Hip Hip HooRay! It's Asher's Birthday and My blog moving day!

I'm moving! After many years of being on this platform, I decided to take a plunge and move to my own website. Please follow me on my new journey on

www.wordsthatnourish.com

I will continue to keep this site but I will be posting on the new website from now on.

A little note: I choose this day to officially announce the move because 1 year ago today, I gave birth to our little miracle son. I'm not sure where all the time went but it has been a fabulous year. I thought it would be appropriate to commemorate the birth of my new site on the same day that my son was born as well.

Crispy Waffles with Berries Compote

People are often curious about what I do in my day. Given that I'm not working, there is an assumption that I'm the boss of my own time. To a certain extent, I like the freedom of being a little flexible. Tradesman needing to come to the house? Yup, I can arrange that. Parcel collection from the post isn't in the too hard basket when I can pop to the shops during the day. Arranging a play date on a week day? That can be done.

There are certainly advantages of being at home.

There is a scene in Sarah Jessica Parker's movie "I don't know how she does it"- where she played a business woman, juggling between motherhood and career. At night, there is a list of things in her head that she would go through like the end credits of a movie.

I could totally identify with that.

If I am lucky:

7am: Asher and I wake
7-7:30am- Wash up, I change into my day clothes and put some make up on (note to self- if I don't do it then, I find that I won't have the chance to do it any time after), change his diaper, prepare breakfasts for both of us
8:15am- Clothes change for him
8:30am-10am- Play time for Asher and me. We read, sing songs, dance, play chasey, hide and seek, stretches, swimming lesson..etc. I might also ring my dad or someone overseas then. More than often, I would squeeze in some housework such as clearing breakfasts, prep work for dinner, tidying around the house, clear the dishwasher, head out to do some groceries with him......
10-11:30am- Milk time and Asher's nap time. Now, this gets tricky. On a good day, he sleeps in his cot by himself. I have better luck on my bed with heaps of cushions and pillows. Lucky for us, our carpets are thick and I'm close by to make sure he doesn't fall. Some days, he wants me to hold him. If that happens, I just enjoy cuddle time. I don't give up putting him down though but he may need resettling. If he sleeps, I get to vacuum and mop the floor,  prep dinner, bake something, pack the bag, clean the toilets,
11:30am- He wakes. Has a drink of water. Plays by himself while I prepare lunch for him and myself.
12ish- Lunch time.
12:30-3pm- That depends. Could be gymbaroo, play dates, outing somewhere. I would squeeze in more housework like bringing clothes in, folding clothes, putting them away. Really try cooking dinner!
3-4ishpm- Milk time Nap time. Same deal above.
4ish- Light snack. If I have no chance to prepare dinner above, prepare dinner now!
5pm- Husband comes home!
Depending on which day- I'm off to the gym and arrives home at 6ish.
5-5:45pm- Asher and daddy goes out for a walk
6+pm- Dinner time for Asher.
7pm- Bath time or shower for Asher and hopefully for me too.
7:30pm- BED TIME for him. Dinner time for us.
8ish- bed time: Clean up the kitchen, have a chat with hubby about his day, read, blog, prepare for the next day. Write a list...

Fun begins then
Anytime between 10am- 7am: Asher might wake 2-3 times. He is getting better now and usually only wakes once a night at 3 or 4 am for a feed. Then he sleeps till 6 or 7am. Not bad hey! Previously, he would wake every 3-4 hours and require settling from us. Asher is also sleeping in his own room.

Notice that I have "prepare for dinner" a few times during the day? Well, I have to be flexible from time to time. There are days where I can't get to dinner prep work till 4pm because Asher is clingy or feeling unwell, or we have been out the whole day. Other days, I might start making chinese slow cooked soup late morning. There are also commitments that I fit in like mothers group, play dates and errands.

On top of that, I'm in charge of Hubby's breakfasts, Asher's meals..etc and you guys know I like knowing what I put in my foods so I tend to make as many snack or meal from scratch. In our family, I'm usually in charge of organising presents, groceries list, food budgeting costs, social interactions and keeping in contact with extended family members.

One of the things I enjoy doing is arranging play dates with other mums. It's so lovely to see the children play together. I noticed that Asher learns from other children. He observes them and later in the day, he would try the skill out. It's also a chance for me to learn from other mums. Lovely since my immediate family is overseas.

I love it all though. I have my days where I go "what did I REALLY do the whole day?" and would come up blank. Other days, I feel productive and have baked like 2 items, cooked dinner AND manage to spend quality time with Asher and hubby. Oh and the house looked decently clean.

Other days, hubby comes home and dinner could be cooking, but the house is messy and I feel like screaming. Remember that I have no extended family help so we are mostly on our own. I can't run out to the shops by himself or head to wherever I want whenever I want. I have to make sure it's not Asher's nap time, or clashes with hubby's schedule or any other commitments we have. Looking at the list, it almost sounds SO simple but it is honestly a juggling act.

All fun and games right?

On a long weekend, or if hubby is working from home though, I try to put in extra effort to make us breakfasts. I made these waffles one morning and they are definitely a keeper.

Crispy Waffles with Berries Compote 
1 cup of almond meal
1/2 cup of arrowroot flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoons of coconut sugar
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1/2 cup of Almond milk
1 tsp of lemon juice.

Preheat waffle iron. Place almond meal, arrowroot, baking powder and coconut sugar in a bowl. Whisk all wet ingredients together and fold it into dry. Spoon into waffle iron and make waffles!

Meanwhile
1 cup of mixed berries
1 tsp of honey

Place everything in a saucepan and warm it up.

EAT a nice healthy breakfast. This has arrowroot which is a starch so this is not an everyday breakfast if you are watching your starch intake. However, we love it and will have it from time to time.

One Pot Chili

A blink of an eye and my little boy is now 10 months. Where did all the time go? I was cradling him in my arms in the hospital, and now he is on the move! Chasing me with his fast commando crawling/creeping and pulling himself up on the coffee table.

Parenthood never fails to amaze me. It totally tested my patience and endurance. It rekindled my love for coffee (even more so). It reminded me to be mindful and use my senses (after all, to a baby, everything is new). It showed me what unconditional love is. It demonstrated to me kindness and forgiveness. A baby (almost) always forgives.

I documented games we played when he was not even 6 months young. Now that he is four months older, I thought I might update the list.

- Chasey. He crawl and chase after me while I do the same to him.
- Tickling
- Songs and even more dancing. Asher really enjoys me singing to him.
- Reading and more reading.
- Puppet conversations
- Rolling a ball. Not necessary we rolling to each other. Sometimes, I roll the ball around him, or I bounce a ball in front of him.
- Using a tennis ball, brush or a feather to massage him.
- Obstacle courses. I use cushions and different objects to make it difficult to crawl to me.

Food wise?
- He is taking 3 meals a day and most often 1-2 snacks.
- He is eating lamb, beef, chicken, fish, quinoa, congee, and all sorts of vegetables. I still have to blend them but they are of a thicker texture.

- I have started using herbs like basil and dill and also spices such as cinnamon and non-spicy curry powder in some of his food. Surprisingly, he likes it!
- Finger foods of apples, cucumber, bread, rice cakes, plums and bananas.

I'm starting to think of different ideas for his snacks and cooking meals suitable for us as a family.

This recipe, was one of my experimentation. As I made this batch up, I thought to myself that it could suit Asher in the future. Perhaps without the chill but the paprika or just cumin might be suitable.

One Pot Chili (serves 4)
1 chopped red onion
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 red chill chopped
400 grams lean organic grass fed beef mince
1 tinned of diced tomatoes
1/2 tin of chickpeas or beans of your choice
1 tsp of tomato paste
2 tsp of paprika
1 tsp of cumin
1/4 cup of water or stock

To serve with: Avocado Tomato Salsa and a little parmesan cheese.

Saute garlic and onion. Brown mince. Add all other ingredients and simmer for a good 20-25 minutes. Pepper and salt to taste. Serve with salsa and cheese.

Turkey Open Burger with Chargrilled Pineapple and Avocado Cream

When a packet of turkey mince came on sale, I could not resist that $3 price tag for 500 grams. It's fresh AND free range. Coming home though, I decided to pair it with something expensive... an avocado that costs the same price as the mince itself!

Avocados has come down in price a little since then but boy oh boy was an avocado precious when it was going for $3 or $4 per fruit. I came to realise how much our family love this. We baked it with eggs, we have it for breakfasts or in salads.

Anyway, I think the winner of this dish was the pineapple and avocado combination. That citrus tang from the pineapple and creaminess of the avocado with turkey seems to work.

Asher has started finger foods too and this is perfect for him to hold and munch on. I usually leave out the salt for his portion. Messy too!

Turkey Open Burger with Chargrilled Pineapple and Avocado Cream 
500 grams turkey mince
1 onion chopped
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp italian herbs
salt and pepper
egg

1/2 a pineapple sliced thinly and char grilled

1 avocado and 2 tablespoon of greek yogurt blitz in a food processor

To make the turkey burgers, combine all ingredients and shape them in patties.

Heat a pan up with oil and fry the patties up. Meanwhile, prepare avocado cream. Char grill the pine apples if you have not done so. Assemble and eat!

Extension of Time- Our 5th Wedding Anniversary

Has it been 5 years?

5 years since we said our vows.

5 years since we held our epic 3 weddings across 3 countries in 2 weeks?

I chose to write this post a little later because... I have to pause. To take it in. While we signed our papers on the 24th April, we maintained that we celebrate our anniversary on the 1st May- simply because it's where our traditional ceremony and church wedding took place. Truth be told though, that we just pick the date when we can take time together so it changes every where when we "celebrate" it.

5 years later, we learned a few things. The biggest change this year, is of course the arrival of our son Asher. You could say that between year 4-5 of our marriage, we have to grow quickly. We learned how having a child can strengthen and provide challenges to a marriage. We learned about our weaknesses and vulnerabilities even more. We also learn how to make us a "family".

Time will always be our biggest challenge. You would think me being at home means more time (ah, maybe I should document what I do at home one day in a post!), but in actual fact, it means as a couple we can lead even more separate lives than ever. Hubby works, wife looks after the house and baby- when we come together, we talk about our day and what happened.  However, it is very very challenging to sit and have long conversations about our plans and feelings. When we do sit down in the evening, it would be the night when Asher's teeth will bother him, or he decides that he needs more settling than usual to sleep.

So we have to learn to adapt. We take long walks with Asher in the evening for around 2-3 times a week. Not only do we get to exercise, but we relish in catching up about what we have been thinking about. As a wife, I make a mental note to really listen to what's happening at his work. Yes, I may not be working now, but that does not mean my husband working life isn't important to me. I listened to his concerns and his excitement (even in computer lingo). I told myself to take in the moment and enjoy being with my husband rather than to make mental lists in my head on what to do next.

We decided that on weekends, we will have at least one family lunch outside of the home. It's really lovely to be able to explore cafes and new places to eat. That is one thing hubby and I love doing pre baby and we decided this is one thing that needs to be continued post baby as well. Preparation is everything of course, but thankfully, Asher loves his food and usually can be entertained with his own toys and rusks for 20-30 minutes while we enjoy a meal together.

I also learned about myself. I learned that I want my hubby to love me first. This may sound selfish as of course I want him to love our little boy. But sometimes, I would prefer him to look after me. It's so easy to fall down the trap of having the focus all on Asher, than it is nice when he offered me a back rub or to cook me dinner. It took a while for the both of us to realised that we have to look after each other while we look after Asher.

Which also means my hubby wants me to love him first. It's hard and I do forget, but what happened to "how was your day" when he walked in the door? Instead, I bombard him with what happened to Asher's day. Even if I do that, I try to stop myself and make a note to really be there and listen to him. I started making different sorts of breakfasts and snacks for him so that when he wakes up, everything is done. He just need to grab his lunch and snacks, and heat up his breakfasts. It's funny but men does liked to be looked after in little ways like this. I try to take over some things he usually does so that he can have stress free time with Asher over the weekends.

We set little traditions as a family. Day trips, long car rides, or just simply chilling at home over home made banana berries ice cream. We realised that even after 5 years, it is those small things that we treasure. We have God first, then us, then Asher. It is the HARDEST prioritising thing we have done and still is trying to tweak and do. I suspect this is one of those things that we have to keep a pulse on.

Last year I wrote about spending time together. This year, it extends further than that. This year, it is about how we put each other ahead of being parents. One that we continue to strive and do.

Happy Anniversary my dear hubby- I'm in awe that we have spent the last 5 years together married. Five amazing ups and downs years. 5 years today, we held our traditional wedding ceremony. 5 years ago, we prayed that we will remember this day. We are here now and more to come.

Pecan Banana Bread

One of my favourite things to do is to bake. I simply love the warm comforting smell and taste coming out of the oven and diffusing to the whole house. There is something about baking that helps me to process the day, and even makes me feel a little better if I'm feeling sad, tired or down.

I wrote about my ambivalence about returning to work or staying at home.  I think at the end of the day, it's about what fits for your family and you. I count my blessings that I have a choice. My mum for instance, did not have a choice and had to return to work when I was 3 months young. Again, I'm one of those blessed kids that was surrounded by many loving family members- including my maternal grandmother whom I'm very very close to.

It's a little strange that I am in this position. I remembered that when I was younger, I thought that I will definitely stay at home. I love my mum and she is a strong independent woman who is a fantastic had working role model. But I also recall times when I wished she is at home. Perhaps that is why, I thought that when I am a mum, that decision will come easily to me.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying paid employment. I work in the area of psychology and am very pleased that I am able to reach out to others. It is what God has directed me to do and I have accepted this gift with both hands. But what happens when God bless you with another gift- a gift of life where you can stay at home and nurture a life at the same time?

I'm a big believer of being attune to your child and respond to his needs. As he grows bigger, I believe I will put him in day care anyway for social interaction with adults and children. Having little immediate family around, I do think it is important to expose him to other activities and children besides the games and classes we attend together. It's finding the balance as we go along I think that could be challenging.

My answer is this- I'm going to pray and wait and see.  If a door opens and it is an opportunity that I know God has directed me to, I will go towards it.  However, if the door closes then, I know where I'm being lead to. I think returning to full time work will not be in the equation.

The hard bit for me, is to stay in the moment. To simply enjoy time with Asher and being a housewife. A role I am so proud to be.

This pecan banana bread is from a recipe that I adapted from a friend. Besides baking being therapeutic, it also makes my hubby happy. I wrote before that he wakes early in the morning to go to work, so that he can be home to be with our son in the evening (and for me to head to the gym). Pecan banana bread is a nutritious quick morning breakfast where he could toast eat and go.

And that makes me happy.

Pecan Banana Bread (12 serves)
4 bananas mashed
1/4 cup nut butter of your choice
2 tablespoons of honey
1/4 cup of coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp of vanilla paste
3 eggs
1/4 cup of pecan nuts crushed

handful of crushed pecan nuts

Preheat Oven 180C. Line baking loaf with baking paper.

Whisk honey,  banana, nut butter, vanilla and eggs together. In a separate bowl, place flour, nuts baking powder and soda. Pour wet to dry and fold. Spoon into baking tin. Sprinkle pecan pieces on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes till brown.

Carrot Spinach Salmon Congee - Asher's starting solids.

Most asian families introduce congee to their babies at an early age. It's comforting and filling. Most of all, congee absorbs nutrition from meat or fish through its stock.

We, however, waited a little. Asher started solids at around 5.5 months/6 months. His first food? Mashed up avocado with breast milk. I was surprised as he took to it so quickly. Then it was banana which he disliked (texture perhaps?) and apple which he also didn't like (too sour?). When we travelled back to KL/SG, he tasted sweet potato (japanese variety too! lucky baby), pumpkin, carrot, papaya, pear and....even durian! As his system got used to food, we decided to introduce congee to him at 7 months.

Why? Well, I truly believe that it is harder to digest rice and wheat than vegetables and fruits. For a delicate baby system, it just seems that the right time to introduce congee to him is when he is actually starting to enjoy his solids and ready for a bigger meal. His first congee was threadfin carrot and spinach and he ate it up real quick! I could tell he really enjoyed it.

At the moment, he has congee a few times a week. His favourite would be spinach and carrot with salmon- a combination that seems to work well. As for me? I'm just pleased that he is a good eater.

Carrot Spinach Salmon Congee (Serves 3)
handful of rice
1 bowl of water
100 grams chopped spinach
1/4 of grated carrot
50 grams of salmon

Placed rice and water into a rice cooker. Simmer and cook congee for 1 hour or so. About 20 minutes before serving, place spinach, carrot and salmon in porridge. Just before serving, mashed salmon up making sure there are no bones.

Tender Red Wine Beef Cheeks

I thought I might document the games I play with Asher at home while I can still remember. They grow too quick I think. Asher is already 5.5 months now and I'm counting my blessings that I'm home with him. Certainly there are days when I miss the intellectual side of work and freedom in doing things by myself but I still wouldn't ask for anything else but him.

In fact, I'm a little embarrassed that I have become one of those mums who gush about their child. Oh and wear gym clothes all day- they are comfy, dry quicker and looks good. Ha!

Back to baby games and activities...

"Aeroplane"- I placed him on my legs between ankle and knees and lift him to table top position with my back on the floor. It's another form of tummy time but I call him my little captain Asher and he fly to the left, right or crash on my tummy.

"Parachute"- Using cloths of different texture, I lift it up and let it float on his face. He loves this one and I reserve it for "cranky times"!

"what texture is this?"- As I fold clothes, I would rub some different texture cloths or items on his face. Terry towel, plain cotton, draw strings of a shorts..etc

"warm and cold"- I alternate between an ice-cube and a spoon that was dipped in warm water.

"Peek-a-boo"- Ahh.classic baby games. Sometimes I use the cushion, or hubby holds him while I hide behind the sofa/door.

"Let's fly up high"/"superman"- Lifting him up to the air and flying to different or things to the house. Superman is when he rests on my forearm and we fly to different rooms and places in the house.

"Dance"- haha, put on some music and we do a mummy and baby dance in our hall.

"Singing"- We do "this little piggy" or "incy which spider" up his body. He loves a good tickle!

"Do a good stretch"- I sing and stretch his hands and legs using "hokey pokey" or "How much do I love you...this much!"

"Boxing"- How can I not do this? We "box" or "high 5" using alternate hands and then we do a jiggle of the arms or a tickle. So it's "boxing boxing jiggle jiggle jiggle and then boxing boxing tickle tickle tickle".

"Upside down"- In a sitting position, I slide him forward, hold him by his thighs and hold him upside down. Or standing up, I cradle him across his shoulder and bum and put him upside down.

"Puppet"- I use several hand puppets and make silly noises or conversational speech with him.

"how many colours are there in a rainbow?"- I have several ribbons tied together. I tend to wave them around, front and back of him and on him and sing colours in my new inventive song (i invent a lot of songs including bath time songs..haha).

"Let's talk to the mirror"- He is so fascinated with the mirror. Sometimes, I stick him in front of one and we just look in the mirror. He talks to his own reflection and to mine. It's quite funny to watch.

"Jelly on a plate"- I place him across my thighs and jiggle around.

"Baby massage"- Some mornings I do a longer, 30 minutes massage on him. Other times, I choose to use a rhyme from Gymbaroo and he loves it!

Of course, the other activities I do with him are reading, talking to him, walking around our garden or surrounds, or simply just lying next to him while he does tummy time. I'm conscious as well that a child needs alone time to develop (supervised), so every morning and evening, I like to put him on his play gym and leave him there. It's actually quite interesting to watch him twist turn and explore his toys.

On other news, I have cut my hair to shoulder length. It's such a big thing for me as I always have relatively long hair. But it's getting unruly, untidy and falling out heaps :( I know it will get back to normal in time but I just thought it's time for a change.

This has been a strange summer for us in Perth. The weather has been really good except over the weekend when it reached 44C. Yes, we stayed in the air con for most of the weekend. We also had some chilly evenings as well. On one of my recent visits to the butcher, I spotted a pack of beef cheeks and thought I might give it a go in our pressure cooker. The result was amazing. Why have I not discovered this cut of meat before?

Tender Red Wine Beef Cheeks (serves 4)
1 kg of beef cheeks
1 red onion diced
1 tsp of garlic
2 cups of stock
1 cup of red wine
1 can of diced tomato
1 carrot sliced
3-4 bay leaves

Brown onions and garlic. Brown beef cheeks. Add in all liquid, carrots or mushrooms and bay leaves. Bring to a soft boil and place pressure cooker lid on. Cook for 30 minutes or so. Dig in with mash cauliflower.

Thai Larb Salad

Hello 2014! Truth be told, the year 2013 passed really quickly for me. I have not worked since mid June 2013, and it is as if time stopped when Asher arrived.

However, I felt that much has changed in our lives. Yes, having a baby means we rarely head out in the evenings. That is a positive thing as we took time to wind down, relax and get things organised for the next day. Yes, there are sacrifices that we made. We are much more conscious about expenditure and we eat out less. We try not to plan too many things through the day as that seem to make Asher more cranky.

Personally though, having a baby tested me big time. I love to be in control. Guess what, having a baby means I have to think this differently. Yes, things do not always get done- that's ok. It will get done another day. Asher needs me to get on the floor to play with him as soon as I can. I have to remind myself, a baby isn't a baby for long. He is going to grow and one day, I'm going to miss having this time with him. After all, it is a huge luxury to be home with him for the first year of his life.

Organisation. I have two nappy bags. A bigger one with everything in it- spare clothes for me, a small rattle/book toy, spare nappies, change of clothes for him, wet wipes, lip balm, tissues..etc. It's truly a mummy's bag. More often though, I travel with a smaller sling bag with the bigger bag in the car. That is also a change mat which makes my life so much easier when he decides to "go" in the car and there isn't a change room anywhere in sight.

Flexibility and time management. Asher is the most awake and alert in the morning and right after his nap. I try to time and plan any activity around that period of time. We have a routine, but we do not run on a tight schedule. Oh, and always leave 5-10 minutes earlier than what I think we need.

Relationship. This is an interesting one. As I'm home more often, hubby gets less stressed about needing to share his load of housework. Clothes are actually folded (more often), floors are clean. I try to do more while it is not always possible, so that when he is home, he gets more time with Asher. However, I certainly appreciate hubby even more when he hangs the clothes out before I wake up, and do the occasional vacuum! Not only that, we learn to speak to each other in a calmer manner. We argue less as the focus is us as a family-perhaps less as an individual. That is the biggest change. We think the big picture more. I love him more because I see all the smaller things he did before and all the sacrifices he has to made. Most of all, how much he adores Asher and us as a family.

 I thought I might start the new year with a fresh new recipe. It is thai inspired and packed full of flavours. It's also one of my "quick no fuss" meals to have handy for the week. Hubby recently started a herb garden so I'm looking forward to having fresh basil in our cooking very soon.

Thai Larb Salad (serves 4)
500 grams pork mince
1 tsp garlic
2 chili padi chopped
2-3 sprigs of spring onion chopped
1 red onion chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 capsicum chopped
3-4 button mushrooms chopped
1 tablespoon of soy
1 tablespoon of mirin
2-3 tablespoon of fish sauce
white pepper
2 tablespoon of pine nuts or cashew nuts

4 bunches of basil leaves

Cos lettuce to serve with.

Saute red onion, chill and garlic till done. Brown mince. Add all the vegetables with a splash of water if the mixture gets too dry. Add in all sauces and cool well. You can either toast pine nuts and add to it or add it in the pan straight up. Just before serving, add 2 bunches of basil leaves to the pan and toss through. The heat should wilt the leaves gently.

Serve on a bed of cos lettuce and more basil leaves.

Happy New Year 2014

Happy New Year!

Where did 2013 go? Last year this time, I was pregnant and suffered from very bad morning sickness. This year this time, we have Asher in our arms. Every year this time, I like to reflect on the year and focus on my goals for 2014.


Highlights 2013

-We travelled back to Singapore/KL in February and March. It was such a relaxing trip spending time with our family. We splurge and stayed in Marina Bay Sands.

- We celebrated our 4th year wedding anniversary at Bistro Guillaume with my big tummy.

- This is the longest period that I have not worked. I went on maternity leave in June in anticipation of Asher and took time to enjoy the period before he arrived. It was a time of reflection as I know life will never be the same again! A dear friend even threw me a baby shower!

- I spent 3 months with my family. What a treat. My mother, father and grandmother travelled from Singapore and stayed with us when Asher arrived. I was so spoilt by them. There is something about being around them that made me feel so looked after.

- My in laws came and fell in love with Asher.

- I turned 30! I spent the day relaxing with hubby and Asher, squeezed in a massage and even managed a boxing session in the afternoon.

- BIGGEST highlight. Asher arrived.

You see, there was once a time when I thought I may never be able to experience having a new born baby in my arms. I promised myself that if I do fall pregnant, I will take it as it comes. Yes, the morning sickness was bad, I gained heaps of weight, labour was handwork and the recovery wasn't pleasant. But I would do it all over again

- I have continued to eat healthier and ventured into the world of clean desserts!
- I have gained heaps of baby weight and lost pretty much of it.
- Learned how to brew soups and more Chinese meals from my grandmother.

As for my goals for 2013..

• Continue to eat clean food by using less processed ingredients and fresh ones. Checked! 
• Fulfil last year goal of making creme brûlée! I still have to find butene.......  NOT CHECKED! I still need to find butane... 
• Definitely more home styled asian dishes. I don't think I did enough last year. And if I can, make more kuehs! Oh, perhaps making bak kwa! Checked! I made Bak Kwa!!! I made Kueh, hand pulled noodles, Ginger Wine Chicken and I made Chinese drum lets! 
• Definitely more baking.  I did! And some more clean baking too. 
• Keeping it simple. Reduce commitments and learn how to breathe more Checked! Nothing like a baby that keeps life simpler. 
• Maybe looking at developing my blog further.  New layout and cleaner designer but more work needed for my directory of recipes. 
• Praying more with my hubby.  Ongoing!
• Embracing more life challenges and excitement in 2013! Asher was my hint. Checked! 

My goals for 2014 
- Continue to create and experiment clean desserts and meals.
- Make that cream brûlée!
- Getting my fitness back on track.
-Make baby food...
- Not sweat the small stuff as much
- Travel back and see my family even more.
- Stay in the moment more. Babies grow up too fast.
- Thank God every day for our blessed family.
- blog more often!

Wishing everyone a fantastic New Year! Make 2014 better than 2013! 

Peppermint Patties

Has it been a good Christmas for you? It certainly has for us. We started the day with church- Lasted 2 carols before I went into the cry room with cranky Asher. We had a lovely lunch with family members and just chilled for the afternoon. Presents were opened through the day rather than in one sitting. I promptly stored away some of Asher's toys for future use and let him enjoyed some of his new rattles and smaller items. Looking at the photos, he is one blessed baby!

I'm a little behind in my posting but I figured out better late than never. Every year around Christmas, I have the urge to make sweets. Maybe it's the season, but I feel that it just calls for something sweet to end the day with. I have been really good lately and am very close to gaining back my pre-pregnancy weight, and so have been experimenting with healthy sweets.

Speaking of which, it does feels good having my strength back. I'm not 100% back yet but just feeling more like myself is great and very close to where I was. You know how they say breastfeeding helps with weight lost? Well, it kinda did nothing for me until I start exercising. I mentioned this before but this experience has taught me to appreciate my body and read myself better.

Back to this little treat. My husband LOVES coconut. I wasn't a coconut lover before but is now a convert. I stumbled to this blog and found a treat that he loves in a much healthier version. I was delighted and made this just for us. The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of honey but I added only 1 tsp and found it was sufficient for us. A Christmas after dinner mint.

Peppermint Patties (I made 14 and adapted from Meaningful Eats)
1 cup of desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons of coconut cream
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
1/2 tsp of peppermint essence
1 tsp of honey
100 grams of lindt dark chocolate

In a food processor, blitz coconut, cream, oil, honey and essence together. It will form a paste. If it is too dry, add a few tsp of water. Shape them into little balls using a teaspoon and pat them into patty shapes. Freeze them on a baking tray lined with paper for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate in microwave. Using a fork, place each patty into the chocolate coat it and place it back on tray. Fridge it. Eat after 1 hour. Store in air tight containers in the fridge.