Product Review: Belvita Breakfast Biscuits

Oh my, has it been that long as I last posted a post? Where has all the time gone? Ah yes, to my rounded tummy!

The folks at Belvita via Nuffnang Product talk has kindly asked me to review their Breakfast Product- Belvita Breakfast Biscuits. I have to be honest to say that I hesitated- because I usually do not advocate eating biscuits for breakfast or any time of the day for that matter. It's a treat food after all. However, Belvita actually helped me through my morning sickness during my first trimester of this pregnancy.

Those days, I wasn't able to stomach most food first thing in the morning. The irony of it was that not having food actually makes the nausea (and the throwing up of bile!) worse. Munching one or two biscuits in the car also helped me to stop wanting to spew while driving.

While the sugar levels of this product isn't exactly the lowest- it is probably one of the lowest GI and lower carbs than other biscuits out there. It comes in a pack of 4- which means I will not over eat! I packed one for Hubby's snack and he usually have 2 for morning tea and 2 for afternoon tea.

My personal favourite is Honey & Nut with Choc Chips. However, there are a total of 5 variety to choose from, Cranberry, Milk and Cereal, Crunch Oats and Fruit and Fibre.

I do love that it has
- Fibre 2.9 grams (and we all know for pregger women out there, more fibre is good!)
- Packaged into 4 so we don't over eat
- Low GI
- Not too high in fat
- tasty!

It is recommended that you have it with milk or yogurt. While I generally do not do that, I do tend to have yogurt or cheese later in the day (my tummy can't take too much food at one go these days!).

This is a product review by Nuffnang, but not a sponsored paid post. :) However, I have received Belvita products for a chance to taste it further!

I will be back with more food posts! I made this awesome Flourless Apple Cake the other day that I really want to share!

Panfried Rice Rolls

There is a calm in my heart. A feeling of being contented by the simplicity that our lives have fulfilled over the past few months. I am now in the middle of my 2nd trimester, fast approaching 3rd, and woah has time passed fast.

I woke up one morning and told my hubby that the feeling of being close to him, incubating having a life in me seems almost perfect. I'm not sure why I was chasing so many things at once before anymore. I suppose this is Part 1 of nesting (part 2, I may start cleaning.. don't think I'm there yet!)

I have become a fan of our local libraries. I'm starting to feel better so I'm starting to take over the reins in the kitchen a little more (much to my hubby's relief- really, he should do a guest post one day of the wide eye worried look when he is in charge of dinners). We looked at investing in some 2nd hand items for our little one, and decide what we need new.

I'm reading more. Like heaps more- the way I was when I was a teenager. Except it is filled with parenting and baby books.. oh, and an odd romance here and there. Trying to do what I do not think I will have time to do when baby arrives.

As a couple, we discussed parenting styles, values and changes to our finances. I'm glad that we were well trained in our uni days to live on one income means I'm equipped with some skills on budgeting. So far we have...

- re looked at some of our previous love of mince.
- re look at our mortgage and bank cards
- libraries and more libraries
- shopped around for car, house and car insurance

I'm so proud of my hubby who is really the true bargainer of the family- any aunties should take tips on how smooth and calm he is when bargaining!

While I do not have many cravings, one thing I always go for are my childhood food groups. Yes, eating clean is not exactly the easiest thing to do at the moment but I manage. This was not one of my eating clean days :p I took the idea from Tigerfish though. Who nearly always give me a lightbulb moment on using the most simple kitchen ingredients and transforming them into something else.

Panfried Rice Rolls.

My childhood favourite- steamed usually with a dash of dark sweet sauce and sesame seeds. Not forgetting the chill. This version, means I fried it with some dried shrimps, chinese sausage and heaps of chives. Oh it was so good. So good that I licked my plate. I picked up fresh rice rolls from our local oriental stores.

Panfried Rice Rolls (serves 4-5)
1 packet of rice rolls 400 grams snipped into small bites
1/2 cup of dried shrimps washed
1 tablespoon of garlic
2 chinese sausage sliced
2 chili padi
2 tablespoon of caramel sauce
2 tablespoon of soy
1 tablespoon of hua tiau jiu (chinese cooking wine)
bunch of onion chives chopped roughly
pepper

serve with chill sambal if you have any.

Heat wok or pan really hot. Dry toast the shrimps. Set aside. Heat a tablespoon of oil and fry some garlic and chili. Add chinese sausage. Then toss the rice rolls with the sauces. Simmering for around 2-3 minutes. Add in dried shrimps and chives. Taste, season and serve with sambal chill.

Happy Easter ;) 

Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

Pregnancy made me slowed down. It's not a bad thing, it's just something I am not used to. I love my routine. I am the sort of person who fill my days and nights with activities- baking, cooking, meeting with friends, cleaning, catching up on whatsapp/skype, gym (and lots of gym!), researching for recipes, watching selected few of my favourite TV series, flipping through food or living magazines..... Yes, I'm the sort of person who believes in making use of every second.

So the hormones hit, and I have not spent as much time in the loo, the couch or my bed that I have EVER known for that matter. I  regretfully admit that I was one of those people who said... "Sleep is over rated". Now? Sleep is my best friend. Oh how I love sleep. 

They say that once our little miracle arrives, sleep will never exist. ever again. So perhaps it is not a bad thing that I'm sleeping like nothing these days. 

I cancelled commitments, reduced my gym time, increased my screen time and just rested. Then the whinging begins... why am I feeling this way, I was so active before, how come other women can do it but I can't? Why is it that work has started to feel tedious rather than enjoyable? And my weight! Argh, I'm feeling unattractive and clumsy. 

My poor husband. 

On the other hand, I cannot, simply cannot describe the joy I feel each time I feel the stronger kick/nudge, boxing stance that our little one has begin to move. Baby A (yes we think we have a name but it's not 100% sure yet so baby A shall be for the time being), seems to be a gymnast of some sort or perhaps just a healthy active little boy. Already he appears to responds to his daddy's "high 5s", and dislikes me bending forward... does that mean his little personality is developing? Or maybe just instincts. 

To thank my dearest husband for the ever patience, I got up from my couch one Sunday and actually baked a batch of cookies for him. The first sentence he said when he got home was "you moved!" It's a recipe that I spotted when we were at New York- at a bakery/dessert shop that we loved... It's called Spot Dessert Bar. This recipe features his favourite coconut and chocolate. I love the texture that the coconut provided and the crisp cookie bite that it gave.

Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies (makes around 80 cookies)

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1.5 cup desiccated coconut (toasted)

1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

1.5 cups of dark choc chips

Preheat Oven 180C. Line 4 baking trays with baking paper. 

Beat butter, sugars and salt together till fluffy. Then add eggs. 

Sift flour and baking powder in another bowl. Gradually flow the butter egg mixture to flour mixture till combined. Spoon tablespoon on baking tray, bake for 20-25 minutes till brown. 

Dear Baby

Dear baby,

The day that daddy and mummy found out that we were expecting you, we were so happily surprised that we jumped for joy. You see, daddy and mummy were once told that it could be difficult for us to have children. But God gave us a little miracle, and this little miracle is you.

You were still very tiny. But when you were week 6, you gave mummy a lot of new experiences. Something call nausea/morning sickness. Oh, and the burger craving? I bet you just needed that carbs and protein to build your nerves and cells. We saw you when you were only 7 weeks old in vitro, and saw your heartbeat. The feelings of relief washed over me. Then it's joy, and a slight increased in belief that you are going to be ok. 

By week 12, Mummy spent more time in the loo than she had ever before. Each time it happened, while it was awful, it also was an reassurance that perhaps hormones were doing its job to keep you safe and healthy. Oh, and a new found respect for all mums out there, especially working mums and mums with few kids having to juggle feeling sick and getting work done. Oh the exhaustion. Mummy wasn't able to cook as much as she loved to before.. and daddy fed her junk! But it's ok, he learned how to brew many kinds of soups later on which was nutritious and heart warming. 

I guess I was blessed with a very very understanding boss, who calmed me down when mummy was crying in her office as I was afraid I was not able to do my work properly and have you at the same time. Blame it on hormones, but it was my first taste of the feeling that my identity is going to change. Thankfully, the feeling of sickness passed and I was able to continue to do my best and help other families out there. 

The highlight is our most recent scan. Mummy and Daddy were really excited because we found out that you are... a BOY! We are having a son. How exciting! Much as Mummy love pink and purple cute girl clothing, Mummy is sure we can find you some adorable items as well. 

So baby. You are well loved. Thank you for reminding me how well you are growing with your little kicks, hand gestures and nudges-sorry that I'm not sure which is which yet. Yes, we appreciate it even MORE of all the little things and how such a miracle you are. You are a blessing and a gift. Hopefully, as parents we will be able to grow your potential. 

Love,

Your mummy. 

Ps- I'm so sorry that I have been out of action lately... But I have started cooking again and will return with some posts ;)

xx

Nonya Chicken Curry

I have grown to really like Poh's Kitchen. I like how she showcase the beauty of Malaysian and Chinese food to Australia. I like how ABC has all her shows on internet TV (means I can watch it anytime!)

It is also one of the most tedious curries I have made. Woah, the steps! It is actually very easy, but it does takes patience. I took a few short cuts-such as using ground spices instead of whole. Simply because I have some ground spices on hand and that I didn't want to purchase new whole spices again.

If you are wondering... why am I serving this with Thosai- wrong curry! I had a friend came over to teach me how to make thosai on the day I made the curry! oops. Oh well, I learned how to flip thosai (FINALLY!)


At least the curry was good.

Nonya Chicken Curry

Rempah/Spice Paste
• 3 tbs coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp fennel powder 

• 15 dried chillies, deseeded, soaked in hot water, drained and chopped
• 270g red eschallots, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 20g belachan, toasted* (place it in the oven with foil for 5-10 minutes till it becomes crumby) 
• 25g fresh turmeric root

• 3 tbs coconut cream
• 6 - 7 sprigs of curry leaves
• 4 tbs veg oil

• 1 star anise
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 kg chicken thigh fillets
• 3 potatoes peeled and chopped 
• 4-5 birds eye chillies, de-seeded and halved lengthways
• 400ml coconut milk
• 1 tbs salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 100ml coconut cream

1) Toast the ground spices

2) To make the rempah, Slowy grind the shallots, dried chill, garlic, belachan, turmeric root together. Add the spices as well.

3) Heat oil in pot. Sizzle star anise, cloves and cinnamon stick. Add the rempah. Cook it till it smells wonderful and the oil seems to have separated.Add a little coconut milk to make into a gravy. 

4) Add chicken, potatoes and the rest of the coconut milk. Cover and simmer.

5) Taste and add seasoning. Slowly add in coconut cream. Then add the chopped birds eye chills. 

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! xx 

I'm submitting my post to Aspiring Bakers #28: Chicken Feast (February 2013) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker. I have always wanted to join in and this is my chance!!!!

Bacon Egg Breakfast Wrap

I was watching my colleague having her breakfast one morning. It was a very expensive $15 breakfast wrap. One that she was not very impressed with. Searching for a quick sunday lunch idea, I thought of making a similar version at home.

We do our weekly shopping at Subiaco Station Street Markets. More recently, there was an addition of a travelling butcher from down south. Organic, grass fed and free range meats fresh from the farm! How cool is that. We bought a packet of bacon there for $15- huge! and honestly, once we went organic and grass fed meats, it is hard to go back.

Grilling some bacon, an egg and fresh tomato on hand, I wrapped all the goodies up with some cheese, and drizzle with some mayo and bbq sauce. I had mine "naked" without the wrap and loved it nevertheless.

Bacon Egg Breakfast Wrap 
2 slices of free range wood smoked bacon- grilled
2 eggs fried
1 tomato sliced
2-3 slivers of cheddar cheese
drizzle of mayo and bbq sauce
2 tortilla wraps

Wrapped it all up. Place under the toasted for a few minutes. Enjoy a quick and easy breakfast/brunch/lunch!

Summer Lemon Limenade

This actually isn't my recipe. It's my hubby. We were hosting a bbq lunch one afternoon and he came out with a drink. Well, actually, it was because our friends gave us a HUGE bag of lemons and we have to use it all up pretty soon.

I love the mix of lime and lemon plus the carbonated feel of the soda water. Thankfully, we bought one without sugar so really, it's just gas and water. Shessh. We used honey to sweeten the drink.

Summer Lemon Limenade 
2 lemons juiced
1 lemon sliced
4 limes juiced
1 lime sliced
1 litre of soda water
3 tablespoon of honey diluted with a little warm water
Ice
some water

Mix all up. Drink!

To everyone who celebrate Chinese New Year- Happy Happy Year ahead for everyone with blessings and prosperity!