My Sister's Signature Lasagne!

Can you imagine how much we've been craving for this signature dish of my sister's since we last had it more than 1.5 years ago? She last did it while I was having my confinement so I didn't manage to savour it then T.T She finally relented & promised to cook it for us after CNY. Upon witnessing the entire process, I finally realised why she has been putting it off for so long. It is indeed a long & tedious one. From the preparation of the meat & cream sauces, to the 'construction' & finally the baking, it takes almost 3 hours. Here's the recipe if u're up for the challenge ^.*

Ingredients for meat sauce:

100g of minced pork collar

1 tsp of minced garlic

3 medium tomatoes, mashed (I only used one but it turned out a tad too dry as no tomato purée was used for BB's portion)

1 tbsp of diced capsicum

2 tbsps of diced celery

2 tbsps of diced yellow onion

4 tbsps of shredded carrot

10 to 12 basil leaves

1 sprig of rosemary

1 piece of bay leaf

1/8 tsp of McCormick Italian seasoning (optional or you can add a dash in if you've any of the following dried herbs: marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savoury, sage, oregano & basil)

2 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

100ml of water (can substitute with 1 can of tomato purée if it's for adults as shown in the bottom picture below)

Directions:

1. Stir fry garlic, onion & celery in EVOO for 5 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients & simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes (1 hour for adults' version) till all are softened.

Ingredients for white cream sauce:

3/4 cup of milk

1 small piece of bay leaf

3/4 cinnamon stick

1 clove

3 black peppers

15g unsalted butter

2 tbsps of plain flour

1/4 cup of cheddar cheese

A dash of freshly grounded pepper

Directions:

1. Bring milk to boil then remove from fire. Put bay leaf, cinnamon stick, clove & black pepper in a coffee bag then add into the milk to infuse (optional if you're cooking just a single BB portion).

2. Melt butter over a small fire then sieve in the flour & whisk well.

3. Next, remove the pan from fire. Add in 1/4 cup of milk each time & whisk till smooth. 

4. Put pan over fire again & bring to boil.

5. Lastly, turn off the fire, add in the cheddar cheese & pepper then mix well.

Additional ingredients for construction:

5 lasagne sheets

1 tsp of EVOO

1 tbsp of Parmesan cheese

2 tbsps of cheddar

2 tbsps of mozzarella

2 tbsps of thickened cream

Directions:

1. Oil the bottom & sides of the aluminium tray then line it with half the lasagne sheets, ensuring some space between them as they'll expand during baking.

2. Top with half the meat sauce & some dollops of white cream sauce sparingly.

3. Add another layer of lasagne sheets & meat sauce.

4. Drizzle evenly with thickened cream followed by topping generously with cheddar, mozzarella & Parmesan cheeses.

5. Cover tightly with a piece of aluminium foil then bake for about 35 minutes.

6. Remove the aluminium foil to check that the lasagne sheets have softened & are cooked. Put it back into the oven for another 5 minutes or till the cheese has browned nicely.

This is heavenly <3 I'll definitely do it again but it's especially worth the effort if you are serving up a bigger portion. For a portion that would serve 2 adults & 1 toddler, please multiply all the ingredients by four. Bon appetit!

Beneficial Combinations:

Celery + Tomato = Strengthen stomach & helps digestion as well as lower blood pressure & lipids

Garlic + Onion = Detoxification & anti-cancer effects

Garlic + Pork = Eliminate fatigue, improve attention & help enhance immunity

Pepper + Pork = Favourable for digestion & absorption of nutrients

Pork + Tomato = For healthier stomach & digestion as well as invigorate spleen & replenish qi

Harmful Combinations:

Carrot + Onion = Easily lead to goiter (enlargement of thyroid)

Double-Boiled One Pot Beef Quinoa

My initial plan was to cook quinoa to be served with dishes. However, my boy is going through a phase whereby he is becoming more 'demanding'. For eg, he'll pull me to my armchair & ask me to "Sit, sit!" & then bring me a book to read to him. Thus, I'm always torn between spending more time in the kitchen or spending more quality time with him. Well, I guess I just have to try to be even more efficient in the kitchen & cook more "single pot" kinda meals moving forward. This actually only took me about 30 minutes to transform the raw ingredients into a cooked meal.

Ingredients (serve 1 toddler + 1 adult):

5 tbsps of organic quinoa

100ml of water

100g of organic minced beef (may substitute with chicken or pork)

4 organic baby corns, diced

1 purple onion, diced

1/2 of an organic zucchini, diced

1/4 of an organic red capsicum, diced

1 tbsp of organic extra virgin coconut oil (EVCO)

Directions:

1. Soak the quinoa in water within a ceramic pot overnight to remove the phytic acid. Pour away the soaked water & rinse a couple of times before adding 100ml of water.

2. Place the ceramic pot into a metal pot with a pot stainer (or on top of a steamer stand) & fill it with water to match the height of half the ceramic pot.

3. Bring water to boil, then let it simmer for 30 minutes (please check occasionally to ensure that there is water left in the metal pot, especially for the first few times that you are attempting this method until you're certain on the required amount of water that would be needed without steaming away completely during the cooking process).

4. While waiting for water to boil, I started dicing the ingredients & adding them to the ceramic pot when each individual ingredient is prepared. Corns, followed by onion & zucchini, with the capsicum last.

5. After 15 minutes, add the beef & capsicum into the ceramic pot & give it a good stir together with the rest of the ingredients.

6. Once the time is up (my induction cooker has a timer), pour the EVCO into the ceramic pot & mix well. Serve warm.

Omg! This was a real satisfying bowl of piping hot quinoa! Yes, I like mine piping hot..shiok ttm! Lots of sweetness from the beef & various vegetables as well as a light fragrant from the EVCO..definitely worth a thumbs up (^.~)b My boy finished his portion & even topped up 3 tbsps more. 

Beneficial Combinations:

Chicken + Onion = Moisturise body, warm stomach & strengthen waist

Corn + Onion = Promote the production of body fluid & saliva to relieve thirst as well as lower lipids (fats in blood)

Pork + Zuchhini = Improve the immune system

Colourful Omelette for my 16M18DO BB

Omelette, another one of our all-time favourite breakfast dishes. I love the fact that you can always change the variations of ingredients to create your own unique combinations anytime, anywhere!

Ingredients (serves 1 toddler & 1 adult):

2 eggs, beaten

8 organic cherry tomatoes, diced

1/6 organic yellow capsicum, diced

A handful of frozen peas

1 tsp of organic extra virgin coconut oil (EVCO)

A dash of dried basil

Some organic cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Heat up EVCO on a low fire then add in capsicum to stir fry for about 2 minutes followed by peas, tomatoes & basil.

2. Pour the eggs over & move the pan around to spread them out evenly. When it starts to firm up with still some raw parts on top, sprinkle the cheese.

3. Fold it into half then cook till all eggs are fully cooked. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

I'm still not quite used to my WMF after using my HCP & non-stick pans for so many years. The omelette doesn't look as good as my previous attempts but tastes just as good. The tanginess of the tomatoes, sweetness from the capsicum & peas, slight saltiness from the cheese & aroma of the basil all come together in a perfect harmony. Yums! 

I actually wanted to let BB try the Natura Organic Unsweetened Fortified Soy Milk (best tasting unsweetened one I've tried so far) but as I checked against my food 'bible' I realised it's not recommended and so I replaced it with normal fresh milk instead. He also had some organic blueberries (one of his favourite healthy snacks-on-the-go, which I'll share on how you can freeze & store them soon) an hour after his meal as I usually advocate that he has fruits either an hour before or after food to aid in better digestion.

One of my other previous attempts - carrot & broccoli omelette. Looks more presentable using a non-stick pan but I guess it's a trade-off, at least for now. Practice makes perfect so I'll continue to gambatte till I can get it right with my healthier WMF pan..fighting!

Beneficial Combinations:

Capsicum + Egg = Help in the absorption of vitamins

Egg + Milk = Improve memory skills

Tomato + Yogurt = Increase iron absorption

Harmful Combinations:

Egg + Soya Bean Milk = Reduce the body's ability to absorb nutrients or may cause unwellness of the body

BB's BLTD on 8th October 2014

It was a day out with my in-laws so I prepared & brought out BB's lunch, tea break snacks, and dinner as well.

B-reakfast: 

Apple cinnamon smoothie topped with toasted wheat germ

Steam, blend & cool down an organic apple. Add 3 tbsps of Greek yogurt (I'm using Farmers Union), top it off with some toasted wheat germ & mix well.

(Note: Don't add the yogurt to the hot steamed apple purée so as not to destroy the nutrients in the yogurt.)

L-uncheon: 

Spaghetti Bolognese mixed herbs couscous with salmon, peas with organic yellow capsicum & cherry tomatoes

Let 3/4 cup of water come to a boil before adding the salmon & diced capsicums. Remove salmon and flake once it's cooked after around 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size & thickness of the meat. Add in diced tomates, peas & lastly, mixed herbs. Cook for another 2 minutes till water boils again then add in 1/4 cup of couscous. Cover the pot & wait for about 2 to 3 minutes till all the water has been absorbed by the couscous. Remove cover, fluff it up with a pair of chopsticks & mix in the flaked salmon. Serve warm.

The actual portion was double that shown in the picture below. I love the vibrant colours which reminds me that this is a nutritious meal with all the different vegetables in it. My MIL had never eaten couscous before so she tried some. I was thrilled that she finds it nice & fragrant & she likes it! BB enjoyed it too but could only finished half of it. The remaining ended up in my tummy as usual ;)

T-eabreak:

Organic blueberries

It has been quite a while since BB had the chance to enjoy this favourite of his as the season for the organic ones seem to be over. I couldn't find them in NTUC outlets & only selected Cold Storage outlets carry them. Plus, a couple of times we chanced upon them in CS, they weren't very fresh.

D-inner: 

Double-boiled 10 multi-grains with organic minced beef, pumpkin & French beans

Soak the Simple Natural Organic Ten Multi Grains in 3/4 cup of water within a ceramic pot overnight to remove phytic acid. Place the ceramic pot into a metal pot with a pot stainer (or on top of a steamer stand) & fill it with water to match the height of half the ceramic pot. Bring water to boil, then let it simmer for 1 hour (please check occasionally to ensure that there is water left in the metal pot, especially for the first few times that you are attempting this method until you're certain on the required amount of water that would be needed without steaming away completely during the cooking process). Place the diced French beans into a bowl / plate before putting it on top of the ceramic pot to steam for 10 minutes (I prefer to do this so that I can cool the vegetables down before packing them in another container so that they don't become overcooked in the thermal flask). After 20 minutes from the starting time, add the diced pumpkin into the ceramic pot & give it a good stir together with the grains. At 10 minutes left to the countdown, add in the minced beef marinated with sesame oil & stir it in too. Transfer immediately to your thermal flask once it's done. Add in the French beans before serving.

Beneficial Combinations:

Beef + Pumpkin = Tonifying spleen & replenishing qi as well as detoxify & alleviate pain

French Beans + Millet = Clear heatiness & cure for insomnia

Moroccan-Spiced Beef Couscous, My Style!

Did you know that couscous is actually a pasta and not a grain? I didn't until I was researching for a suitable recipe for the recent packet that I had bought ;p Yes, it's actually made from semolina wheat. Even though couscous is not as nutritious as whole grains, it can still be included in your diet provided it doesn't take the place of grains. Without a doubt, it's here to stay in mine at least, especially given the fact that it takes almost no time in heading from the packaging to a delectably cooked meal on the table.

The list of ingredients for most of the recipes I found was pretty long & I've only got a few of them available, so I decided to just make do with what I could find in my kitchen. Thus, although mine is a simplified version, it actually turned out delicious!

Ingredients

1/4 cup of organic couscous

40g of organic beef

1 bay leaf

1 clove of garlic, chopped finely

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/6 organic red capsicum, diced

A handful of frozen peas

A generous dash of cinnamon

A small dash of nutmeg

1 tsp of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (EVCO)

1/2 cup of water

Directions:

1. Heat up the EVCO in a pot. Add the bay leaf & garlic & fry till the garlic starts to brown. 

2. Add both the onion & capsicum & fry till almost tender then pour in the beef. Gently break up the beef with your spatula & fry till slightly brown.

3. Pour water in & let it come to a boil before adding the couscous followed by the peas. Simmer till the water has been absorbed by the couscous which should only take between 2 to 3 minutes & it's done! Remove bay leaf & serve warm.

Yes, it's that simple! Preparation & cooking only took me 15 minutes. After trying a mouthful, I almost couldn't believe that it tasted so good. I was so excited that I asked my hubby to give it a try too. Guess what he said? He asked me if I could cook it for him some time soon (~.^) This is such a quick-to-cook single dish meal which will be very ideal for most working mummies who want to prepare a healthy meal for their children but are yet pressed for time. Hmmm..an idea just came to me! Breakfast shall be sweet couscous tomorrow. So, stay tuned ;>

B-L-D for my 15M5DO BB

B-reakfast: 

Bananacado milkshake with toasted wheat germ topped with Cheerios

My closest family & friends all know that I'm a very strict mummy when it comes to food. I didn't even give any commercial puffs (not even the organic ones) to BB during his 1st year. However, since he has already turned one, I'm gradually loosening the reins. Other than giving him the freeze-dried fruits, I decided that it's time to introduce breakfast cereals to him but definitely not the sugar loaded unhealthy ones. I've been following one of the mummies' posts on the Healthy Food for my Baby Facebook group & she shared that she's giving Organ Multigrain O's with Quinoa. It actually contains 80% wholegrains, 15% protein rich legumes & no added cane sugar. With all the healthy ingredients, there is not a single doubt that it fits all my criterias so I bought a box for BB. Oh boy, did he like it! It has since become one of his favourite breakfasts & a good snack to keep him occupied while we dine outside too. 

This particular morning, instead of giving him his usual Farmhouse Fresh Milk to go with it, I gave it a lil' twist. As I've some nicely ripen avocados & bananas, I blended an avocado, 2 medium-sized bananas with half a cup of milk. To further up the nutritional value, I added some toasted wheat germ to the milkshake. Last but not least, I topped with some Cheerios. BB, being the usual anti-fan of avocado, only opened his mouth after much scrutinising to ensure that there's a 'Ball, ball' (what he calls them for now) in each & every spoonful -_-lll His dear mummy here, on the other hand, prefers the plain bananacado milkshake..so good even on its own..slurp slurp!!

L-uncheon: 

The following were cooked simultaneously in my Tecno 3-Tiers Electric Steamer & were shared by the 2 of us.

Organic ten multi-grains (Simple Natural brand found at most Cold Storage outlets) with wolfberries

5 tbsps soaked overnight in 100ml of water. Steam for 20 minutes then sprinkle some wolfberries on top of the rice & continue to steam for another 15 minutes.

Steamed corn-fed chicken thigh fillet with organic grapes

I marinated half a chicken thigh with 10 small grapes overnight. Steam for 20 minutes.

Steamed pomfret with organic cherry tomatoes

Drrizle some sesame oil over the pomfret & top with 10 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters or eighths depending on their sizes. Steamed for 15 minutes (10 minutes is usually enough but due to the recent massive deaths of fishes at the local kelongs, it was advised to cook fish thoroughly so I increased the steaming duration).

Steamed Australia asparagus

Shave off the fiberous exterior layer & dice 3 thick stalks of asparagus. Drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil & steam for 10 minutes.

The chicken marinated in the grapes had a light sweet taste to it. Another great tip learned from the same mummy mentioned above. BB finished almost all the rice, asparagus as well as 1 pomfret & 3/4 of the chicken. Not forgetting the bowl of grapes in chicken 'broth' (essence from the steamed chicken as I accidentally poured the water droplets formed on the lid during the steaming process into the bowl when I opened it) which he finished all ;)

D-inner: 

Organic rolled oats porridge with broccoli, free-range pork, organic capsicum & kampong egg (no picture as Mummy forgot to take..heehee)

Ever since BB prefers food with more texture, I've stopped blending his oats. Therefore, it takes a slightly longer time, about 15 minutes, to cook them nowadays. I brought to boil 3/4 cups of water & then added 3 tbsp of oats. Let it cook for about 5 minutes under low fire before adding 40g of minced pork, 1/6 diced capsicum & diced stalks of 3 florets of broccoli. Cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the rest of the broccoli as well as the kampong egg. Stir in the egg & cook till its fully cooked. Serve warm.