Showing posts with label Smart/Lazy Living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smart/Lazy Living. Show all posts

Friday, July 25, 2008

Using healthier alternatives ingredients

As a society progresses, so does the nation's food consumption. We're all into indulgence nowadays that a lot of us especially the younger ones takes no worry about what their food actually does to their health. The wealthier a nation is, the more rich man diseases there is such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, heart diseases and so on. I've read the book "Japanese Women Don't Get Old Or fat" by Naomi Moriyama and William Doyle. I was very inspired by the way Japanese eat and I have to a very small degree try to practise some of their good practices into our lives.
What really strucked a chord in this book is that the author mentioned that with the Western infiltration into their society, the younger generations are getting unhealthier as they tend to go for the various Fast Food Chains that has popped up their Country.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking asking anyway to totally snub those Fast Food Chains, I still go for them whenever I'm out of time to cook or too tired from work. Yes I'll be a SAHM mum in a few weeks time, that's when I'll be truly tested if I could stick to eating just good eats but not compromising too much on flavors. Well who could I really kid that the healthier ingredients alternatives does not compromise on the taste or texture of a dish?
Here's a list of the substitute ingredients that I use in my kitchen in hope that my family and I will be able to enjoy food for a longer time while still having good health during our finite time on earth. Life's too precious to live too precariously indulging.

Peanut Oil - Olive oil, Canola Oil or other vegetable oil
Butter - Olive spread, margarine spread
Full Fat Cream - Fat free evaporate milk/trim milk/yogurt
Cream Cheese - Fat free/low fat cream cheese
Ice-cream - low fat options
Coconut Cream - Coconut flavored evaporated milk (fat free option) or just normal fat free evaporated milk (taste just as good in curries)
Oyster sauce - Chicken granules
Puff pastry - go for the low fat option/filo pastry
Will add to the list whenever I come across any new substitute. Good eats everyone and ohh by the way I still go for fats once in a while (but its got to be really worth it), let's just say I'm trying to go mid-way it not sideways:)

Monday, June 23, 2008

Meat Marinates

Ok I'm officially sick of takeaways! But what's a FT working mum to do? Definitely have no energy to cook elaborate dinners after a long day at the office and coming home to a loving toddler who demands my full attention. Time to be best friends with my oven, microwave and crock pot then.

I've got a nice big fat juicy piece of pork shoulder from the Mad Butcher. Look at the size of that, mad eh!

Had no idea what i wanted to do with it till i opened my pantry door and ask the man if he likes it western/Chinese style. Of course the banana goes for western. OK just grabbed whatever that's on hand that seems western and hopefully it'll logically work out to taste good. Sorry no measurements here, free handedly threw in lots of oregano's, mustard powder, salt, crushed black pepper, paprika and then the wet stuff were Lea & Perrins & Red wine vinegar. Left it in the fridge unwrapped and will let it sit for at least 3-4 days before roasting it, this way the meat dries up enough to give a very crispy roast as well as a very well marinated piece of slab. Will let you know how it taste when we roast it then :)