:

What’s your favourite way to eat vegetables? Can you accept eating them without any condiments or dressing and simply steamed or blanched?

The first scan (Week 4)
Because of the earlier surgery to remove 7 cysts and a fibroid from my ovaries, Dr Koh had told me to see him once I tested positive and not wait till week 6 (as you usually would). Some of you have asked back then to see the cysts, for what reason I dunno but here, your wish is granted:

***WARNING***

*****GRAPHIC IMAGE*****

**************READY?**************

*************************************

Yes, there’s hair, bones and fat! If you google ovarian cysts, you will find some which even have teeth. The type of cysts that I had – dermoid cysts – are usually benign and originate from leftover cells at birth. Dr Koh did a keyhole surgery to remove them. He made three incisions: one on the right, one on the left and one in my belly button. The scars are nothing – all are less than 1cm long.

And so. I went for my first appointment alone. Jason asked if he should come but I told him that’s ok because I thought that it was just to confirm my pregnancy. I was supposed to be 5 weeks that day and according to Google, we should have been able to see at least a gestational sac then. Dr Koh did a vaginal scan as I was so early, but my womb was empty.

He told me he was seeing thickening of the uterine walls which signals very early pregnancy, but also said there was clearly no gestational sac – yet.

The next step was to take a blood test to check HCG levels. “If the HCG levels are below a certain number,” he said, “We won’t see anything in the womb yet.” Dr Koh promised to call two days later to tell me the results. In the two days, Google was my best friend (bad choice). I started looking up “ectopic pregnancy”, because that’s when the baby is growing somewhere else other than in your womb. I also looked up “low HCG levels” (don’t do it) which later led to be googling “falling HCG levels”, which turned out to be a REALLY BAD decision. Dr Koh called me two days later right after his consultation hours. My levels were at 763 – still very early. There’s hope! He told me not to worry and see him again after a week. I opted to see him after 10 days instead to give Chua Bee Bee more time to grow. Dr Koh put me on progesterone every morning.

The second scan (Week 5)
By now I would have technically been in week 6-7. With fear and anticipation (and prayers on repeated mode), Jason and I went to the clinic for our follow-up scan. Dr Koh placed his scanner on my tummy, waved it around and two seconds later.. his face lit up. “Beautiful!” he said. A gestational sac had formed! I had REALLY ovulated late, and I was about week 5. “Let’s try to hear the heartbeat,” Dr Koh said. A WHAT? You can’t even see the embryo on the abdominal scan! We did a trans-vaginal scan and here’s we saw:

A yolk sac and a floating embryo by the other side, followed by what Dr Koh described as the “national anthem”. Can you imagine that our tiny 1mm embryo had a heartbeat? I was mind-blown. And we could hear the “pom, pom, pom” loud and clear. Dr Koh said the heartbeat for embryos is relatively slower at this stage, but two weeks later, it will be doubly fast, around 170+. Dr Koh upped my progesterone dosage to twice a day, morning and night.

The third scan (Week 7)
I was constantly asking Jason, “Chua Bee Bee you grow ma?” He assured me every time, and how right he was – the little bub had grown from 1mm to 16.4mm in two weeks! The heartbeat had more than doubled to around 170. By now, we could see a defined shape even with an abdominal scan:

I was so relieved that my pregnancy wasn’t ectopic, that a sac had formed, that we were lucky enough to see and hear the baby’s heartbeat!

The fourth scan (Week 10)
Our little baby bub is continuing to grow by leaps and bounds! From 1.64cm to 3.4cm in two weeks. And to think a month ago, it was barely 0.1cm. Chua Bee Bee appeared to be covering his or her ears in this scan:

What a cutie pie! Dr Koh said Chua Bee Bee measured about 10 weeks 1 day, which is right on track. I was scheduled to take a test to assess my risk for pre-eclampsia next week. We also decided to take the Harmony Test to assess our baby’s risk of Down Syndrome plus know the gender. To know why I chose to take the Harmony Test instead of the more popular OSCAR, please read my next post.

And this was what (my face) looked like around that time. I was 2 months pregnant (October 2015) and can’t really tell.

I love this series with little Cara. She looks like an angel in these pics but we actually call her Xiao Lian. She also recently starred in a home made video singing the self-created song ‘wo bu shi siao char bor!’ Tsk tsk 年纪小小 already in denial.

See this damn funny she with Jason lololol.

The fifth scan (Week 12 detailed scan)
For this scan, we reported to Thomson Medical Centre’s Fetal Assessment Unit. I did two types of scans here: measurements of my baby and to assess my risk of pre-eclampsia. For the pre-eclampsia screening, the nurse first took my blood pressure – a number of timed-readings over 5-10 minutes, on both arms. After that, I waited to scan for blood flow to the baby along with its measurements (baby grew again from 3.4 cm to 5.84 cm), then followed by a blood test. For the baby scan, this was the first time I could see my baby up close and for such a long time! At the doctor’s clinic, the scans were over in less than five minutes, but here, I had the luxury of looking at Chua Bee Bee zoomed in for 20 minutes. Wow! Looking more and more like a baby instead of some… shape on the ultrasound :)

Two of the many measurements taken were that of the nasal bone length and nuchal translucency (a collection of fluid under the skin at the back of the baby’s neck). A short nasal bone length and thick neck fluid COULD signal Down Syndrome. I didn’t want to ask the sonographer a lot of questions because I knew they had some kind of constraints, but she said my baby was “very active”, measurements appeared normal and that my doctor will let me know more.

My bump at 3 months! Sorry I don’t have those pretty side bump photos until after 24 weeks cos I was getting really self conscious with the amount of weight I was putting on!

And so the waiting continued… I REALLY pray for a safe and healthy pregnancy!

Previous post:
Pregnancy: The big reveal!

Who loves Japchae? Me me me! Japchae is a Korean dish made of sweet potato noodles, mixed vegetables, beef (sometimes) and flavoured traditionally with soy sauce and sugar. The sweet potato noodles are QQ, chewy and transparent. They look kinda like glass vermicelli but are rounder and thicker – more satisfying as a main dish and not as heavy as noodles or pasta. I love it!

When I was still ingesting carbs freely, I often ordered Japchae at Korean stalls in food courts (West Mall’s foodcourt has a Korean stall with yummy food but the attitude of the Korean woman is another matter altogether). I loved it so much that I’ve starting cooking this at home. BEST DECISION EVER. This homemade version is so yummy and easy to make!

When talking to a Korean ex-colleague about Japchae, she told me that traditionally, all the ingredients like carrots, mushrooms, spinach, onions and meat are fried individually, removed from the pan, then combined BY HAND with the noodles later (yes mix the noodles and ingredients together with your hands). As in, fry the carrots, dish up, fry the meat, dish up, fry the onions, dish up, fry the spinach, dish up…… Knowing me, this won’t happen in my kitchen. I do a quick stir fry of all the ingredients then toss them with the noodles at the end. I just don’t think it makes a difference.

For this recipe, I used thinly sliced pork collar instead of beef, but it’s your preference. I got the shabu shabu style pork collar that is frequently used for steamboat and sliced them further into smaller pieces. I think the texture goes wonderfully with Japchae. The seasonings are really simple – traditionally just soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil, but I like to add some mirin as it creates a lusher, glossier and more savoury texture, if you know what I mean. If using mirin, reduce the sugar. I also didn’t have spinach so I left it out, but it’ll be best if you add some.

This is one of the tastiest and easiest recipe on the blog. My ‘no carbs’ rule can wait!

(This pic is so stereotypical.. I’m going to paint my nursery mint or turquoise regardless of whether my baby is a girl or boy!)

The second trimester (Week 13)

I read that pregnancy symptoms reduce drastically in the second trimester and it is true. I got my energy back! I also got back the results of my Harmony test, which screens for the risks of chromosomal abnormality trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) and trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome).

And if you’re interested, here’s a link to Understanding Genetics, which really answered my questions about Down syndrome in general.

Many mums whom I’ve talked to said it was “unnecessary” for me to go for the Harmony test (accuracy of 99.99%) instead of the more common OSCAR screening (accuracy of 90%) as it is much more expensive (about $1000 – $1200). Most of their doctors tell them to go for the OSCAR test, and if the results are no good (there are many reported cases of false positives), to then take the Harmony test to confirm. I don’t agree – I mean, great if your results are low risk but what if you get a high risk result and you don’t even know if that result is accurate? And it’s another 2-3 weeks of worry as you wait for your Harmony test result. The anxiety that you’ll experience is not worth it. Nobody should have to go through it.

What Chua Bee Bee looked like at 12 weeks!

My Harmony test was done at Dr Koh’s clinic at around Week 12. 6 tubes of blood were drawn and dispatched to the USA on the same day. The expected waiting period was about two weeks. And because I have fat arms, I always have a problem drawing blood. The senior nurse (she’s really aunty and many say she has a bad attitude but to me she’s just a bit kan cheong… and she’s actually very kind) is so experienced… imagine where she took my blood from? No, not from the back of my palm as the veins there are too small to draw 6 tubes of blood. She drew the blood from….. my wrist! OMG I was mindblown.

Harmony test results (Week 14)

I remember I was at work when I got a call from the clinic. I was waiting for this phone call forever (although it was really only 9 days). “The results of your Harmony test is normal, extremely low risk,” said the senior nurse at the other end. RELIEF SWEPT OVER ME, and before I had a chance to react, she broke another news:

“Your baby’s gender is FEMALE.”

OMG CHUA BEE BEE IS A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *throws confetti*

I was convinced Chua Bee Bee’s going to be a boy because I saw how sharp her profile was at the 12 week detailed scan and thought to myself, ‘Looks like Jason’s facial structure!” And ok, also because of the Chinese Gender Predictor LOL. I pray for a healthy baby and her being a girl is a super bonus!

Pre-eclampsia + 12 week scan + Harmony test report (Week 15)

Dr Koh went through the results of my pre-elampsia risk test, 12 week scan and Harmony test with me. My risk of developing pre-eclampsia was 1:4381 (risk cut-off 1:200). The risk of fetal growth restriction (due to nutrients not reaching the baby, for example) was 1:1861 (risk cut-off 1:150). Levels were healthy and Chua Bee Bee’s measurements (10.1cm) were all on track and normal. She’s looking like a peanut here:

For the Harmony test, my risk level of all three chromosomal abnormalities was less than 1 in 10,000. Best news in forever!

From now on, our doctor’s visits will be once a month instead of the once every two weeks we’re familiar with. I was starting to develop a case of separation anxiety.

Next:
The 20-week anomaly scan

Previous post:
Pregnancy: The big reveal!
Pregnancy: The first trimester scans… I saw an empty womb on my first scan

If you think being on a low carb diet means you’d never eat shepherd’s pie again, you couldn’t be more wrong! I can’t lie. I love potatoes. I love them in any form – baked plain, topped with sour cream & bacon, as french fries, in stir-fries, mashed, anything. But when carb counting, you can’t eat all the potatoes you want. Luckily there’s something else for us fatties: cauliflower.

Cauliflower is one of the most versatile vegetables. If you think it can only be used for boring stir-fries, you need to give this a try. Mashed cauliflower in place of creamy mashed potatoes for shepherd’s pie? Yes it is possible! 100g of cauliflower = 5g carbs as compared to 100g potatoes which has 18g. That’s almost four times as much carbs which can be spent on something else!

To make the cauliflower mash, all you need is a boiling pot of water and a food processor or hand blender. Boil cauliflower till fork-tender, drain, then mash till smooth and creamy. I love cauliflower as it is, but I find it great with some cream cheese mixed in. Some people like to add butter but I’m not a fan. Just a sprinkle of salt and some cream cheese is all I want in my mashed cauliflower. For the filling, I used minced chicken but you can use beef or lamb. One ingredient you shouldn’t miss out is Worcestershire sauce. It makes a huge difference to taste which makes you come back for more. And that’s ok, it’s low-carb!

And finally, top with some grated mozzarella cheese and pop it into the oven or airfryer. Enjoy your low carb shepherd’s pie!