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Health & Wellness

Health & Wellness
Health & Wellness

 

 

7 wholesome meals for my 21-month toddler


Today, I have compiled 7 wholesome meals that I cooked for my 21-month toddler. The individual recipes are provided below.

Have fun cooking up a storm in your kitchen for your beloved little ones! :)



Chicken Drumstick Soup with Goji Berries
(served with steamed mee suah)

Ingredients:
(Serves 2 meals)

1 bunch organic mee suah
1 chicken drumstick, trim off most skin
1 tablespoon goji berries, soaked overnight, drained & rinsed
4 pitted dried Chinese red dates, soaked overnight, drained & rinsed
1 handful baby carrots, chopped
Water, enough to cover ingredients

How to:

For this meal, I used my 2-tier SEED Electric Lunch Box to steam-cook both soup and mee sua, in separate tiers, at the same time

For the soup: Put everything into the stainless steel container and place it at the bottom tier of the electric lunch box. Turn on power and steam-cook for 1 hour.

For the mee suah: Pour hot water over mee suah and steam-cook on the top tier for about 20 minutes. Remove once done and let the soup to continue cooking till the 1-hour mark. Add 2 teaspoons VCO to the mee suah and mix well before packing in a thermal food jar.



Seaweed, Tofu & Leek Porridge with Miso

Ingredients:
(Serves 2 meals)

2/3 cup white rice + brown rice + millet, soaked overnight, drained & rinsed
About half a fist-size amount of minced pork
A few pieces dried Korean seaweed, soaked 30 minutes, drained & rinsed
1/4 piece organic tofu, roughly chopped
2-inch young leek stem, sliced
Water, enough to cover ingredients
1 teaspoon organic miso paste

How to: 

Put everything (except miso paste) into the stainless steel container of the electric lunch box. Turn on power and steam-cook for about 40-45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then stir in miso paste.



ABC Chicken & Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
(Serves 2 meals) 

1/2 hormone & antibiotics-free chicken carcass
1 large Russet potato, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium celery stick with leaves, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
3 fresh shiitake mushroom, sliced
Water, enough to cover ingredients


How to:

Put everything into the stainless steel inner pot of a thermal cooker. Cook over medium-high heat at the stove for 30 minutes. Then, off the heat and transfer the inner pot into the thermal cooker, close the lid, and let it stay inside for another 30 minutes to an hour.



Mee Suah with Miso Fish Soup

Ingredients:
(Serves 2 meals)

1 bunch organic mee suah
1 small ikan tenggiri cut
1 medium potato, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
2 fresh shittake mushrooms, cut into slices
Water, enough to cover ingredients
1 teaspoon organic miso paste

How to: 

For this meal, I used my 2-tier SEED Electric Lunch Box to steam-cook both soup and mee sua, in separate tiers, at the same time

For the soup: Put everything (except miso paste) into the stainless steel container and place it at the bottom tier of the electric lunch box. Turn on power and steam-cook for about 40 minutes.

For the mee suah: Pour hot water over mee suah and steam-cook on the top tier for about 20 minutes. Remove once done and let the soup to continue cooking till the 40-min mark.

To serve, mix mee suah with soup. Let cool for 10 minutes, then stir in miso paste before eating.


Creamy Spinach Soup with Orzo Pasta & Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients:
(Serves 2 meals) 


For the soup:
2 stalks English spinach, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil
100ml cooking cream
Some water

For the orzo pasta:
1/4 cup orzo pasta
1 teaspoon salt
Water

For the scrambled eggs:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Some butter
Some milk
Some grated Cheddar cheese

How to:

For the soup: Heat up olive oil in a frying pan. Add chopped onions and stir fry until fragrant. Add chopped spinach. Stir fry until soft and add water. Bring to a soft boil and add cooking cream. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. Then, pour the soup into a blender and pulse until creamy.

For the orzo pasta: Boil water with salt in a large pot. When the water is boiling strong, add uncooked pasta. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid clumping or sticking. Drain and set aside. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and mix well.

For the scrambled eggs: Heat up butter in a frying pan. When the butter has melted, stir in beaten egg, milk and cheese. Cook until the mixture is uniformly thickened but still quite soft, with very small and creamy curds.



Creamy Mushroom Soup with Macaroni

Ingredients:
(Serves 2 meals) 


For the soup:
2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, washed & chopped
5-6 medium oyster mushrooms, washed & chopped
A handful enoki mushrooms, washed & chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
100ml cooking cream
Some water

For the macaroni:
1/4 cup macaroni
1 teaspoon salt
Water

How to:

For the soup: Heat up olive oil in a frying pan. Add chopped onions and stir fry until fragrant. Add all the chopped mushrooms. Stir fry until soft and add water. Bring to a soft boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add cooking cream and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. Then, pour the soup into a blender and pulse until creamy.

For the macaroni: Boil water with salt in a large pot. When the water is boiling strong, add uncooked pasta. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid clumping or sticking. Drain and mix with soup before serving.


Macaroni with Creamy Mixed Veggies Sauce

Ingredients:
(Serves 2 meals) 


For the sauce:

1 stalk English spinach, chopped
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/2 cup frozen baby carrots, thawed

1/2 cup fresh pea sprouts, washed
1 small red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
100ml cooking cream
Some water

For the macaroni:
1/4 cup macaroni
1 teaspoon salt
Water

How to:

For the sauce: Heat up olive oil in a frying pan. Add chopped onions and stir fry until fragrant. Add all vegetables. Stir fry until soft and add water. Bring to a soft boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add cooking cream and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. Then, pour the soup into a blender and pulse until creamy.

For the macaroni: Boil water with salt in a large pot. When the water is boiling strong, add uncooked pasta. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid clumping or sticking. Drain and mix with sauce before serving.


2

Mini Madeira Cake


Mini Madeira Cake

My mini Madeira cakes are so brown because I substitute castor sugar with molasses sugar. I absolutely love the gorgeous brown color from molasses sugar in my baked goods. By the way, I substitute lemon with orange because that's what I have in the fridge. Haha!


Recipe adapted from Nigella's and fellow Bake-Along member, Karen's.

Ingredients:
(Makes 6 in square muffin pan)

80g unsalted butter, softened
65g molasses sugar

Grated zest and juice of 1/2 an orange
1 large egg
70g self-raising flour
30g plain flour

1 tablespoon demerara sugar, for sprinkling

 
How to:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 6-hole square muffin pan. 

2. Cream butter and molasses sugar, and add the orange zest.

3. Add the egg, then gently mix in the flour and, finally, the orange juice. Mix well.

4. Spoon the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 25 minutes.



I'm linking this post to the event, Bake-Along #79: Theme - My Mother-In-Law's Madeira Cake (Nigella Lawson) organized by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours, Lena from Frozen Wings, and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.



I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC) for this week's theme, May Potluck!


26

4 Fun Ways to Eat Mini Crackers (featuring Organix Goodies Organic Mini Cheese & Tomato Crackers)


I'm back with more goodies for my little foodie! Hey, it rhymes! :D

My little foodie has tried Organix Goodies Organic Saucy Tomato Noughts & Crosses - these snacks are light and puffy. This time round, I'm giving him Organix Goodies Organic Mini Cheese & Tomato Crackers.

Organix Goodies Organic Mini Cheese & Tomato Crackers
12+ Months (4 x 20g)

Why do I recommend Organix Goodies Organic Mini Cheese & Tomato Crackers?

#1 - Taste

These crackers are baked with wheat & rice flours, r
eal organic cheese, and dried tomatoes. These savory mini crackers are delicious on their own, with a dip or a handy addition to a lunch box!

#2 - NO Junk Promise

Free from artificial colors
Free from artificial flavors
Baked not fried
No added salt
No hydrogenated fat
With real cheese
Suitable for vegetarians
Organic

Note: Contains gluten, wheat, lactose, milk, and may contain nuts

#3 - Ingredients are honestly labeled

Organic Wheat Flour 46%
Organic Rice Flour 18%
Organic Cheese 13%
Organic Sunflower Oil 8%
Organic Malt Extract 6%
Organic Dried Tomato Flakes 3%
Organic Unhydrogenated Palm Oil 2%
Organic Tomato Powder 2%
Organic Malted Wheat Flour 2%
Raising Agents* (Sodium Bicarbonate, Ammonium Bicarbonate) <1 span="">
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)** <1 span="">
Junk 0%

*Raising Agents (Sodium Bicarbonate, Ammonium Bicarbonate) and Thiamin have no organic certification.

**Thiamin (Vitamin B1) is an essential nutrient for growing children.

#4 - Convenient travel snacks

Packed in portion packs (
4 packs of 20g each), these tasty cheese & tomato crackers are a handy savory snack. I'm all for ease, fuss-free, and convenience when I pack my toddler's travel snacks. They have to be easy to pack and less hassle to handle when he wants to eat. So, these little grab-and-go packs of mini crackers definitely top my travel snacks list!


4 Fun Ways to Eat Organix Goodies Organic Mini Cheese & Tomato Crackers!


#1: Eat it just like that!

Of course lah! Nothing beats watching his favorite nursery rhyme while munching on snacks. Eh wait, sometimes he prefers nen-nen direct from the source (me!). Hahaha!



#2: Eat it with creamy soup & grated cheese!

Get the recipe from here. :)

The soup is creamy, the grated cheese is yummy, the elbow pasta is soft, and the mini crackers add a delightful crunch. I think I will start topping his dinner with crackers. Eureka! :P



#3: Make it into trail mix!

Simple ingredients: Organix Goodies Organic Mini Cheese & Tomato Crackers, plain bear-shaped puffs, strawberry Happypuffs, dried cranberries.

You can consider adding other snacks from Organix Goodies' savory range:

Organic Saucy Tomato Noughts Crosses
Organic Cheese & Herb Puffs
Organic Spicy Tomato Stars
Organic Carrot Stix
Organic Tomato Cheese & Herb Puffs


Left: credit; Right: credit

#4: Make it an art!

With a little bit of creativity and some patience, normal snacks can be transformed into fun art masterpieces! Toddlers eat with their eyes. They will be thrilled recognizing their favorite characters and eat them. LOL.


Where to buy Organix Goodies Organic Mini Cheese & Tomato Crackers?

You can buy it from Babydash.com.my!

http://www.babydash.com.my/

Babydash.com.my was founded by two gorgeous moms, Lavi and Shan, who got tired of constantly running out for diapers and milk. They aim to make this errand as hassle-free and painless as possible by offering an easy and convenient way for other moms to get diapers and milk without having to suffer long queues at the grocers or lug bulky heavy bags around. No more running from store to store in search of the one brand our baby likes and wasting time and petrol as we do.


Why Babydash?


Babydash offers exclusive baby products directly to your doorstep! So, we busy moms can pre-order diapers, milk, baby food, and many more baby products, and have them delivered to our office or home! 

Their fast delivery service in 1-2 working days is fantastic! I have bought things several times and yes, I receive the goods within 1-2 days of delivery.

All you have to do is go to Babydash.com.my, select the items you want, follow the simple payment instructions, and within a couple of days, you'll have your goods delivered to you!


More info

Find out more info and promos on Babydash's:

LINE, WhatsApp, call +6016 676 1101


Thank you Babydash for collaborating with me for this post!


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Lentil-Mushroom Soup (in honor of Deb's late mom)


Lentil-Mushroom Soup

This post is dedicated to Deb, who lost her mom recently. Deb is a dear IHCC member. My deepest condolences to her family. I lost my dad in 2007, that was 8 years ago. Losing a family member is never easy, no matter how long time has passed.....

I heard from other IHCC members that Deb loves soup. So, I made a bowl of Lentil-Mushroom Soup, a recipe adapted from Nigel Slater.


Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients: 
(Serves 2) 

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small red onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 green chili, chopped
2 cups mixed mushrooms (oyster, fresh shiitake, dried shiitake), chopped
1 cup yellow lentils, soaked overnight
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
Salt & pepper
Worcestershire sauce
A squeeze of lemon juice

 

How to:

1. Heat up olive oil in a frying pan and sauté onions until soft. Add garlic cloves and green chili. Sauté until fragrant. Add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring continuously, until the mushrooms are soft and fragrant.

2. Drain the lentils and add into the pan. Add water to cover the ingredients. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a strong boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and let it all cook until the lentils are very soft, about 45 minutes.

3. Season with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice.

4. Remove the bay leaves. Pour half of the soup into a blender and pulse until creamy. Then, mix with the rest of the soup. Serve warm.



Dear Deb, have a bowl of warm soup. I add some extra toppings - cooked elbow pasta, grated Cheddar cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and three mini crackers. 

Hope you're doing fine over there. Take care.


I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC) for this week's theme, In Honor of Deb.

8

Homemade Banana & Dates Frozen Yogurt


Homemade Banana & Dates Frozen Yogurt

This is my first attempt of making frozen yogurt without using an ice-cream maker. I don't have an ice-cream scoop or melon baller either. So, I have to use two measuring set's tablespoons to scoop the froyo out and shape them into balls nicely. Hahaha!


Recipe adapted from here and here.

Ingredients:
(Serves 4)

1 cup Greek yogurt
4 medium ripe bananas
8 pitted dates (kurma)
Homemade granola, for garnishing


How to:

1. Blend all ingredients (except homemade granola) in a blender.

2. Pour the mixture back into the Greek yogurt container and cover with its lid.

3. Freeze for 4 hours. Then, take it out and blend the mixture again until soft. Pop into the freezer again for another 2 hours. Finally, remove the container from the freezer and chill in the fridge for another 2 hours.

4. Scoop into a serving bowl and garnish with homemade granola.


Yummy!



This post is linked to Best Recipes for Everyone May 2015 Event (Theme: My Favorite Desserts) organized by Fion of XuanHom's Mom and co-hosted by Aunty Young of Aunty Young (安迪漾).


Photobucket

This post is also linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up (May 2015 Event: Yogurt) organized by Zoe (Bake for Happy Kids), Doreen (My Little Favourite DIY) and hosted by Cheryl (Baking Taitai).


12

6 ways to encourage your toddler to drink more water


Launching of "Drinking Water Week"

As mothers, we do wonder whether our kids are drinking enough water. Frequently asked questions include, "How much water should my toddler drink?" "How can I get my toddler to drink more water?"

I'm glad to learn that the first-ever "Drinking Water Week" is happening in Malaysia this 18 to 22 May 2015. This meaningful event is launched by 3M Malaysia in collaboration with Julia Gabriel Center, a child enrichment center at Citta Mall, Ara Damansara.

The aim: to advocate cleaner, clearer and better tasting drinking water and better drinking water habits to improve the health & well-being of Malaysian families.



Recap of the launch

Top left: Lewis Wong, General Manager of 3M Industrial Group passing the product donation mock cheque to Wong Pau Lee, Center Director of Julia Gabriel Center and Chiltern House Preschool, at the first 3M Drinking Water Week Donation Ceremony.

Top right: Jean Lee, Advanced Application Engineer of 3M Purification showing parents the efficiency of 3M water filter through a 3M Clean-Trace Surface ATP hygiene test.

Bottom left: Indra, well-known consultant dietitian alongside Jean Lee, empowered parents on achieving cleaner, clearer and better tasting drinking water.

Bottom right: Julia Gabriel Center's teachers are advocating cleaner, clearer and better tasting drinking water through a PlayBear performance.


Indra Balaratnam, the well-known consultant dietitian.

Importance of water session with consultant dietitian, Indra Balaratnam

My favorite session was the informative engaging session conducted by invited speaker Indra Balaratnam, one of Malaysia's well-known consultant dietitians. The fun and engaging parenting skill session showed us how to encourage our children to drink more water and get more fluids in their daily diet.

She started off with an interactive session of guessing the water content of different organs in our body. Our blood has the highest water content, 92%; followed by our lungs, 90%.

Then, she continued with the seven factors that influence how many glasses of water we need to drink daily:

  • Age: Children from 1-17 years should drink 1.3-2.1 liters of water per day. Adults should drink 2.3-3.7 liters.

  • Gender: Men need an average of 13 cups a day, whereas women, an average of 9 cups a day. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need to increase the amount of water to about 10-13 cups daily.

  • Height & weight: Those with a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) should drink more water.

  • Exercise intensity & duration: Those who exercise a lot need to drink more water.

  • Environment: You should drink more water when the weather is hot or when you're out and about.

  • Illnesses: Sick people should drink more water to replenish water loss from their body due to illnesses.

Credit: Healthworks.my
Credit: Healthworks.my

Check your pee!

Indra commented that we can monitor the color of urine (ourselves and our kids') to see if we all are drinking enough water.

"If the color of your urine is very yellow and murky, you are not drinking enough water. It should be a very light, pale yellow. If it's dark yellow or orange, you are not drinking enough; you need to drink more water. If your urine is clear and looks just like water, it could be you are drinking too much water and you need to slow down a bit," said Indra.



6 ways to encourage your toddler to drink more water

#1 - Be a good role model yourself

In this case, the golden rule of parenting applies: Be a role model; practice what you preach. Children often copy what we are doing, so we as parents need lead by example. We drink, they drink.

#2 - Let your child have his own water jug at home

Let your child choose the water jug/bottle that he likes. Or, you can give them those with their favorite cartoon characters.

#3 - Use a reward chart

This works well with children who understand the concept of rewards. You can stick a reward chart on the wall and every time your child finishes his portion of water, give him a star and ask him to stick it on the chart.

#4 - Keep bottles of water handy and when they go out to play

Keep water bottles around the house - not just in the kitchen but also in the bedroom and the living room. Children tend to ignore thirst. But if there are bottles of water within reach, he will most likely reach for it when thirsty.

#5 - Designate your child to set out the table with water for every mealtimes

This is a good way to inculcate the habit of drinking water. Start young, be consistent, be persistent. They will eventually get the idea of drinking water on their own. Just don't give up half way.


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


#6 - Introduce a variety of fluids to your child

Point #6 is based on my own research and experience. There are a few sources of fluids for proper hydration: plain drinking water, clear soups, milk, yogurt, freshly squeezed fruit juices, and juicy fruits and veggies.

  • Plain drinking water: If your child doesn't fancy plain drinking water, you can try adding lemon, lime or orange slices to add natural flavor to the water.

  • Clear soups: Soups offer nourishment and most children love soups. Cook a pot of nutritious soup and your child will oblige willingly to take in his fluids.

  • Milk & yogurt: Milk is also a healthy choice, but milk intake should be limited to 16 to 24 ounces per day. Yogurt is also a very good healthy alternative.

  • Freshly squeezed fruit juices: Preferably homemade, without added sugar and without straining. As pure as possible. My 21mo toddler loves pure orange juice, juiced with a humble manual fruit juicer. :)

  • Juicy fruits and vegetables: They contain 90-99% water, e.g. watermelon, cherry tomatoes, oranges, pear, cucumber, lettuce, grapes, peaches, and strawberries.

  • Remove fizzy drinks and bottled juices from your child's meals because they contain high amount of sugar that leads to tooth decay and obesity.

  • Avoid caffeinated drinks such as coke, coffee, and tea because these drinks draw water from your child's body, causing dehydration. I believe we don't feed these to younger children, but make sure you don't introduce them to your older children as well.

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

Other related info from the web

Source
The chart above shows approximately how much water kids of different ages and genders need daily for proper hydration.


0

The boy's growth spurt @ 20 months


In a blink of an eye, he turns 21 months three days ago! I can't believe he's turning TWO in 3 months' time!

Now, let's recap his journey when he was 20 months. :)

His favorite "dummy" is still his two rubber duckies - one big, one small. He carries them everywhere - to the toilet, bedroom, car rides. He also carries them when he wants to breastfeed...

Oh, by the way, he finally reaches 10kg!!! His current weight hovers between 10.2-10.3kg.

He loves taking a walk with his papa around the condo-hood (you know, something like neighborhood). He also absolutely hearts bookstores. He will busy himself with a book while sitting at one of the book shelves. Just like his papa when he was a toddler. Me too. I believe being a bookworm is a genetic thing!!!



Also, Happy Mother's Day to me! That's me with the boobster taking his boob snack. Anytime, anywhere. Hahaha!


Blogged about my first food art!

Monthly recap @ 20 months

Learning to help feeding his pet guppies with grandma.

Your toddler loves to help: "Me do it" and "By self!" are two of a toddler's favorite declarations. Take advantage of that built-in desire by involving your toddler in simple chores.

Many jobs are beyond his ability, but he can work alongside you to help with simple tasks, such as putting dirty spoons in the dishwasher, wiping up his own food spills, watering plants, or placing napkins on the table. Taking part in household activities makes your 20-month-old feel important – like a contributing member of the team.

Toddlers don't distinguish between work and play. They just like to do. Encourage this attitude now, and your child may be an ongoing helper around the house. Be sure to offer specific approving praise, whether or not the job is done perfectly: "Wow, thanks for putting all those napkins on the plates!"

Note to self: I love this point about toddlers being natural helpers. Yes, he LOVES helping around. So, I will ask him to keep his toys after playing, putting his milk bottle into the sink, wiping spilled water on the floor.


Fun at Babytots@play - his first experience at a learning center.

Your toddler won't be able to carry on a conversation just yet, but don't be surprised if he starts mimicking your telephone style with his toy phone. You may also catch him imitating the way you act behind the wheel of the car, preparing meals, or cleaning the house.

The average 20-month-old can learn ten or more words a day, but don't expect your toddler to utter all these words just yet. Now he's working on his ability to understand. To help him along, keep reading and talking to him. When running errands, narrate your activities and ask him to point out objects you spot, such as an umbrella or flower.

Note to self: Oh yes, he mimics a lot. And he can string two words to form a short sentence! E.g. papa books, mama sit, boy bike, boy pom-pom, baby nen-nen, boy sick-sick, and a lot more! This sentence-forming language skill happened after a week of waking up in the middle of the night to roll around the bed and babble non-stop. Then, the waking-up stint stopped and he could talk so much more! Growth spurt for the win!


He absolutely loves and enjoys quality family time.
It's all about learning through playing!

Don't let your toddler's unpredictable behavior keep you from enjoying an occasional meal out. Treat yourself! Choose a family-friendly restaurant – any place with a kids' menu, crayons and paper, and a din loud enough to drown out squeals and whines. Take along a few small toys and snacks (crackers, cubes of cheese, cut-up fruit) to keep your toddler occupied. These diversions should buy you enough time to enjoy most of your meal.

Note to self: We eat out on most weekends. So the boy is accustomed to different types of eateries.


Loving his new organic snacks from Babydash.

Frustrating though it may be when your child freaks out over a broken cracker, it's normal. He's developing strong ideas about the way things are supposed to work – and that's a good sign. Once a toddler figures something out (crackers look like this), he doesn't like it to change, especially when it's as comforting and familiar as a favorite snack. Be patient. Eventually he'll learn to take the little disappointments and transitions of daily life in stride.

Note to self: Ok lah, even adults need to learn this. LOL.


Eating his favorite steamed broccoli for dinner.

2