I am a big fan of Jamie Oliver, the famous English chef, not only for his unpretentious cooking style, but also his campaigns in promoting proper eating habits for kids as well as adults. In 2005, he signed up as a dinner lady in the School Dinner TV series to challenge the junk food culture in schools by showing them that they too can serve fresh nutritious food that kids can enjoy eating as well. He actively...

Do you know that childen’s song can be used as an effective and influential tool in promoting a healthy diet to toddlers? It may sound weird to some people, but it really worked for my son. “An apple a day keeps the doctor (x4), A-P-P-L-E” – is a song my son learnt from his playgroup that had successfully changed him from one who rejected apple into one who is now an avid...

This is one of the dishes I loved to cook since I started cooking for my family two years ago. It is because the method is so simple and doesn’t require any special cooking skill or experience. You can prepare everything in advance and easily impress everyone with your hot and steamy meat patties on the dining table. It is most suitable for both newbies and people looking for a simple yet nutritious...

  Since we first met till we got married, I have yet to see my hubby choosing salad as the main course for his meal.  I also didn’t really put much effort to convince him to try. I blindly accept the fact that it is not so easy to change an adult’s eating habit as compared to a kid’s. Until recently. that was my perception. Well,  now he loves salad!   When I told him that...

Colours don’t just make our food look more appealing but also play a vital role in a healthy diet. Thus, the more colours in our diet, the healthier we will be. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colours provide important vitamins, minerals, fibre and natural plant compounds known as, phytochemicals, that may help protect us from major diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Dr. David Heber,...

  Have you tried eating brown beehoon (brown rice vermicelli) before? If this is the first time you come across it, don’t be taken aback with the word “brown” and associate it with brown rice or whole wheat noodles. The one that I tried is totally different in term of flavor and texture. It is a product of Thailand (Star Lion brand – see photo below) which I bought from my local supermarket. I...

  Ever since I was a child, I perceive and express better through pictures instead of words. In scientific term, I am a right brain person. (No wonder I did badly in written essay in my school years. ) Now, whenever I search for recipes online, I am easily sold by impressive-looking photos. They motivate me to try the recipes out as soon as I can lay my hands on the ingredients. If you love to see beautiful...

  Two year ago, when I was just starting to cook for my family, a friend of mine made a strong recommendation that I visit Rasa Malaysia’s food blog for its recipes and cooking ideas. When I browsed thru her blog, I was very amazed by her stunning shots and high level of professionalism in food presentation, not to mention her cooking and baking skills. Since then, I had been following her blog closely...

  Lady finger (also known as okra) is a powerhouse of valuable nutrients, nearly half of which is soluble fiber in the form of gums and pectins. According to Ms Sylvia W. Zook, Ph.D. (nutritionist), this versatile vegetable has many important health benefits as belows: 1) stabilizes blood sugar level 2) binds cholesterol and bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver. 3) prevents constipation 4)...

It has been a while since I featured the step-by-step instructions on “how to make a smooth & springy fish paste”, and only recently have I found the time to make them again. With a few batches of fish paste stored in my freezer, I started browsing thru my collection of cookbooks to look for new fish paste recipes. Among them is a recipe I had tried that ended up with the most satisfying results.   It...