ZAINELICIOUS

Bonjour!!!!

2011-10-03T17:26:00.000+08:00

We recently enjoyed a holiday- just the three of us over in the land of the chic, the best-ever-croissants & baguettes, and as D would remarked excitedly, land where good french house wine is cheaper than the beer!!

Here's our breakfast when we had just landed and were waiting for our little holiday apartment to be ready.

A fantastic little breakfast 'formulae' of cafe, juice, and tartine (baguette with butter)

Maybe it's the jetlag, the travel and the hunger, but this was one of the best breakfast I've had!

EWG Article: Your Best Air Freshener Isn't An Air Freshener

2011-10-02T19:20:00.001+08:00

Your best air freshener isn't an air freshener
SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

By Rebecca Sutton, PhD, EWG Senior Scientist

A quick spritz of air freshener may seem like a simple way to kill funky odors. Unfortunately, that pleasing smell is just more indoor air pollution.

Levels of harmful indoor pollutants like formaldehyde, chloroform and styrene range from 2 to 50 times higher than outdoor levels. And because we spend most of our time indoors, our toxic exposures inside our homes, workplaces and schools are significant.

The dirt on air fresheners
Air fresheners - in aerosol, spray, solid, candle or plug-in form - don't remove odors. They just mask them.

It's literally impossible to track down a full list of ingredients for most air fresheners sold in the U.S., because there is no requirement for companies to disclose ingredients. A few companies provide ingredient lists on their website in response to consumer demand, but the word "fragrance" may hide dozens of chemicals, many of which may never have been assessed for safety. Ingredients commonly used in fragrances in air fresheners include phthalates, which make fragrances last longer and are linked to male reproductive system birth defects and hormone disruption, and synthetic musks, which are linked to allergies and hormone disruption.

Last year, a University of Washington study found that eight unnamed, widely used U.S. air fresheners released an average of 18 chemicals into the air. On average, one in five of these chemicals were hazardous substances highlighted in federal and some state pollution standards. Fully half the air fresheners tested released acetaldehyde, a likely human carcinogen according to the EPA.

When EWG conducted more sensitive testing of the air freshener Febreze Air Effects as part of a 2009 study of cleaning supplies used in California schools, we detected a total of 89 airborne contaminants, including acetaldehyde.

Are there greener alternatives?
When it comes to air fresheners, not so much. Some cleaning supplies are rated green by third-party certifiers Green Seal and EcoLogo, but there are no green certification standards for air fresheners.

Natural or homemade air fresheners scented with essential oils aren't guaranteed free of potentially harmful chemicals. Essential oils are a complex combination of highly concentrated, naturally-derived chemicals. Though they are found in the natural world, they are rarely so concentrated. Few natural chemicals in essential oils and other plant-based ingredients have been tested for safety. Some can trigger allergies in sensitive individuals.

Better ways to freshen your indoor air
Instead of using air fresheners, open a window, run a fan, and get rid of the real source of the smell. A box of baking soda is a safe way to reduce odors. A HEPA air filter can safely remove some odors and allergens.

It just doesn't make sense to pollute our inside air. It's easier, cheaper and healthier to just say no to completely unnecessary products.

[Thanks to Flickr CC & soham_pablo for the open window]

Posted at 11:45 AM

Source: www.enviroblog.org

What Could This Be?

2011-10-01T00:44:00.000+08:00

Z's breakfast- homemade ala mommy!!:)

Whenever we go on trips, I would put together a homemade breakfast cereal for Z. So, no matter where or in which time zone we are, at least I could make sure that Z starts the day right (I know, I am a breakfast nazi too).

But it makes sense, because we do not have to worry about getting out to look for breakfast for Z. Plus, it's great to have some ready food on hand, especially when the little guy complains in the middle of the night that he's hungry because he was knocked out during dinner time.

So, here's what I would usually throw together to make this instant breakfast for Z:

Baby/ Instant rolled oats
Regular rolled oats
Raisins
Cranberries
Sunflower seeds
Wheatgerm
Full fat milk powder
Wheatbix

*all organic & ingredients may vary depending on what I have on hand

So, all I really need is hot, boiled water to make breakfast for Z. And whenever we come across fresh fruits, I would buy and add them to the oatmeal.

With a stomach-full of breakfast for champions, Z's ready to see the world :)

Are You Not BPA-FREE Yet...coz That's Exactly What Lobbyists Want!

2011-09-30T09:40:00.001+08:00

Lobbyists are still trying hard to maintain that BPA level in bottles, canned food, etc is acceptable. I personally wonder how they sleep at night because more and more researches are showing how harmful BPA is for us, especially the kids

What we could do as consumers and more importantly as parents is to STOP buying BPA contaminated products. Take time to check the type of plastic your children's bottles are made out off (if it says polycarbonate, throw it out!), avoid canned food, check their lunch boxes, etc.

Make a commitment to your kids to keep them as BPA-FREE as possible.

Article from www.theatlantic.com

How Lobbyists Are Spinning Weak Science to Defend BPA

Elizabeth Grossman | Sep 27, 2011

They're arguing that a new study shows canned foods to be safe, even when lined with BPA. The problem? That's not what the study says.

The latest skirmish in the battle over bisphenol A (BPA) -- the synthetic chemical used to make polycarbonate plastics, to make the epoxy resins that line food and beverage cans, and as developers in thermal receipt papers -- came last week when the Breast Cancer Fund, an Oakland-based non-profit, released the results of its testing for BPA in canned food marketed to children (PDF). The report found BPA in Campbell's Disney Princess Cool Shapes, Toy Story Fun Shapes Pasta in chicken broth, Spaghettios With Meatballs, Earth's Best Organic Elmo Noodlemania Soup, Chef Boyardee Whole Grain Pasta Mini ABCs &123s With Meatballs, and Annie's Homegrown Organic Cheesy Ravioli at levels that ranged between 13 and 114 parts per billion, levels that have been shown to be biologically active, meaning they're high enough to interact with and affect our cells.

In response, the North American Metal Packaging Alliance (NAMPA), a trade association representing the food-and-beverage metal-packaging industry, fired off a press release citing a study ostensibly showing that there's no health risk from BPA exposure through canned food.

"This comprehensive, first-of-its-kind clinical exposure study, funded entirely by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), offers definitive evidence that even the highest exposure levels of BPA from canned foods and beverages did not lead to detectable amounts in the human blood stream," said NAMPA. "The EPA-funded study emphatically showed there is not a health risk from BPA exposure in canned foods because of how the body processes and eliminates the compound from the body, in children as well as adults," said NAMPA chairman Dr. John M. Rost in the press release.

Trouble is, this study -- by Teeguarden et al. -- which was indeed funded by the EPA and conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and published in the September issue of Toxicological Sciences, shows nothing of the kind. No children were included in the study, and researchers did not measure how much BPA was in the food the subjects ate so there's no way to tell if the BPA in their systems came from that food. But why should we care?

BPA, which has long been identified as an endocrine-disrupting chemical, has been linked in numerous studies to health effects that include adverse impacts on developmental, metabolic, reproductive, neurological, cardiovascular, and other systems. Childhood exposure is a particular concern because early life exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals can set the stage for later life health disorders, including diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers.

Concern over these effects have led ten U.S. states and several local governments to bar BPA from children's reusable food and beverage containers, and prompted major manufacturers of baby bottles and toddlers' sippy-cups to switch to alternate materials. Canada has added BPA to its list of toxic substances, Japan took BPA out of can linings and receipt papers in the 1990s, and China and Malaysia have now instituted bans on BPA in baby bottles, but the U.S. federal government does not bar the use of BPA in such products. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policies have been inching in that direction, though.

In 2010, after having been sent back to the drawing board by its science advisory board in 2008, the FDA issued a policy statement that supports a shift toward stronger regulation of BPA and that supports efforts to find safe alternatives to BPA for infant formula and other food and beverage can liners. Meanwhile, the EPA has issued an "action plan" for BPA that could lead to more oversight on its use.

The chemical industry, NAMPA, and other industry groups have consistently defended the safety of BPA -- and lobbied extensively against its regulation. But that such a flawed study would be published and its findings so misrepresented has outraged prominent members of the scientific community. "Its conclusions are preposterous," says Fred vom Saal, professor of biological sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia whose research on endocrine hormones dates back to the 1970s. "How could a federal agency be associated with this? It is profoundly bad."

NAMPA said the Teeguarden et al. study showed BPA in cans presented no health risks to adults or children, and called it "a large clinical study," but it included only 20 adult subjects. The study's major flaw, however, is that it did not measure how much BPA was in the food the subjects ate (and says so clearly: "Measurement of BPA levels in the foods was outside the scope of the current study for logistical and financial reasons"), so it is impossible to tell how much of the BPA measured in subjects' blood and urine actually came from meals consumed during the study.

"The study design is fundamentally flawed as a toxicokinetic study as the authors did not measure inputs -- how much BPA the subjects consumed -- so should not be used to draw any conclusions about metabolism of BPA in humans from dietary exposure," says Dr. Ted Schettler, science director of the Science Environmental Health Network, a non-profit that promotes the use of science in public and ecosystem health protection.

The Teeguarden et al. study is listed as "significant laboratory study" by the American Chemistry Council's Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group. In 2010, the American Chemistry Council spent millions of dollars on lobbying to defeat legislation that would restrict the use of BPA. The study has also gone out via the NAMPA press release on a number of industry online newsletters, and been touted in a Forbes column by Trevor Butterworth, editor-at-large of STATS, a non-profit affiliated with George Mason University, known for its defense of the chemical industry.

In criticizing the Breast Cancer Fund study, NAMPA also said the levels of BPA found in the kids' canned food tested -- an average of 13 to 114 parts per billion -- "are well within the safety recommendations of government agencies." But such levels of BPA, which is known to be biologically active at very low levels of exposure, according to vom Saal, are sufficient "to prompt an entire range of effects."

This is not the first time a study published by Toxicological Sciences has drawn fire from other scientists. Last year the journal published a letter signed by 24 biological scientists pointing to design flaws in another BPA study the journal published in 2009 that -- like the Teeguarden et al. study -- concluded no harm from the BPA exposure measured. A letter from vom Saal and a colleague responding to the Teeguarden study is forthcoming in a future issue of Toxicological Sciences as is a response from the study's lead authors.

"From my perspective this is very sad as it diminishes the credibility of science, and the consequences of that are profound," says vom Saal.

Image: Creative Commons.

I Am A Sleep Nazi

2011-09-28T09:18:00.001+08:00

And here's why....

Article from www.babycenter.com

The Connection Between Sleep and Growth

Getting enough sleep is important for a young child for many reasons, from restoring energy to building brain connections (not to mention giving Mom and Dad a needed break). But science is showing that sleep also fuels physical growth.

The science of growing

Growth is a complex process that requires several hormones to stimulate various biological events in the blood, organs, muscles, and bones.

A protein hormone secreted by the pituitary gland called growth hormone (or "human growth hormone") is a key player in these events. Several factors affect its production, including nutrition, stress, and exercise. In young children, though, the most important factor is sleep.

Growth hormone is released throughout the day. But for kids, the most intense period of release is shortly after the beginning of deep sleep.

How much sleep do they need?

Two- and 3-year-olds need 12 to 14 hours of sleep every 24 hours (a combination of about 12 hours of night sleep and 1 ½ to 3 hours of naps), 4-year-olds about 11 to 13 hours (with about 11 of the hours at night). (Sleep needs are somewhat individual, with some kids requiring slightly less or more than their peers.)

Without adequate sleep, growth problems — mainly slow or stunted growth — can result. Growth hormone production can also be disrupted in kids with certain physical sleep problems, such as obstructive sleep apnea

Kids who don't get enough sleep show other changes in the levels of hormones circulating in their body, too. Hormones that regulate hunger and appetite can be affected, causing a child to overeat and have a preference for high-calorie carbs. What's more, a shortage of sleep can affect the way the body metabolizes these foods, triggering insulin resistance, which is linked to type 2 diabetes.

A lack of sleep at night can also affect motor skills and concentration during the day, leading to more accidents and behavioral problems, and poor performance at school.

Ensuring a good night's sleep

Most kids need more sleep than their parents think.

Signs that your child may not be getting enough rest include crankiness or lethargy by day, always falling asleep in the car, and being hard to wake up. If your child is hyper at bedtime or tired before it's time to go to bed, that's another clue his schedule may not be consistent enough.

To help your child get plenty of zzz's:

Establish consistent daily sleep times and stick to them.

Have a regular bedtime routine, which helps signal to your child's body that it's time to wind down. This might include giving him a bath or snack, reading a bedtime story, and talking or singing softly to him while tucking him in.

Make sure your child's room is conducive to sleep. It should be dark and quiet.

Avoid roughhousing before bedtime. It's stimulating instead of sleep-inducing.

Stick to the same timetable and routines for bed on weekends and vacations that you normally have. A variation once in a while won't cause long-term disruptions, but erratic bedtimes can lead to poor sleep habits and sleep deprivation.

Source:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-connection-between-sleep-and-growth_3658985.bc?scid=preschooler_20110927:2&pe=MlV2T29YNnwyMDExMDkyNw..

Article: Secrets to Raising Smart Kids: Feed the Brain

2011-07-27T09:53:00.001+08:00

Secrets to raising smart kids: Feed the brain
by Tina Barseghian and Jessica Kelmon

Last updated: July 2010

Breakfast of champions

We've always heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it's especially true when it comes to your child's developing brain. Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast perform better in attention and memory tests than those who don't.

Why? Food absorbed by our bodies is converted to glucose that powers the body – and the brain. Your child wakes up with an empty tank that needs to be refueled. "Your child's brain needs glucose to function well. Without it, she may have difficulty understanding new information and won't remember things as well," says Terrill Bravender, chief of adolescent medicine at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and professor of clinical pediatrics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Research bears this out. Harvard Medical School psychologist J. Michael Murphy and his colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital re-analyzed the data of a USDA school breakfast pilot project that examined the impact of a universal free breakfast program of 4,000 elementary school students. Murphy’s analysis found that regular breakfast skipping was associated with poorer school attendance and tardiness, less verbal fluency, and more parent- and teacher-related behavior problems.

Diane Pratt-Heavner, a spokesperson for the School Nutrition Association, agrees with Murphy. "I know principals who keep snacks in their drawers for children with discipline problems. Many times, those kids never ate breakfast," she says.

But don't pull out the sugary cereals just yet. The type of food a child eats is just as important as whether she eats at all. Highly sweetened breakfast cereals can give kids a short-lived sugar high, resulting in the inevitable crash.

Protein- and fiber-rich breakfasts, on the other hand, give the brain sustained go-power. In a study published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, children who ate oatmeal for breakfast performed 20 percent better on a map-memorization test than their sugary-cereal-munching counterparts.

"Eating something with complex carbs and protein gives your child's brain a constant, slow infusion of glucose for better brain function," says Bravender. That said, Bravender stresses that when it comes to breakfast something is better than nothing, so make sure your child gets a morning meal.

What you can do

Here are some great ideas for quick and easy brain-boosting breakfasts that kids love:

Peanut butter on multigrain bread, whole wheat English muffin, or whole grain waffle

Whole wheat English muffin with scrambled eggs or melted cheese

Breakfast burrito: whole grain tortilla stuffed with scrambled eggs and cheese or lowfat refried beans and cheese

Scrambled eggs in a cup: Mix 1 egg with a little milk, grated cheese, and chopped ham in a mug; cover and cook in microwave.

Whole grain tortilla with sliced banana and peanut butter

Whole grain tortilla with sunflower seed butter and honey

Whole grain, low-sugar cereal with milk and blueberries

Oatmeal made with milk, topped with raisins, wheat germ, and almonds

Yogurt, fruit, and granola, parfait-style

Source:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_secrets-to-raising-smart-kids-feed-the-brain_10336239.bc

EWG Article: Decoding Meat+ Dairy Product Labels

2011-07-20T11:25:00.001+08:00

EWG

Decoding Meat + Dairy Product Labels

Confused by food labeling?

Cage-free

The term refers to hens that are not raised in cages, but it does not necessarily mean they have access to the outdoors. There is no standard definition of “cage-free,” but it generally implies that the birds are free to perform natural behaviors. Many cage-free claims are not certified, though some cage-free eggs are certified by American Humane Certified label.

Certified Humane

Products carrying this label are certified to come from animals that were never confined in cages or crates, were not subjected to de-beaking (in the case of poultry) and were slaughtered according to specific requirements designed to minimize suffering. It does not permit the use of sub-therapeutic antibiotics or hormones. “Certified Humane Raised and Handled” and “Animal Welfare Approved” are the two leading humane certification systems, although the Food Alliance follows similar standards. “Certified Humane” does not mean animals had access to pasture, but “Animal Welfare Approved” does.

Farmed Fish

This refers to the rapidly growing industry that raises and feeds fish for human consumption in tanks or large wire pens anchored in coastal areas or other large bodies of water. Also called aquaculture, fish farming is expanding to offset the global decline in the wild fish catch. Fifty percent of seafood sold in the U.S. is now farmed. Ironically, feeding carnivorous farmed fish such as salmon requires harvesting millions of tons of smaller wild fish, such as anchovies and sardines, to produce fishmeal and fish oil. Catfish and other farmed fish are fed mostly soybeans and corn, while farmed tilapia eats a variety of algae, seaweeds and other aquatic plants. The use of open ponds and net pens or cages allows ocean water to flow freely through them. These enclosures pollute local waters with fish waste, excess feed and antibiotics and spread disease and parasites to sensitive wild marine species. The rapid growth of farmed shrimp ponds has led to deliberate destruction of thousands of coastal acres of mangrove forests that serve as fish nurseries, protect against storms and provide local economic livelihood.

Free-range

In the United States, this term applies only to poultry and is regulated by the US Department of Agriculture. It indicates simply that the animals have been “allowed access to the outside.” The USDA does not specify the quality or size of the outside range nor the duration of time an animal must have access to the outside.

Grass-fed

This term technically refers only to animals fed a diet of natural grass and other forage, not grain, but it often includes other healthier farm practices not associated with industrially produced meat, such as local butchering, more range time for livestock and less crowded conditions. The three leading “grass-fed” labels, certified by the Food Alliance, the American Grassfed Association or the USDA, require that animals eat a diet exclusively of forage. Some companies that market their meat as “naturally raised” or grass-fed actually feed their animals grain for significant periods. USDA’s grass-fed marketing standard requires only that animals “must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season.” It does not necessarily mean that the animals spent their entire lives in pastures or on rangeland. Some cattle marketed as USDA grass-fed actually spend part of their lives in confined pens or feedlots.

Hormone-free/No added hormones

This means that the animals were never given hormone treatments. To boost profits, some farmers give hormones to beef cattle and sheep to speed their growth and to dairy cows to increase milk production. The USDA does not allow hormones to be used on chicken or hogs. The European Union does not allow hormones in any meat. The extensive use of hormones (see rBHG-free below) in meat and dairy may increase the risk of cancer in humans and result in higher rates of infection in animals. Products labeled “organic” cannot come from rGBH-treated cows. There is no specific hormone-free certification, though organic and grass-fed labels do not allow hormone use.

Lean/Extra Lean

These are USDA-defined terms. To qualify as “lean,” 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of beef must have fewer than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and fewer than 95 milligrams of cholesterol. To be labeled “extra lean,” 100 grams of beef must have fewer than 5 grams of fat, fewer than 2 grams of saturated fat and fewer than 95 milligrams of cholesterol.

Natural

The USDA defines a natural product as one that contains “no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed.” Processing must not fundamentally alter the product. The label must include a specific explanation such as “no artificial ingredients; minimally processed.” All fresh meat qualifies as natural. This term does not include any requirements that animals be raised in sufficient open space or that it has no added hormones or antibiotic; it is not the same as organic. The term can mislead consumers to think that the product is healthier and more humane than it is

No nitrites/nitrates

Processed meats such as ham, bacon and hot dogs often contain nitrates, which are added to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and to enhance color. Eating meat that has been treated with nitrates may increase the risk of cancer and other health problems. Vegetable-based nitrates (e.g., celery, salt) are a safer bet.

Organic

Food labeled organic must be third-party certified to meet USDA’s criteria. Organic foods cannot be irradiated, genetically modified or grown using synthetic fertilizers, chemicals or sewage sludge. Organic meat and poultry cannot be treated with hormones or antibiotics and must be fed only organically grown feed (with no animal byproducts). Organic meat animals must have access to the outdoors, and ruminants must have access to pasture. There are two ways to identify organic fruits and veggies: by the “100% organic” or “organic” label and by the unique Price Look-Up (PLU) code sticker. (link to Enviroblog post on this: http://www.enviroblog.org/2009/09/are-you-looking-for-the-9-when-you-produce.html Instead of a 4-digit number beginning with a “4,” organic produce has a 5-digit number that begins with a “9.”

Pasture-raised

Animals raised in a pasture can roam freely in their natural environment, where they are able to eat nutritious grasses and other plants that their bodies are adapted to digest. There is no specific pasture-raised certification, though certified organic meat must come from animals that have continuous access to pasture.

Processed meats

In addition to sodium, artificial coloring and flavor enhancers, processed meats often contain preservatives, such as nitrites, to reduce foodborne illness retard spoilage from microorganisms and rancidity from fat oxidation. Examples are: sausage, bacon, smoked ham, hot dogs, packaged lunchmeats, pepperoni and salami. Note: You won’t see the word “processed’ on the label! The American Cancer Society and the World Cancer Research Fund recommend limiting consumption of processed meats; research has linked them to colorectal, kidney and stomach cancer.

rBGH-free

These products are from animals not treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), also known as recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST). rGBH is a genetically engineered hormone approved by the FDA in 1993 that when injected into cows artificially increases milk production by 10 to 15 percent. There are health concerns for both cows and humans exposed to the drug. Buying organic dairy products is another way to avoid rGBH since its use does not meet the organic criteria.

Saturated Fat

This is one of the two main types of fats that appear in foods. Unlike unsaturated fat, it has no double bonds between carbon atoms in its chemical structure, so the fatty acids are saturated with hydrogen. Fat is a necessary part of a healthy diet, but excessive saturated fat has been associated with health problems. Fats in animal-based foods are predominantly saturated. The World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urge people to limit intake of saturated fat.

Sodium nitrate/nitrite-free

This chemical preservative and color fixative is typically added to processed meats to lengthen shelf life, make the color more appealing and add a smoky flavor. Processed meats made without these additives are safer; they are likely “cured” with naturally occurring vegetable-based nitrates that are less harmful to human health.

Wild-caught/Wild Fish

The “wild fish” label indicates that the fish was spawned in the wild, lived in the wild and was caught in the wild. “Wild-caught fish” may have been spawned or lived some part of their lives in a fish farm before being returned to the wild and eventually caught. For sustainable fish, consult the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s list of the most sustainable seafood choices, or look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label.

See Sustainable Table’s excellent, extensive glossary to learn more: www.sustainabletable.org/intro/dictionary

http://breakingnews.ewg.org/meateatersguide

Z's Apollo & Its Launchpad

2011-07-02T10:43:00.001+08:00

Can you spot the little engineer at work?:)

Z's International Space Station

2011-06-25T11:03:00.001+08:00

It has the solar panels and the connectors (i.e. the double-stacked blocks) for the different parts of the ISS.

I am pretty impressed with his attention to details:).

Craftwork

2011-06-24T12:48:00.001+08:00

This is Z's craftwork, done at my mom's kindergarten just now.

It is his version of Apollo, the spacecraft. :)

Muffin Break

2011-05-25T22:20:00.001+08:00

Just baked a few of this little baby for our semi long haul trip (7 hours+) tomorrow.

It's a savory muffin filled with organic golden corn, carrots and bacon bits.

Savory muffins are my current fav for Z nowadays. Sugar high is avoided and they are completely filling and healthy.

I will be posting the recipe for the muffin soon!

Mommy Loves Z & these....

2011-05-16T13:17:00.001+08:00

A good latte (Low fat, coz my metabolism is no longer how it used to me :( )

And a good piece of cake- Preferably chocolate, of course:)

And here's Z, taking a forbidden bite :)

Good start to the week, I should think!:)

P/s the chocolate truffle cake is so dense that I could only take a few bites. Doggy-bagging the rest home for those "I need chocolate now!" moments.

Spotted Cool Rattan Baby Furniture

2011-05-15T12:59:00.001+08:00

Check out the cool baby bassinet and moses basket!

The whole store sells rattan furniture.

If I would've seen this shop when I was pregnant with Z, I know I would've bought both the bassinet and the Moses basket for Z.

They are natural, they are safe and oh soooo beautiful. I would think they would be not too expensive too. I love!!!

Lemon garlic asparagus pasta

2011-05-14T12:09:00.001+08:00

I made this yummy pasta for Z's dinner last nite.

Garlic asparagus pasta is the norm for Z. I would usually use simple ingredients like organic asparagus, diced organic tomato and lots of garlic for this dish.

Today, I decided to add some fresh lemon juice to the dish to change it up a little.

I toss the garlic in the extra virgin olive oil until it is fragrant before adding the tomatoes and asparagus. Keep tossing for 30 seconds or so before adding in 1-2 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice and the cooked pasta. Toss to combine before adding a handful of shredded organic cheese ( I use organic cheddar).

Before serving, sprinkle some organic parsley (or any other herbs you have on hand) and a drizzle of organic extra virgin olive oil.

The freshness of the asparagus really shines through and the added fresh lemon juice gives a refreshing dimension to the pasta.

I love how an ingredient could transform a dish. And I think that is the beauty of fresh organic produce. They are so robust in taste that by simply adding them in the tiniest amount could elevate the dish to a different level.

Try it and you'll see what I mean :)

Puzzling Morning

2011-05-14T12:02:00.001+08:00

This a great set of puzzles that Z got from my mom. It's Daisy and her farmyard friends, 6 animals in total.

You can do the puzzle as a whole, with all 6 animals or you could play with the animals separately, therefore less pieces. So, it works well for all level of puzzle playing.

The pictures are vibrant and the size is just perfect for little hands.

Definitely one of the better puzzles I have seen. :)

Healing Drink

2011-05-12T09:19:00.000+08:00

A healing drink of fresh lime juice (for Vit C), a pinch of salt ( to neutralize the acidity & to dispel body heat) with a teaspoonful of manuka honey (to boost the immune system).

It's completely refreshing (especially in this unbearable heat) and full of immune boosters!

Giant Blocks & Airplanes

2011-05-05T22:47:00.001+08:00

Z has his first real playdate tonight with my nephew, J.

And what's more perfect for two little boys other than giant blocks and airplanes? :)

Z Would Love This!

2011-04-28T16:28:00.001+08:00

I miss my baby!!!!!!

I Am A Sprinkler

2011-04-28T12:05:00.001+08:00

Yes, you heard right- I am a sprinkler.

I love to sprinkle Z's food with herbs, spices, nuts, you name it.

In the morning for breakfast, my sprinkles includes organic wheatgerm, cinnamon, Z's probiotics, nuts and seeds.

For his other meals, I would usually include sprinkles like organic sesame seeds, herbs (either dry or fresh), wheatgerm and my current favorite, organic nori flakes.

I think all these sprinkles are fantastic for:

1. They are highly nutritious, therefore boosting the nutrition level of their meal even more

2. They enhance the taste of the dish, especially more so when Z is still on a low sodium diet.

3. They make the dish look more appetizing- remember, kids eat with their eyes too

4. They usually complement each other- you can add one sprinkle at a time or be adventurous and mix & match (I usually do)

5. They expose kids to different tastes and texture

6. They are so convenient- no preparation needed, just sprinkle away!

7. There is no set amount- sprinkle more if your kid is familiar and likes the taste, sprinkle less for new ones until he's more used to it.

I usually store my sprinkles together and at a convenient place in the kitchen to make it even easier for me to sprinkle before bringing the dish out to Z.

So, make it a habit and start sprinkling today.

Breakfast in The Sky

2011-04-27T13:00:00.001+08:00

Actually, it's more like breakfast on a runway- an airport runway, that is. Z had and finished his breakfast before the plane could take off.

We are now in mid air, on the way back to our lil' hometown. I am one-finger typing madly away on my phone ( have I mention how much I love Blogger+?) and Z is concentrating on the Safety Information sheet that is provided in the plane.

And I get questions after questions, like, why does the plane land on the water? Why are the people in the picture coming down via the slide? What is the A? The B?.... You get the drift.... Never-ending questions! :)

Anyways, since we have an early flight this morning, I prepared his fried rice breakfast the night before.

I made a simple fried red rice with organic shitake mushrooms, corn, broccoli, carrots, scrambled egg and lots of garlic. Yums!

To make our morning as chaos free as possible, I did this last night:

I let the dish cool for a few hours before placing it in a bowl in the rice cooker, which I filled with a cup or two of water. I then added two raw organic eggs in a small plate and place it over the bowl of rice.

(tip: If you let the rice cool down sufficiently, it will last longer, at least good enough for 5-6 hours without refrigeration)

I then set the timer for 5.30 a.m. and wa lah! A ready-to-eat breakfast with 2 hard boiled eggs for this morning.

The only thing I have to do is to transfer everything to my trusty and safe tiffin for the journey.

Don't you just love modern convenience? I do!!! (and mobile blogging!!)

P/s Don't worry, my phone is currently on airplane mode. I'll post this entry when we land :)

Skin Deep Cosmetic Database's Fabulous New Look

2011-04-26T01:02:00.001+08:00

Do check out EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetic Database's newly revamped site

It's simply fabulous and I love it!

My Bowls! My Bowls

2011-04-23T16:00:00.001+08:00

We are now at the historical Jonker St. of Melaka/ Malacca and me, being a wannabe antique collector bought these!

Beautiful scalloped & gold rimmed soup/ rice baba bowl!

Look at the beautiful details!!!

That is why I bought 4!!!

I am one happy camper!!:)

Easy Self-feed Dinner

2011-04-22T19:36:00.001+08:00

We are in the middle of 'You have to feed yourself from now on stage' with Z.

To make the whole process as easy as possible for all of us (coz we all know how frustrating it could be, especially for me), I would turn to pasta for easy self feeding.

This is one version of my pasta dishes, which he's feeding himself right now (& mommy can blog):

Chinese Stir-fry with baby bak Choy & Shitake mushroom.

Ingredients:

1 portion of organic short pasta
1 clove of organic garlic, roughly chopped
1 stalk of organic baby bak chop, rinsed & cut
1 inch knob of organic carrot, rinsed & cut into small cubes
2-3 medium size organic shitake mushroom,
rinsed & cut into small cubes
1 organic egg, beaten
1 tsp of liquid amino acid
1 tsp of organic light soy sauce

Cook the pasta according to the direction on the package.

Meanwhile, heat up some extra virgin organic olive oil and stir fry the egg quickly. When done, set aside in a plate/ bowl.

Then heat up a little more oil and toss in the garlic, mushroom and carrot. Stir fry for a minute before adding the baby bak choy.

By now, the pasta should be al dente. Drain them and add them to the vegetables. Add in the seasoning and the cooked egg.

Stir to combine all the ingredients before turning off the heat- for about 10-20 seconds.

Serve with a sprinkle of organic nori flakes.

Yums! :)

Z , The Diver?

2011-04-22T16:17:00.001+08:00

Z checking out the face mask in a dive shop:)

One of the things I am loving

2011-04-21T09:09:00.001+08:00

Z's Toy Story rocket gibbitz.

So vey fitting for a boy who loves all things rockets, shuttles and space craft. :)

Can you guys spot Buzz? :)

Environmental Working Group: The Story of Bottled Water (2010)

2011-01-11T16:47:00.000+08:00

This short video shows the many downsides of our bottled water habit (think: single-use plastic, oil, trash, super-high cost, and more). If you've already kicked the habit, pat yourself on the back (it feels good!) and share this with someone who hasn't.

Everyone Needs a Boat in Their Living Room

2011-01-08T20:30:00.001+08:00

Except these are not real boats-

they are our new inflatable beds that D got for our future camping trips.

But I told Z that these are boats/ rafts-beds

and he has been having a ball ever since they have been inflated since this afternoon.

He has been jumping on and off them, running and falling on them

and jumping on them some more.

I get tired just looking at him go. :)

Zainelicious Featured on WeaningBaby (UK)

2011-01-07T16:12:00.000+08:00

A nice surprise came yesterday when I was informed that Zainelicious is now featured on WeaningBaby.

Weaning Baby (www.weaningbaby.me.uk) is the largest weaning baby resource website in the UK.

This is such an honor for us. :)

Thank you, Weaning Baby!

Shake-shake Popcorns

2011-01-07T09:43:00.000+08:00

Popcorns- one of the easiest snack to make for the little ones

and this I know after my little trial run for Z's 3rd birthday party.

I wanted him and the rest of the kids at the party to have fun, but healthy food and the popcorns fit the bill completely. Which kid doesn't like popcorns?

It's so simple that you will basically need only a minimum of 2 ingredients- butter and raw popcorn.

And the list of ingredients might increase, depending on how fancy you want your popcorn to be.

For Z's popcorn, I use 4 ingredients-

organic popcorn, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic unsalted butter and finally honey.

You will also need a pan or a pot with a lid.

I find that a shallow pan with a handle works best for me.

It's easier for me to ensure that all the popcorns have popped.

Heat up the pan and add in the butter and olive oil.

When the butter is fully melted (but not bubbling), add & spread the popcorn evenly in a single layer.

The amount of butter depends on how rich you like your popcorn to be.

I used approximately 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil to 1/3 cup of popcorn.

Tip: Don't be too ambitious with adding too much popcorn.

It will be easier to work with a smaller amount and you will see why.

All you need to do next is cover and wait for the popping action to begin.

There will be lots of popping at the beginning, then it will slow down to a few pops.

When this happens, it's time to tone up that biceps of yours.

With one hand on the lid (remember to use a mitten if you find the lid too hot) and one hand on the handle, lift up and shake the whole thing all over.

This will ensure all the popcorns are evenly coated and allows those un-popped popcorns to pop.

Do this as many times until you are satisfied that most of the popcorns have popped.

Transfer the popcorns to your preferred container.

Drizzle the honey all over the popcorns as evenly as possible.

Tip: An easy way would be to drizzle the honey, put on the lid and shake all over again

For Z's party, I put them in the cutest muffin cups that I swiped from my sister (thanks, sis!).

What do you think? Aren't they just little cupfuls of organic goodness?

Wouldn't you want them for your kids? :)

Tip: The great thing about popcorns are they are a great base for different flavours. Try different flavours like chopped fresh rosemary, smokey paprika, or cayenne pepper for a little kick.

Z's Cute Style at Blockbuster

2011-01-05T17:21:00.000+08:00

I am totally loving Z's (faux) leather jacket.

It's warm (at least enough for the mild winter back in our state) and goes with everything.... even PJs! :)

I have blueberry shrubs!!

2011-01-04T08:08:00.001+08:00

Three of them to be exact and the wildest thing is,

I didn't even realize until this recent trip back to the States!

Yes, how duh am I, rite?

In my defense, I didn't know because they were not planted by me. They were planted on our front lawn by our builder when we built the house. But then again, I would've walked by them hundreds of times. Seen the fruits too, but never really took notice.

That is until a week ago.

Fresh blueberry clusters

And Z, as soon as he hears D & I discussing whether these are blueberries shrubs, he immediately demands that he wants to eat them!

But aiayayayaa.... these shrubs have been sprayed numerous times with pesticides before ( I didn't know any better then), so I didn't let the little man try them out.

If I have known these are blueberry shrubs and how easy it is to grow and keep them (almost zero maintenance so far, except for some annual pruning), I would've planted more of them so that we could have our own blueberries.

I guess this will be one of the projects for me to embark on when we move back there:)

Project!!! :)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T08:40:00.000+08:00

The Christmas tree is finally up!

We decided late last nite (Christmas' eve's eve) that we should bring our only-been-used-once christmas tree in from our garage and make it a proper Christmas for us, especially Z, even if it's only for a few days.

The last time we put up this beautiful tree, Z's just a wee baby- 1 lil bit more than a month old, so I don't think he could remember any of it.

Hopefully this year, at the grand old age of 3, he will have a memory that would linger on for a long long time to come.

Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!!

Christmas Must Be Early This Year....

2010-12-22T10:45:00.000+08:00

Either that, or it is still Z's birthday, because he's still receiving presents. Ok- they are all from us, but hey, he's our only child, our precious. :) Plus, there's perfectly good reasons for the gifts...

like... a business trip present from D

Everyone who got stuck at home deserves a present or two, no? :)

Puzzle rocket and fighter jet

These are already assembled by D & Z

D bought four models - a tank and a helicopter which were not assembled yet when the pics were taken.

Both of us are pleasantly surprised at how good and sturdy these models are.

And for me, D got me these!!!

Brownies and instant noodles!

My hubby knows me well... :)

And recently, we made a short trip to Singapore

and we got this cool Lego-like block for Z- they were on sale. :)

These blocks are made in Taiwan and are well-made too. They are 'soft' enough and just the right size for little fingers. It comes with a booklet that guides us in building the different models. It is said to help with counting too, since you have to count the number of blocks for different models. :)

And the blocks also disconnect with the nicest sounding "pop!"

Here's Z playing with the model plane that we built together

(more like him telling me which model he wants and I build it for him)

And can you spot the swanky Shinkansen which Z practically hugged all the way from the store in Singapore to our home in KL?

It's the season of giving after all.... :)

Happy Holidays, Everybody!!

Asparagus & Mushroom Risotto

2010-12-15T08:09:00.000+08:00

This is a variation of my other risotto recipe,

slightly more grown up and involves a little bit more cooking.

Ingredients:

1 portion of uncooked risini

1 cup of home-made chicken stock or water

A bunch of organic asparagus, cut to 1" length (about 4-5 small stalks)

3-4 medium size mushroom, thinly sliced

1 organic garlic, finely slivered

1 tsp of liquid amino acid

1 tbsp of shredded cheese (I use organic cheddar)

Firstly cook the risini in the chicken stock under medium low heat. This will take approximately 10-15 minutes for the risini to be completely cooked and for the stock to be completely absorbed. Add more stock/water if necessary.

Meanwhile, heat up one tbsp of organic extra virgin olive oil in a pan. Add in the garlic, asparagus and the mushrooms and seasoning. Stir until the vegetables are cooked. Set aside.

When the risini is cooked, take it off the heat and add in the cooked vegetables & cheese to the risini.

Stir to combine completely.

Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped organic spring onion and an fried organic egg.

Fresh Baby Corn and Cauliflower Soup

2010-12-13T15:56:00.001+08:00

I know I haven't been posting any food post for a while.

Not because I haven't been cooking.

Quite the contrary. I have been cooking and taking pictures.

Just haven't gotten around to edit and post them up.

Anyways, here's a food post to kick start the end of my procrastination.

Fresh baby corn and cauliflower soup!

I realise that I hardly cook any other soup for Z other than his usual chicken soup.

I think I only have an entry or two under the "soup" category. :(

It's a good thing that he loves his chicken soup. :)

For this other-than-chicken-soup soup, I used organic chicken bones/carcass as the base for the soup.

I bring 2 bowls of water to boil before adding in the chicken bones/carcass, a sliver of organic ginger and a clove or two of organic garlic.

Cover the pot and bring to boil, before turning the heat down to medium-low and let the soup base simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, clean and cut up the vegetables- the corn and the cauliflower into bite size pieces.

Remove any impurities that floats up to the surface of the soup base. Then add in the vegetables and let them cook for another 10 minutes or until you can smell the sweetness of vegetables.

Garnish with some spring onions and serve it with a bowl of brown/red rice.

I was going to add some seasoning, but after I gave it a taste, I changed my mind. The soup is completely filled with the sweetness of the vegetables and the chicken bones, so much so that extra seasoning is simply unnecessary.

I love it! It's a summery light vegetable soup that's sweet in flavor and rich in goodness.

Star-studded Weekend

2010-12-13T13:08:00.000+08:00

We were in Singapore over the weekend and look who we managed to catch?

Thomas & Sir Topham Hatt!!

This was at the Millenia Mall near the hotel that we stayed at.

It was a short short show- 10 minutes at most, but the kids and Zaine enjoyed the show.

There was also free popcorn! :)

That's not all.

At another mall, we happened to catch Hi 5!

It was just a photo section with the group.

Good thing Zaine is not into the group, otherwise, we would have to queue up with the rest of the mommies and daddies. :)

Pretty cool for a weekend in Singapore, rite?? :)

Breakfast in a Jiffy

2010-12-02T14:50:00.000+08:00

I finally figured out that the best time for me to get my workout is early in the morning,

before D goes to work and when I am fully rested.

But that also means I have to make Z's breakfast in a jiffy, and something easy that he could feed himself without making too much of a mess.

So, I make this-

Breakfast muffin with cream cheese and fresh berries.

I only need to toast the muffins (while changing into my gear), slab on the cream cheese and rinse off some berries.

In less than 10 minutes, I am out of the door, after a quick kiss to Z.

D is usually still asleep, so the kiss is unnecessary. :)

p/s Sadly, even with this perfect workout time epiphany, sadly I still don't work out everyday- I wish I would, but ~~most~~ some days, the bed is just way too tempting :(

Z is Three- Part 2

2010-12-01T18:03:00.001+08:00

We decided to throw a poolside birthday brunch party for Z

with a train theme since the little guy loves his trains so much.

And so, mommy is the self-appointed party coordinator, decorator, and everything in between.

The color for the train themed party is cobalt blue, red, yellow & white, inspired by Thomas the train.

Here's the kids' food station, filled with goodies.

Z's Birthday Cake, which he loves!

And there are train-themed cupcakes too, of course- which Z loves very much also

Healthy and refreshing fruit kebabs

And since it's brunch, I made mini bagels.

Here are tuna & cheese bagels

Egg & cheese bagels

Cream cheese bagels

Chickpeas in cupcake cups

Home-made popcorn drizzled with honey

And what is a party without some party favors?

I found some cool non-plastic whistles that every little train conductors should not do without

Here are some chalks for the little ones to draw trains and stuff

And these are some old-school chinese paper flags.

I fell in love with them as soon as I saw them and the old-school color combinations.

And where to store all the treats but in a paper bag with personalised thank-you note

The adults' table is not too shabby also.

Here we have the famous D's bbq ribs, Japanese potato salad (thanks, Sis!), fruit kebabs, and a few other yummies

Yummy bean and chickpea dip (thanks again, sis!) with homemade chips

Breakfast pizza of scrambled eggs, cheese, smoked salmon and lots of dill

Insalata Caprese

a simple summer salad of fresh tomatoes, buffalo cheese and basil leaves,

drizzled with extra virgin olive oil

And last but not least, extra little things that make the party festive:

Custom-made birthday buntings by Angelolli.com

A Happy Birthday Banner

Birthday boy's special name banner

And the essential rail road crossing sign that every train-themed party should have

Like the 'rail road tracks' to guide the guests to the party?

And finally, trains, tracks and galore to keep the kids busy

while adults could indulge in the yummy food :)

It was a great day and Z got lots of loves, wishes and hugs.

Thanks, everyone for making this a great celebration.

And thanks for the presents!!

Z is THREE!!!- Part 1

2010-11-26T16:26:00.000+08:00

Three years ago this day, the baby stork delivered a beautiful baby boy to us, with the help of pictocin and epidural, of course.

Today, Z turns 3. The oh so wonderful 3! :)

Don't get me wrong- 2 was wonderful too. There wasn't any major terrible 2s at all, which we are truly grateful.

But 3- oh wow, my baby's 3!!!

Z kicks off the day at 6 + a.m., while mommy and daddy are still in dreamland.

I have the grand plans of waking up early and cooking his birthday long life noodle with chicken soup and eggs for Z, just like how my mom would on our birthdays.

But the chicken soup and noodles extravaganza is not quite ready when Z wants his food since mommy only sort of ready to crawl out of bed about an hour after Z's awake.

(Z would usually play on his own, until he feels that it's time to wake us up. Then he would come into the room to nag us until one of us is up)

So, to pacify the birthday boy, a birthday cupcake (with the icing/fondant train taken off because mommy is just a spoil sport :)) is in order.

This is from the leftover cupcakes from the party. Quite the little beauties, aren't they?

And after the cupcake, it's onto hard boiled eggs, another must-have for any celebration.

(Tip: I put the eggs in my steamer basket with some water in the rice cooker and set it on timer on the night before. So by the time we woke up, the eggs are fully cooked and warm too!)

And by the time the cupcake and the egg are devoured, the chicken soup is finally ready.

I use a whole organic chicken for the soup. I brown the chicken with a little bit of oil and lots of ginger. When the chicken are thoroughly browned on both sides, I add in a cup of foochow red wine and enough water to cover all the chicken pieces. To this, I also add some organic goji berries and fresh organic shitake mushroom. I let the soup boil for at least 30 minutes before serving it with freshly cooked "mee-suah" or long life noodle.

Now, don't you think that this is a pretty great start for the day for Z, D & I? :)

Happy Birthday, my Sweet, my Love, my Son.

We love you!

Muaks*****

Leeks Stir -Fry

2010-11-26T11:10:00.000+08:00

I love it when I see a bunch of really nice young organic leeks at the grocers, which I did last week.

I love leeks.

My mom is the one who introduces me to this lovely oniony vegetable. She would stir-fry them with rice cakes and mince meat. It's an extremely easy dish, but extremely comforting, delicious and warming.

The leeks are sweet with a mild onion-y flavor.

I did not have rice cakes, so I did a leek stir-fry instead.

I basically use whatever produce that I have in my fridge- green beans, oyster mushrooms and firm sprouted tofu.

And a clove of garlic (finely sliced) and a mixture of organic soy sauce and liquid amino acid complete the dish.

The end result?

A simple green stir-fry that is light, sweet, crunchy (from the beans and the leeks) and perfect for the hot summery weather.

It even passes my greatest food critic- D!

( Z's not the biggest critic coz he loves whatever I make for him- most of the time anyway:))

Have You Watch Ponyo Yet?

2010-11-24T14:44:00.000+08:00

This is another great work from Hayao Miyasaki.

It's a beautiful tale of pure love between Ponyo (a fish) and Sosuke.

Here's the description of the movie from amazon.com

"Welcome to a world where anything is possible! Academy Award winning director Hayao Miyazaki (2002, Best Animated Feature, Spirited Away) and legendary filmmaker John Lasseter together with Disney bring to life a heartwarming and imaginative telling of Hans Christian Andersen s classic fairy tale The Little Mermaid. A young boy named Sosuke rescues a goldfish named Ponyo, and they embark on a fantastic journey of friendship and discovery before Ponyo s father, a powerful sorcerer, forces her to return to her home in the sea. But Ponyo s desire to be human upsets the delicate balance of nature and triggers a gigantic storm. Only Ponyo s mother, a beautiful sea goddess, can restore nature s balance and make Ponyo s dreams come true. Ponyo will delight your family with its magnificent animation and timeless story."

There are so many things I love about this cartoon.

I especially love the food scenes.

Image from denofgeek.com

These are just simple bowls of noodles with added ham, egg and spring onions.

Simple, but don't you just want to snatch the noodles away and devour them?? I do!!!

Image from www.tubehome.com

Here's one scene where it was pouring outside and the electricity was out. Sosuke's mom, Lisa made them a simple fare of warm milk and honey.

I could imagine just how comforting those two mugs of milk are.

Z notices as well.

He would always ask what those drinks are- that's his way of letting me know he would like to try them.

So today, I finally made it for him- warm milk with a spoonful of honey :)

Completely delicious, completely comforting, completely satisfying, especially more so on a cool, rainy day which we have been having quite a bit lately.

Ponyo is definitely in our library of classics.

Will it be in yours?

P for PARTY & POTTY

2010-11-23T01:01:00.000+08:00

Here is a sneak peek at what has been keeping me busy for the past few weeks.

Custom-made Birthday Banner from Angelolli
(Picture courtesy of www.angelolli.com)

Z's 3rd Birthday Party!!!

I will post more when I have all the pictures of the great day from the photographer of the day.

All I will say now is that there were BBQ (of course!), trains (double of course!), cake, cupcakes, lots of food and great company!

On top of all the party planning, I decided that Z and I are ready to start the potty training journey.

We started out with this potty, which we got at least a year ago.

We were feeling ambitious then.

The whole PT journey started out slow, until I got this grand little thing from Mother Care or at least I would like to think so- justifying my buy and all :).

Thomas the Train Potty, with a removable potty part

It may fully be a coincidence, but Z starts to do his no. 1s and 2s in the potty the day I brought this little baby home!

While Z is still not completely diaperless - when we go out (mommy's not ready for the M'sian public toilets yet), during his sleeps and there are still a few accidents, in our books, our little guy is definitely potty-trained.

WOOHOOO!!!!

Now I won't have to face the horrific "What?! He's NOT potty-trained YET?" looks when we go back to our hometown for Chinese New Year. :) Woohoo x 10!!!

Healthy Child Healthy World: Is Organic Milk a Hoax?

2010-11-10T22:11:00.001+08:00

2+ years ago when we first got back to Malaysia, the whole organic movement was still its infancy. So, when I insisted on organic food for Z, people were giving me funny looks. Looks that say "Which planet do you live on?" or " She's just trying to be different".

Luckily I really believe in the goodness of organic food, so I ignored all those looks and disapproving comments. It also helps that D is 100% supportive of this. (Thanks, darling!)

The good news is, 2 years + on, the organic movement in Malaysia is gaining momentum; there's plenty of organic choices, some at reasonable prices and some at not reasonable price. However, even the reasonably priced organic goods is still slightly pricier than conventional product and for a lot of people, that is a major deterrent.

In this article, Jennifer Grayson relates as a new mother why & how she could understand the price issue and why it's still worthwhile to go for organic milk vs conventional.

Get Answers: Is Organic Milk a Hoax?

Healthy Child

Friday, October 29, 2010

ShareThis

QUESTION:

Friends came over for dinner recently, and the wife was asking us to explain to her husband why it's important to spend the extra money on organic milk for their children, who drink a lot of it. I tried to explain, but he's skeptical and thinks the whole thing is a hoax. Can you point me toward any legitimate studies to educate him?

-Karen

ANSWER:

First off, Miss Eco Etiquette applauds your decision to leave the bulk of your organic milk manifesto for after the dinner party. To paraphrase Michael Pollan, what we choose to eat is a political act, and we all know that politics don't usually make for polite dinner conversation. Your spirited debate could have gone from moo to boo faster than you can say Stonyfield Farm.

As a new parent, I admit I had a knee-jerk reaction to your question: Even if your friend is not convinced that organic milk (which is produced without antibiotics, synthetic hormones, and pesticides) is healthier, why wouldn't he take the position of better safe than sorry? Is it worth risking a child's health to shave a buck or two off the weekly grocery bill?

But then I caught a glimpse of this week's headlines: 11.5 million jobs now missing from our labor market. The national unemployment rate holding steady at an abysmal 9.6 percent. We're all looking for ways to scrimp and save, especially when it comes to feeding voracious children who are eating us out of house and home.

I can relate. My little one may only be 6 weeks old as of this writing, but for us, the budget crunch began in utero: Even I had to reevaluate my commitment to local and organic once I realized my pregnancy craving for Redwood Hill Farm organic goat yogurt was costing me upwards of 20 bucks a week. Those giant, cheap tubs of the non-organic (but hormone-free) cow's milk variety at my local big-name grocery chain were just too darn tempting. I occasionally succumbed.

I'm evidently not the only one questioning whether organic is really worth it: Organic milk production, long considered one of the fastest growing segments of US agriculture, has begun to slow in the past year as Americans tighten their belts.

But just as we need to invest in clean energy to help create the green jobs of the future, we also need to invest in our children's health by ensuring that what goes in their mouths won't harm their delicate, developing systems.

Moove over conventional!

Here's why organic milk is the best choice for your family:

Organic milk is produced without pesticides. Testing by the USDA's Pesticide Data Program found industrial chemicals in nearly all of the conventional milk it examined. Among the most alarming: DDE, a breakdown of the now-banned toxic insecticide DDT, was discovered in 96 percent of the samples. Ninety-nine percent contained diphenylamine (DPA), a chemical used in plastic and rubber manufacturing, and 18 percent contained the endocrine disruptor endosulfan, which EPA moved to ban this year.

Organic milk is produced without added hormones. You wouldn't give human growth hormone to your healthy 5-year-old, so why would you expose her to milk that's filled with bovine growth hormone (linked to an alarming rise in calf deformity)? While the US continues to allow the injection of the genetically engineered hormone rBGH (or rBST) into lactating cows to increase milk production, the potential risks are enough of a concern that the European Union, Canada, Japan, and Australia have all banned its use.

Organic milk is produced without antibiotics. The antibiotics routinely given to dairy cattle to discourage mastitis may never make it into your milk (conventional milk is tested for antibiotic residues), but they could lead to you catching a life-threatening disease later in life. Sound implausible? The FDA has called the overuse of antibiotics in food animals "a serious public health threat," linking it to the emergence of super-scary superbugs like MRSA.

Organic milk is healthier. A study by Newcastle University found that organic dairy cows in the UK produce milk that is higher in vitamins, antioxidants, and "good" fats -- including conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been linked to lower rates of heart disease. The healthier milk is the result of cows grazing on fresh grass; since USDA recently passed strict regulations requiring the pasturing of organic dairy cows, it stands to reason that American organic milk offers the same increased nutritional benefit.

Hope your friend finds this information udderly convincing!

This piece, by Jennifer Grayson, originally appeared in Huffington Post. Jennifer Grayson is the The Huffington Post's Miss Eco Etiquette and founding editor of The Red, White, and Green. Inspired by working on the Obama campaign, she launched the site to advance the conversation about the ties between environmentalism and patriotism.

Positively Drooling

2010-11-10T19:22:00.001+08:00

I am positively drooling over these toys for Z (and maybe a little for me, too:))

Mini Sets from Pottery Barn Kids

They are made out of wood, so they are safer and you can just imagine these sets hanging around for a really long time. Plus, they would most probably survive the not-so-gentle toddler's play (think Toy Story 3- Sunny Side Day Care).

They are 3 separate sets- the airport, train station and garage, each selling at USD 40.

And I am also loving this:

Chicco's 1 Two 3 Folding Playhouse as shared/discovered by www.tobsnob.com

A retractable playhouse that becomes a wall decor when folded up? 100% positively concurring with tobsnob.com- GENIUS!!!

And totsnob.com even went to the trouble of finding the best deal in town for the playhouse at OneStepAhe ad for USD 49.95. Thanks, Totsnob!

And this last one is for me-

A CASH REGISTER (!!!!) from Pottery Barn Kids

Look at how realistic this one is- with the drawer, the buttons (I love the buttons!)- oh my my!

Is Christmas here yet????

Positively Drooling

2010-11-10T19:20:00.000+08:00

I am positively drooling over these toys for Z (and maybe a little for me, too:))

Mini Sets from Pottery Barn Kids

They are 3 separate sets- the airport, train station and garage, each selling at USD 40.

And I am also loving this:

Chicco's 1 Two 3 Folding Playhouse as shared/discovered by www.tobsnob.com

A retractable playhouse that becomes a wall decor when folded up? 100% positively concurring with tobsnob.com- GENIUS!!!

And totsnob.com even went to the trouble of finding the best deal in town for the playhouse at OneStepAhe ad for USD 49.95. Thanks, Totsnob!

And this last one is for me-

A CASH REGISTER (!!!!) from Pottery Barn Kids

Look at how realistic this one is- with the drawer, the buttons (I love the buttons!)- oh my my!

Is Christmas here yet????

School= Virus Party?

2010-11-08T16:40:00.000+08:00

I was talking to another fellow dad at the playground the other day.

His son, S, is around Z's age- 3.3 years old.

And what else do we parents talk about besides how much both boys LOVE Thomas & Friends. :)

We also got talking about school, kids & viruses.

Now that Z is going to "school" (his one hour-one day a week class), every time a kid in his class starts to cough (the phlegm-y type) and has a runny nose, I would cringe and wish that the parents would give the class a miss or at least make the kid wear a face mask.

I know kids getting sick is unavoidable.

This is especially more so when kids start school. Along with friends and knowledge, flu, cold, fever and what-nots will follow too.

We all know how it goes down, one kid gets sick (and not necessary at school) and goes to school with runny nose, coughing and all, infects another kid or two and in no time, the whole class gets sick- teacher included.

So, we were discussing whether parents should keep the kids at home to:

a) rest and

b) to prevent infecting the rest of the kids in class/school.

S's dad tells me that his friends advises him that as long as the kids are not running a fever, he should just send them to school (despite runny nose, coughing and all, of course).

After all, it's good for the (rest of the) kids to build up their immune system.

This is not the first time I have heard of this so-called "reason" of building up their immune system.

I have heard of stories where parents purposely bring their kids to some relative/friend's home so that their kids could mingle with the sick kids, i.e. virus party, just so that their kids could build some resistance to the virus.

When I hear about this, I just want to slap the parents silly.

Firstly, every kid has a different level of immune system. The same virus may cause a mild flu in one kid and serious flu in another kid.

Secondly, every virus strain may not be the same.

So, the child is still vulnerable to the other virus strains out there.

Thirdly, I personally feel that these parents must not have taken care of their kids when they were sick. They either have the luxury of having nannies, family or maids to help out with the nasty stuff. I say this because if they have personally been there with the kids (and not just for a few hours), they would see firsthand how terrible it feels to see your kids get sick (they would wish that they were the one who were sick) and how terribly tiring it is for everyone.

Fourthly, runny nose is most contagious during the first few days.

Fifthly, maybe if the kids had stayed home and rested, their immune system might have a better chance to fight the cold/flu before it turns into a full blown flu/fever.

So, for those parents who think that they are doing me and the rest of the parents a favour by exposing their sick kids to ours, I would say a big "NO THANKS!!"

I would prefer to have the liberty to decide how I want Z to build up his immune system. And I am sure other parents feel the same way.

I personally believe that there are better ways to build up your child's immune system that would not require them to be sick. As simple as a spoonful of honey or coconut oil or a multivitamin a day would do. Or a yearly flu shot. Or teaching kids to have hygienic practices- washing hands, covering their mouth when they cough, etc.

One good point that S's dad brought up is that the option of keeping the kids at home for a two-working parents family may not always be readily available. I could definitely understand where this is coming from and I might fully agree if I were not a stay-at-home-mom. But then again, isn't that what emergency leaves are for? This again bring me back to my points (5th one) above, if the kids got the chance to get a proper rest and nutrition at home, parents may avoid having to (eventually) take emergency leaves and visit the doctor.

So, where do you stand on this matter?

Do you believe that school needs to be one big virus party or we could prevent it from being one with a little consideration and vigilance?

The very reason why I am NOT having my coffee & cake right now

2010-11-03T16:47:00.001+08:00

is because of this truck.

D got it for him this afternoon and it has been truck truck truck since he woke up from his nap.

Z is refusing to take time out from playing to have some coffee and cake with me.

And since we don't have a ready sitter at our ~~disposable~~ disposal (typo-sorry! See, this is what happens when I am coffee deprived) , when the little kid doesn't want to leave the house, mommy doesn't get to leave the house too. :(

I guess it's all good- I am drinking waaaayyy too much coffee anyway.

So with coffee and cake a no-go, I thought I will take some pictures of Z & his toy, only to be solemnly informed that " I want to play with the truck, mommy". Oh, brother!

Principles of Food Combining from www.beautysnob.com

2010-11-03T15:08:00.000+08:00

An interesting post about principles of food combining from www.beautysnob.com. One of my friends, S, mentioned one of the principles (about fruits as after meal dessert) to me before but I did not have a chance to look into it.

This article reminded me that I should.... :)

Principles of Food Combining

By Beauty Snob Sharon on November 1, 2010 6:00 AM

A few months ago a very good friend of mine's mother passed away from colon cancer and the horror and pain of the situation has made me all the more aware of my health and what I can do to extent a healthful life. I've ordered more books than I care to count from Amazon on everything from homeopathic remedies and cleanses, to preventing cancer with nutrition and the world's "cleanest" restaurants and one of the things that comes up often is the idea of food combining.

I was unaware of the nutritional concept prior to a few months ago and find it absolutely fascinating in a "how did I not know this before" way! Different foods call for different digestive enzymes and they're meant to work independently and when they're forced to work together, chances are you'll feel boated, gas-y, and lack energy. Further, certain foods take longer to digest than others (liquids are the fastest; animal protein takes the longest), so for example, if you have a steak for dinner and then fruit for dessert, the fruit will start making its way through your body and eventually get blocked by the beef. So what you're thinking? Well, as a result the fruit just sits on top of the protein and femerents (hello gas!), as it waits for the protein to digest. Who knew that one of the biggest nutritional myths would be that fruit is the best dessert option? Instead, try dark chocolate (at least 70%). For more on what you can combine and what should never be combined jump!

"The 3-Day Cleanse," has an awesome Food Combining Cheat Sheet to help figure out what we "should" eat and when -

-Protein + Carbs or Fat = Poor (so, forget about beans and rice, steak and potatoes, and skip the lemon butter on your fish).
-Carbs + Fat = Good
-Non-Starchy Vegetables + Fat or Carbs or Protein = Excellent (non-starchy vegetables include asparagus, leeks, celery, broccoli, kale, lettuce, spinach, zucchini, garlic, green beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers).
-Mildly Starchy Vegetables + Carbs or Protein = good (mildly starchy vegetables include artichokes, beets, carrots, cauliflower, corn, and peas).
-Always eat fruits alone and try not to combine different fruits.

Another book I highly recommend is "Do It or Age Quickly." The author, JB Berns, goes more into depth on the principles of Food Combining and offers up some useful diet advice:
-Eat only one major protein at a single meal (again, because different proteins have different digestive enzymes).
-When you wake up in the morning have an 8-ounce glass of warm water with 1/2 a lemon as it's a wonderful detoxifier and will aid in your daily digestion.
-Before swallowing, chew your food until it's liquid as it will help improve your digestion and nutrient assimilation.
-Try not to drink liquids during your meals as it does not allow you to chew your food thoroughly and may wash down nutrients prematurely.
-Avoid extreme hot or cold temperatures in food and drinks as they can irrtiate the lining of your digestive track.

I snack on fruit A LOT so it has been hard for me to avoid eating fruits too close to my protein and not drinking during my meals has been a challenge as well. Overall though these prinicples ring true for me and though some studies have found them not to hold up to all of their claims, they have helped make me more conscious of what I'm eating and that's of huge benefit. Do you eat based on the principles of food combining?

Ancient Grain Rocks!

2010-11-02T15:13:00.000+08:00

I got a bag of organic pearled farro or emmer wheat on our recent trip back to the US.

It is an ancient wheat with history dated back to 7000 B.C in Babylonia.

(Don't you just love wheat with history?) :)

Today, it is popular in Italy and it is often cooked as a risotto dish or it is used to make pasta.

In terms of health benefits, it is high in protein, fiber and minerals.

If combined with legumes, it makes a complete protein.

I find it similar to pearled barley, especially in terms of texture. It is however not as sweet as the barley. It is nuttier.

So, how do I cook it?

I combine one part farro to 3 parts liquid. You can use either water or stock. I let it boil under medium heat, partly covered for 15-20 minutes, or until it has soften and has absorbed all the liquid.

On the side, I did a quick stir-fry of sliced organic green beans, sliced baby portobello mushroom and minced organic garlic, seasoned with a teaspoon of liquid amino acid.

I combine the cooked vegetables & the farro together.

To top it off, I add sliced avocado and sliced spring onions before serving.

Verdict? Ancient grain rocks! :)

Don't You Just Love All Things Japanese?

2010-11-01T13:39:00.000+08:00

I got this Thomas & Friends Stamp Set from our last year's trip to Japan.

Isn't it completely adorable?

It is also one of the very FEW cute boys' stuff I can find in Japan.

The rest of them are all Hello Kittys and pink stuff

(which would not sit well with the man of the house, D).

It come in a little briefcase.

It has a little notepad, two stamp pads (the blue square & the yellow circle) and lots of stamps!

The kid in me wants to tear open the package as soon as I paid for it, but the mom in me reminded me that I am not buying it for myself, but for my son.

(Sometimes, the mom can be such a wet blanket, no? :) )

So the mom in me put the stamp set away for Z when he gets older (and when I am sure he would not stamp our home all over with them).

Last week (finally, I know!) I took them out for him to play.

Here's Z stamping away- perfect for little hands and good motor skill training too

Look, Mommy! Three stamps at once!

And I am happy to report that so far, our home is Thomas stamps free!

(the clean-up mommy rejoices!)

Enviroblog: Dr Oz Investigates early Puberty in Girls

2010-10-30T09:31:00.001+08:00

Dr. Oz investigates early puberty in girls

OCTOBER 28, 2010

By Lisa Frack, EWG Social Media Manager (and mother of a 4-year-old girl)

Dr. Mehmet Oz begins a recent segment of The Dr. Oz Show by telling us in no uncertain terms that he's not happy about early puberty in girls - as a dad and a doctor. He says:

"Something is going on with our nation's girls, and I'm sounding the alarm."

That something is early puberty. The fact that girls in the United States are reaching puberty at younger ages than in years past is not breaking news. But it is receiving more attention as Americans become aware of the effects of diet, obesity, and chemicals have on our health - specifically the health of our children.

In 2007, the Breast Cancer Fund commissioned a report by ecologist and author Sandra Steingraber on the topic -- "The Falling Age of Puberty." Steingraber conducted the first literature review to comprehensively assess what is happening to the timing of puberty, and what she found was that girls are getting their first periods, on average, a few months earlier than 40 years ago and developing breasts one to two years earlier. Another important finding was that minority and low-income girls are the hardest hit.

Early puberty isn't just unsettling to see. It has potentially serious psychological, social, and physical effects, including increasing the risk of breast cancer. Dr. Oz uses informative graphics to show how early puberty occurs physiologically, and why it causes adverse health effects.

Dr. Oz says to protect your daughters - and tells us how
These 3 short videos from Dr. Oz's important show on the subject are well worth a look. He interviews two doctors who specialize in children's health and two moms who are concerned about their own daughters early development (you should see the pictures comparing the girls to their mothers at the same age!).

Importantly, Dr. Oz and his expert guests offer practical steps we can take to protect our daughters. Like:

Don't microwave food in plastic. Ever.
Serve hormone-free or organic meat and dairy products.
Use stainless steel water bottles - not plastic.
Choose personal care products with fewer chemicals, and skip them altogether when you can. For example, in lieu of putting on sunscreen (which can contain toxic chemicals), wear hats and shirts.

Click this image to watch the 1st segment:

For more tips on how to reduce your family's exposures to chemicals, check out EWG's Healthy Home Tips. They're doable and effective, especially if you don't try to tackle them all at once!

Source: www. enviroblog.org

(http://www.enviroblog.org/2010/10/dr-oz-investigates-early-puberty-in-girls.html)

Z & His Thomas Train Set

2010-10-28T16:37:00.000+08:00

No, this is not a brand new set.

We got this for Z a while ago.

And for a while back, I got sick of it taking up too much floor space, so I packed it all up.

Recently, after much nagging from Z, I took it out again.

Z of course, is on top of the world!

He would be on the floor playing with Thomas throughout different times of the day.

It is battery operated, but because we were not diligent enough to change out an expired battery, it is not longer working (or so we thought).

But Z doesn't mind. He is having fun, pushing and pulling Thomas manually.

And the other day, we suddenly hear Thomas working again!!

D & I could not figure out what happened!

So, now, half the time, Z would decide to turn Thomas on. The other half, he would be the Thomas operator and creates his own story lines. :)

Organic Valley Cheeses & Milk in KL

2010-10-25T23:15:00.001+08:00

I walked into Hock Choon at Ampang and it's like I found gold.

Rows of Organic Valley Cheeses and milk from the USA!

They have a really extensive range- sour cream, cottage cheese, string cheeses, cheddar, colby (and many more) and even cream cheese. Cream cheese!!!! My sister and I have to get our supply from Singapore because we just couldn't find organic cream cheese in KL.

Not anymore!!!! :)

As for the milk, they have 4 individually-packs and 1 liter packs.

For the individually-packed ones, they have chocolate low fat milk (YUMMY!!), vanilla low fat milk, strawberry low fat milk and regular low fat milk.

The cheeses are definitely reasonably priced, ranging between RM23- RM 30 35.

The only product that I found to be on the expensive side are the 4 individually-packed milk, which is around RM 50+.

With the cheeses, one tub or one block of cheese would usually last a good 2-3 months for Z so I have no qualms about buying them.

But these individually packed milk.... aaaahhh.. I can't bring myself to buy them just yet.

(Currently, I am buying Z the 1-liter organic milk, which only cost between RM10+ to Rm 15+)

Maybe when we are traveling again, .... maybe :)

So if you are an organic cheese/milk nut like me, head on over to Hock Choon, Ampang.

EWG's Cancer Prevention Tips

2010-10-22T07:40:00.000+08:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

While genetics might have role in determining our risk for cancer, the way we live our lives and the environment we live in might now have an even bigger role.

And the best news is there are WAYS that we could take to help us prevent cancer.

After all, prevention is definitely better than cure.

So take some time and read this great article by EWG on Cancer Prevention Tips:

Tip 13: EWG's Cancer Prevention Tips

According to a new report from the President's Cancer Panel, environmental toxins play a significant and under-recognized role in cancer, causing "grievous harm" to untold numbers of people. Our groundbreaking research into umbilical cord blood has found that children are being born pre-polluted with nearly 300 industrial chemicals, pesticides and contaminants, many of which have been found to cause cancer in lab studies or in people.

Four of every 10 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, and two of every 10 will die from it. Beyond talking to your doctor about lifestyle changes that are known to make a difference -- stopping smoking, reducing drinking, losing weight, exercising and eating right -- there are things you can do to reduce your risk.

Here are some simple ways you can reduce your exposure to potentially cancer-causing chemicals (click here to download the PDF):

1. Filter your tap water. Common carcinogens in tap water include arsenic, chromium, and chemical byproducts that form when water is disinfected. A simple carbon tap-mounted filter or pitcher can help reduce the levels of some of these contaminants. If your water is polluted with arsenic or chromium, a reverse osmosis filter will help.Learn about your tap water and home water filters at EWG's National Tap Water Database.

2. Seal outdoor wooden decks and play sets. Those built before 2005 are likely coated with an arsenic pesticide that can stick to hands and clothing. Learn more from EWG.

3. Cut down on stain- and grease-proofing chemicals. "Fluorochemicals" related to Teflon and Scotchgard are used in stain repellants on carpets and couches and in greaseproof coatings for packaged and fast foods. To avoid them, avoid greasy packaged foods and say no to optional stain treatments in the home. Download EWG's Guide to PFCs.

4. Stay safe in the sun. More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. To protect your skin from the sun's cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) radiation, seek shade, wear protective clothing and use a safe and effective sunscreen from EWG's sunscreen database.

5. Cut down on fatty meat and high-fat dairy products. Long-lasting cancer-causing pollutants like dioxins and PCBs accumulate in the food chain and concentrate in animal fat.

6. Eat EWG's Clean 15. Many pesticides have been linked to cancer. Eating from EWG's Clean 15 list of the least contaminated fruits and vegetables will help cut your pesticide exposures. (And for EWG's Dirty Dozen, buy organic.) Learn more at EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides.

7. Cut your exposures to BPA. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen found in some hard plastic water bottles, canned infant formula, and canned foods. Some of these chemicals cause cancer in lab studies. To avoid them, eat fewer canned foods, breast feed your baby or use powdered formula, and choose water bottles free of BPA. Get EWG's tips to avoid it.

8. Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics. Use EWG's Skin Deep cosmetic database to find products free of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer. When you're shopping, don't buy products that list ingredients with "PEG" or "-eth" in their name (chemicals often tainted with contaminants linked to cancer).

9. Read the warnings. Some products list warnings of cancer risks -- read the label before you buy. Californians will see a "Proposition 65" warning label on products that contain chemicals the state has identified as cancer-causing.

Source: www.ewg.org

http://ewg.org/healthyhometips/cancer_prevention_tips?utm_source=breastcancermonthsubb&utm_medium=email&utm_content=first-link&utm_campaign=toxics

Burrito ala Stace

2010-10-20T22:08:00.000+08:00

So, remember Z & I bought some tortilla at our grocer's and we made cheese quesadillas?

With the leftover tortillas, I was inspired to make burritos for dinner.

There's usually the bean component in a burrito- either refried beans or black beans.

To make my life easier, I used Eden Organic Black Beans which I bought from Country Farm Organics a few weeks back.

To 'freshen up' the canned beans, I add the stalks of the organic cilantro/coriander

and an organic garlic clove to the pot and heat the beans through under a low heat & leave aside.

I make a simple cilantro-lime rice for our mexican meal. This is super easy. Simply add fresh organic cilantro (roughly chopped) and 2-3 tablespoonful (or to taste) of fresh lime juice to freshly cooked rice. The steaming rice will soak up all those wonderful flavors, and the lime juice gives the rice a refreshing taste.

And of course, no mexican meal is complete without the yummy guacamole.

And I found out during our recent trip back to The States that they also add minced garlic to their guac. So that's what I did for this guacamole.

And don't forget, there's the salsa.

I make a simple salsa by combining roughly chopped organic cherry tomatoes, a handful of roughly chopped coriander/cilantro, 1 tbsp of organic yellow onion and 1-2 cloves or organic garlic and mix well.

Sprinkle some salt to taste or omit this step if you make this a kid-friendly meal.

I also sliced up some baby portobello mushrooms and organic green peppers/capsicums, which I quickly cooked in a pan.

And for the meat component, I use sliced organic beef.

I use a simple marinate of ground black pepper, a dash of liquid amino acid and organic extra virgin olive oil to marinate the beef before cooking it in the pan.

When the beef and vegetables are ready, turn off the heat and leave aside.

For the condiments, there's the sour cream. I found Barambah Organics Sour Cream at Village Grocers at Bangsar Village I. Baramabah Organics is from Australia and it's one of my go-to organic brands when we were there. Great stuff!

And as if the burritos are not rich enough, there's also the cheese. :)

I use parmesan cheese here because that's what I have in my fridge. Any cheese would do.

And of course, the ingredient that inspires this mexican dinner- the tortillas.

I heat up the tortillas (both sides) in a clean pan.

Just move the tortilla around the pan while it's heating through.

And here're all the ingredients ready to be assembled.

Did I forget to mention that I cut up some lettuces as well?

They add a nice crunch to the burritos. Plus, you can never have too much vegies, right? :)

So here's what I did. Lay a piece of tortilla on your plate and pile everything on. I like to start with the rice, then the beans, then the beef with green peppers and onions, then the salsa, the guac., the lettuces and finally the sour cream and the cheeses.

Oh my, I am full from just typing all that out.

And finally roll it up and you have yourself a burrito! A yummy one too!

And here's a little tip, wrap up the whole burrito in an aluminum wrap. It will keep the burrito in shape and make eating it much easier and not as messy.

And for Z, I thought the traditional burrito would be too messy and too big for the little guy to handle, so I prepared a burrito bowl for him. He has everything that we have, except for the tortilla. And it tastes as good as our tortilla-wrapped ones.

It may seem like a lot of work, but it really is quite easy, especially when I choose to

use canned beans instead of cooking it from scratch. And as for the salsa and the guac, if you look closely, both dishes use similar ingredients. So when I was preparing the ingredients, I just double up on my portions and distribute accordingly.

The whole meal didn't take me any longer than preparing our usual dinner.

I can't believe I didn't try to make this meal sooner!

Little Help from Dr Greene, MD

2010-10-19T16:10:00.001+08:00

Sorry for the lack of posts.

I am still recovering from the whole "D got sick, then Z got sick, then I got sick" drama and it seems like my mind is doing the same thing- not doing much at all.

To help me and my mind get back into the groove of things, I want to share this article that I came across while surfing around.

And I think it's very appropriate given it's an article that may very well help us keep our kids and ourselves healthy. Plus, it's by one of my favourite MD, Dr Greene.

Prevention is better than cure, so read on!

A gem: Vitamin D and Flu Season

Modern kids tend to spend much less time outdoors than kids did a few generations ago – and that change could make a particularly big difference in the winter months, with today’s kids often not making the amount of vitamin D they need for optimum health. Some have observed that kids who don’t get enough vitamin D may get 3 times as many colds and flus than others in their class. Could simply taking a vitamin D supplement slash respiratory infections in kids?

A careful 2010 study suggests the answer is yes.

More than 300 school children were given either 1200 IU of vitamin D3 or a placebo for 4 months during the winter, in a forward-looking, randomized double-blind trial. To be precise with the results, researchers who didn’t know which group each child was in tested the kids for laboratory-confirmed influenza A using nasal swabs. The results were impressive.

Taking the vitamin D supplement cut the rate of influenza A by 1/3. Among kids who hadn’t been taking vitamin D in a multivitamin or by itself before the study, taking the vitamin D supplement made an even bigger difference, dropping the rate of influenza A by 2/3.

In the absence of time in the sun, it typically takes 1000 IU a day of vitamin D3 to get optimal blood levels. Most multivitamins have no more than 400 IU vitamin D (and it’s often just D2) – but kids shouldn’t take more than one serving of a multivitamin daily because of all the other ingredients. A glass of milk has about 100 IU, but kids shouldn’t drink 6 to 10 glasses a day. Playing in the sunshine with the skin exposed can give at least 20,000 IU.

Personally, I also take vitamin D dots most days, unless I’m sure I’ve had plenty of time in the sun.

One little change could make a big difference in your child’s school year – and yours.

Alan Greene MD FAAP

October 1, 2010

Berries, Cheese & Bread Snack Platter

2010-10-12T15:20:00.000+08:00

I love easy snacks that I could easily prepare for Z's, requiring little effort and time.

And what is easier than preparing a fruit, cheese and bread snack for him?

I found these beautifully luscious organic berries at Hock Choon, Ampang yesterday

and I just had to stock up.

I usually get my organic berries supply from Village Grocer at Bangsar Village I

as HC doesn't stock them... until now.

And the best part?

They are cheaper than VG.

A punnet of organic blueberries usually set me back RM25 at VG,

but at HC, it was only RM18! RM7 savings!! woot!

I also found some organic baby swiss from Organic Valley (USDA certified) at HC.

So all I have to do for his snack was put this beautiful platter of berries, cheese and some organic garlic bread (which I got from JustLife).

It's a perfect snack-

we have the carbs, the protein, the fruits & therefore loads of fiber & vitamins- all in one platter.

And all it took me- less than 2 minutes!

P/S Cottage, Ricotta, Mozzarella & Swiss cheese are perfect for the little ones as they tend to have a lower level of sodium

My Name is Stace & I Don't like Salad

2010-10-11T16:42:00.000+08:00

There! I said it. I don't like salad.

I would be the LAST person to order a salad at a restaurant.

Simply because, I am just not a salad person & I like my food piping hot. Salads - I don't personally find them particularly appetizing and are value for money. I would rather order a steak or a burger or pasta.

But I know they are GOOD for you- they balance the pH of our bodies, they give us fibers and because they are usually raw, they contain natural enzymes and higher level of vitamins.

And I want Z to grow up LOVING salads, like his dad.

While I have been slowly cultivating this love for greens, I know it will never be as effective unless he sees me enjoying my greens. This wonderful (& largely belated) epiphany came yesterday when my sister made her wonderful salad for lunch yesterday & everyone was enjoying it.

So I am trying to change my "salads-are-rabbit-food" mindset.

And I made salad for lunch today (giant pat on the back for me!)

To make it completely appetizing and attractive, I added a bunch of stuff that I already love.

I oven-grilled some mushrooms, organic asparagus and organic cherry tomatoes, which I coated with some organic extra virgin olive oil, a dash of liquid amino acid and a crack of the black pepper.

While they are slowly grilling away in the oven, releasing and concentrating their wonderful flavors, I clean and tear up some organic romaine lettuce and cube one whole organic avocado into a bowl.

When the grilled vegetables are done (which only took a short 10 minutes), I add the whole thing (vegetables & juice) & a tablespoonful of some yummy store-bought sesame salad dressing to the lettuce and avocado.

And it officially become a salad that I would LOVE (-never thought I would say that)!

And how could I not, look at it!

Yummy grilled cherry tomatoes, meaty mushroom, plump avos, sweet asparagus & yummy sesame dressing

And it looks as yummy after I give it a quick toss- even the romaine lettuce looks appetizing!

So, I am going to try and make this as often as possible, maybe changing up my ingredients from time to time with say, an organic hard boiled egg, some nuts, some cheeses?

Hopefully by the end of this attempt, I would a salad-convert. :)

Healthy Child Healthy World: Breast Cancer From A Bottle—For Pre-Teen Girls

2010-10-08T11:36:00.000+08:00

Breast Cancer From A Bottle—For Pre-Teen Girls

Guest Blogger

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

ShareThis

Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff,

Mommy Greenest:

When my husband and I were first engaged, we went to a dinner party at the home of a family friend. Since the two of us basically got together and decided to get married in just under two weeks—long story, and no it doesn’t involve a shotgun—most people at the party didn’t know my intended. He got grilled—on his childhood, family, education, career, even past girlfriends. And he passed with flying colors, until the moment when he revealed his astrological sign.

A cancer? Eyebrows were raised. Mutterings were heard. Moodiness. Intensity. My friend’s Austrian grandmother leaned over and told me, “When the moon is full, you need to take him outside so he can cry.” We looked at each other and laughed. Who needs to cry when you’re falling in love?

Flash forward 15 years and—like clockwork—my kind and wonderful husband turns moody and intense each time the moon is full. Only now he’s joined by my daughter, whose birthday is three days after his, and whose monthly moody intensity puts him to shame.

Remember all those John Hughes movies filled with drama and teenaged angst? That’s my daughter, about four days out of the month. Sobbing frenzies predicated by a far-flung brush and “I hate my hair!” A room full of clothes and nothing to wear. Crying jags over misunderstandings.

She’s nine.

But a new study has me wondering if this monthly moodiness has less to do with her astrological sign and more to do with PMS. An August, Pediatrics published a study that found one in 10 girls have already begun developing breasts—the first sign of puberty—by the age of eight and that the cause may be exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA), found in plastics and food-can linings, as well as preservatives, surfactants, pesticides and plastic additives. The problem, it seems, is that these chemicals mimic estrogen in the body, thus tricking it into starting the process of puberty earlier than necessary.

The bigger problem is that our government hasn’t passed any toxic substances regulation since 1976, so chemicals like these can be developed and added to products without any requirement for safety testing. My daughter’s exposure to BPA from a water bottle or pesticides on the soccer field grass may be low in each case, but the cumulative effect of these exposures on her small body is huge. Early puberty means early breast development, which puts her at a higher risk for breast cancer.

Breast cancer from a bottle? This is scary stuff. And if you’re as scared as I am, let’s do something about it.

1. Get involved with Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and support the Safe Chemicals Act and the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act—pending in the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively—which demand new science that will bring our chemical policies up to date.

2. According to Healthy Child Healthy World, these chemical reform acts won’t address BPA in bottles—only in receipts. (They coat paper with the stuff. Who knew?) HCHW has their eye on the Food Safety Modernization Act, which may include an amendment proposed by Senator Feinstein to ban BPA from bottles and cans, and recommends that you call your Senator and expressing your support for the bill.

Actions like these cost virtually nothing. They require mere minutes of our time. And they can make a huge difference. Because I’d rather blame my daughter’s moodiness on the moon. Wouldn’t you?

Puzzle Play

2010-10-07T13:34:00.000+08:00

This is Z's 9-piece puzzle which I got for him a while back from Singapore.

I love this puzzle for a few reasons.

Firstly, it's a Chelona- a Greek company that specializes in high quality wooden toys, mostly puzzles ( I think) for kids

Secondly, it's wood, which means it's safer, long lasting and hardy.

Thirdly, I love the wooden little knobs which are just perfect for little hands.

And lastly, it's simply beautiful- the colour, the picture (the pic is printed onto the wood so it won't peel), the whole feel of the puzzle- I love it.

Z could complete the puzzle, especially with me sitting on the side encouraging him.

It is not the hardest puzzle, but it's definitely not the easiest too.

Why?

As you can see above, when I take out the puzzle pieces, there's another picture in the background.

This serves as a nice hint for the little guy, but then again, it gets a little confusing (even for me) because at a quick glance, an unfinished puzzle may look completed since the picture in the background blends so nicely with the puzzle pieces.

Am I confusing you guys?

Anyways, here's Z with the puzzle. The cars at the back are his pips, cheering him on. :)

Article: The Connection Between Sleep & Growth

2010-10-06T15:08:00.000+08:00

Another reason why Z should get lots of sleep. :)

Check out the article below from www.babycenter.com

The Connection Between Sleep and Growth

Last updated: August 2008

Getting enough sleep is important for a young child for many reasons, from restoring energy to building brain connections (not to mention giving Mom and Dad a needed break). But science is showing that sleep also fuels physical growth.

The science of growing
Growth is a complex process that requires several hormones to stimulate various biological events in the blood, organs, muscles, and bones.

A protein hormone secreted by the pituitary gland called growth hormone (or "human growth hormone") is a key player in these events. Several factors affect its production, including nutrition, stress, and exercise. In young children, though, the most important factor is sleep.

Growth hormone is released throughout the day. But for kids, the most intense period of release is shortly after the beginning of deep sleep.

How much sleep do they need?
Two- and 3-year-olds need 12 to 14 hours of sleep every 24 hours (a combination of about 12 hours of night sleep and 1 ½ to 3 hours of naps), 4-year-olds about 11 to 13 hours (with about 11 of the hours at night). (Sleep needs are somewhat individual, with some kids requiring slightly less or more than their peers.)

Without adequate sleep, growth problems — mainly slow or stunted growth — can result. Growth hormone production can also be disrupted in kids with certain physical sleep problems, such as obstructive sleep apnea

Kids who don't get enough sleep show other changes in the levels of hormones circulating in their body, too. Hormones that regulate hunger and appetite can be affected, causing a child to overeat and have a preference for high-calorie carbs. What's more, a shortage of sleep can affect the way the body metabolizes these foods, triggering insulin resistance, which is linked to type 2 diabetes.

A lack of sleep at night can also affect motor skills and concentration during the day, leading to more accidents and behavioral problems, and poor performance at school.

Ensuring a good night's sleep
Most kids need more sleep than their parents think.

Signs that your child may not be getting enough rest include crankiness or lethargy by day, always falling asleep in the car, and being hard to wake up. If your child is hyper at bedtime or tired before it's time to go to bed, that's another clue his schedule may not be consistent enough.

To help your child get plenty of zzz's:

Establish consistent daily sleep times and stick to them.
Have a regular bedtime routine, which helps signal to your child's body that it's time to wind down. This might include giving him a bath or snack, reading a bedtime story, and talking or singing softly to him while tucking him in.
Make sure your child's room is conducive to sleep. It should be dark and quiet.
Avoid roughhousing before bedtime. It's stimulating instead of sleep-inducing.
Stick to the same timetable and routines for bed on weekends and vacations that you normally have. A variation once in a while won't cause long-term disruptions, but erratic bedtimes can lead to poor sleep habits and sleep deprivation.

Check out the article and its related contents here.

Book Review: Nurturing The Winner & Genius in Your Child

2010-10-05T12:19:00.000+08:00

Another book review of mine is out on www.parenthots.com

Check out what this book is about and what my thoughts on it here.

Tunalicious!

2010-10-04T17:44:00.001+08:00

With two sick boys at home, the last thing I wanted to do was to cook anything or get take-out,

but I was hungry.

Good thing I remembered that I have some tuna stacked away in the cabinet.

So, I made tuna sandwich.

I put loads of goodies in there, everything that I like. :)

I mixed the tuna with a whole avocado (I was being greedy) , a handful of cherry tomatoes (roughly chopped) and shallots (roughly chopped), cottage cheese, mayonnaise and a dash of lime juice.

And to make it even more scrumptious, I added a piece of organic cheddar to the sandwich.

And with the leftover tuna (I couldn't fit it all into that one sandwich), I toasted it instead.

Simply spread the tuna mixture onto a piece of bread and place a piece of cheese on top.

Pop it into the oven for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts and bubbles.

Yummilicious or should I say Tunalicious!!:)

Article: Ten Ways To Build Your Child's Self-Esteem

2010-10-04T11:36:00.000+08:00

It's never too early to start and here's how- from www.babycenter.com

Ten ways to build your child's self-esteem

by Sarah Henry
Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board

Nurturing your child's self-esteem may seem like a hefty responsibility. After all, a feeling of self-worth lays the foundation for your child's future as he sets out to try new things on his own. "Self-esteem comes from having a sense of belonging, believing that we're capable, and knowing our contributions are valued and worthwhile," says California family therapist Jane Nelsen, co-author of thePositive Discipline series.

"As any parent knows, self-esteem is a fleeting experience," says Nelsen. "Sometimes we feel good about ourselves and sometimes we don't. What we are really trying to teach our kids are life skills like resiliency." Your goal as a parent is to ensure that your child develops pride and self-respect — in himself and in his cultural roots — as well as faith in his ability to handle life's challenges (for a school-age child that may mean giving a dance performance for you). Here are ten simple strategies to help boost your child's self-esteem:

Give unconditional love. A child's self-esteem flourishes with the kind of no-strings-attached devotion that says, "I love you, no matter who you are or what you do." Your child benefits the most when you accept him for who he is regardless of his strengths, difficulties, temperament, or abilities. So, lavish him with love. Give him plenty of cuddles, kisses, and pats on the shoulder. And don't forget to tell him how much you love him. When you do have to correct your child, make it clear that it's his behavior — not him — that's unacceptable. For instance, instead of saying, "You're a naughty boy! Why can't you be good?" say, "Please don't throw the football in the house. A football is an outside toy."

Pay attention. Carve out time to give your child your undivided attention. That does wonders for your child's feelings of self-worth because it sends the message that you think he's important and valuable. It doesn't have to take a lot of time; it just means taking a moment to stop flicking through the mail if he's trying to talk with you or turning off the TV long enough to answer a question. Make eye contact so it's clear that you're really listening to what he's saying. When you're strapped for time, let your child know it without ignoring his needs. Say, "Tell me all about what happened at soccer practice, and then when you're finished, I'll need to make our dinner."

Teach limits. Establish a few reasonable rules for your child. For instance, if you tell him to wear his helmet when he rides his bike in the driveway, don't let him go without it at his friend's house. Knowing that certain family rules are set in stone will help him feel more secure. He'll start to live by your expectations soon enough. Just be clear and consistent and show him that you trust him and expect him to do the right thing.

Support healthy risks. Encourage your child to explore something new, such as trying a different food, making a new friend, or riding a skateboard. Though there's always the possibility of failure, without risk there's little opportunity for success. So let your child safely experiment, and resist the urge to intervene. For instance, try not to "rescue" him the minute he's showing mild frustration at figuring out how to read a tricky word. Jumping in to say, "I'll do it" can foster dependence and diminish your child's confidence. You'll build his self-esteem by balancing your need to protect him with his need to tackle new tasks.

Let mistakes happen. The flip side, of course, of having choices and taking risks is that sometimes your child is bound to make mistakes. These are valuable lessons for your child's confidence. So if your child misses the school bus because he was dawdling in his bedroom, encourage him to think about what he might do differently next time. That way his self-esteem won't sag and he'll understand that it's okay to make mistakes sometimes. When you goof up yourself, admit it, says Daniel Meier, assistant professor of elementary education at San Francisco State University. Acknowledging and recovering from your mistakes sends a powerful message to your child — it makes it easier for your child to accept his own difficulties.

Celebrate the positive. Everyone responds well to encouragement, so make an effort to acknowledge the good things your child does every day within his earshot. For instance, tell his dad, "Peter did all his chores today without prompting." He'll get to bask in the glow of your praise and his dad's heartening response. And be specific. Instead of saying "Good job," say, "Thank you for setting the table for dinner." This will enhance his sense of accomplishment and self-worth and let him know exactly what he did right.

Listen well. If your child needs to talk, stop and listen to what he has to say. He needs to know that his thoughts, feelings, desires, and opinions matter. Help him get comfortable with his emotions by labeling them. Say, "I understand you're sad because you can't go to the sleepover." By accepting his emotions without judgment, you validate his feelings and show that you value what he has to say. If you share your own feelings ("I'm worried about Grandma. She's very sick"), he'll gain confidence in expressing his own.

Resist comparisons. Comments such as "Why can't you be more like your brother?" or "Why can't you be nice like Evan?" will just remind your child of where he struggles in a way that fosters shame, envy, and competition. Even positive comparisons, such as "You're the best player" are potentially damaging because a child can find it hard to live up to this image. If you let your child know that you appreciate him for the unique individual he is, he'll be more likely to value himself too.

Offer empathy. If your child compares himself unfavorably to his siblings or peers ("Why can't I throw a football like Nicholas?"), show him empathy and then emphasize one of his strengths. For instance, say, "You're right. Nicholas is good at throwing a football. And you're a fast runner." This can help your child learn that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and that he doesn't have to be perfect to feel good about himself.

Provide encouragement. Every child needs the kind of support from loved ones that signals, "I believe in you. I see your effort. Keep going!" Encouragement means acknowledging progress — not just rewarding achievement. So if your child is struggling with a math problem, say: "You're trying very hard and you almost have it!" instead of "Not like that. Let me do it."

There's a difference between praise and encouragement. One rewards the task while the other rewards the person ("You did it!" rather than "I'm proud of you!"). Praise can make a child feel that he's only "good" if he does something perfectly. Encouragement, on the other hand, acknowledges the effort. "Tell me about the game. I saw you really hustling out there" is more helpful than saying, "You're the best player on the team." Too much praise can sap self-esteem because it can create pressure to perform and set up a continual need for approval from others. So dole out the praise judiciously and offer encouragement liberally; it will help your child grow up to feel good about himself.

Source: www.babycenter.com

Banana Ice-cream, anyone?

2010-09-30T17:45:00.000+08:00

No, you read right- I am serving ice-cream to Z

and it's the very best kind- natural, organic and completely delicious.

Did I forget to mention that it's super easy?

Simply freeze some ripen bananas (peel and all).

Take it out half an hour or so before you want to serve it to thaw it a little.

And when you are ready to serve it, peel it and very roughly mash it up.

You can also add your child's favourite topping(s) to it.

In my case, I add fresh organic raspberry.

I like the slight tartness of the berry and the creaminess of the banana.

Simply heaven!

Helpful Tool- Find Out What Is Making Your Child Sick

2010-09-29T16:35:00.000+08:00

Doctors- I think it's a very noble profession, especially those who are truly & genuinely invested in caring for others.

I, however, never for a second wanted to be one.

The need for discipline & ability to go through medical school and most importantly the life long commitment to serve others are all the things shouting " DON"T DO IT" when it came time to choose which professional path. In fact, I never even considered it. It has as much appeal as being a paleontologist or a teacher or an engineer. Whether I have the brains to go through one is therefore not even remotely important. :) (Glad I don't have to go down THAT road!)

I also do not wish to be married to a doctor- the irregular hours alone is enough to put me off.

However, nowadays, especially when Z was first born, and whenever Z's not feeling well or under the weather, I regret not exploring the whole medical path thing! I would also wish that D's a doctor and not an engineer.

Good thing that there are a lot of tools out there that could help such as this one on www.babycenter.com

I am in no way trying to advocate parents out there to 'play doctor' (no no no), but as a worry-wart mom myself, I could fully understand the feeling when it's middle of the night and something may not be quite right.

At least with the tools, you could assess the situation and see whether it is necessary to go into the emergency room or whether it would still be ok to wait it out, at least until your pediatrician is open.

Check out the tool here.

Cheese Quesadilla

2010-09-28T13:53:00.000+08:00

Z and I were on our usual grocery shopping trip when we past the bread aisle.

I was going to pick up some lebanese bread

when Z declared he wanted tortilla (pronounced as tor-ti-ya) instead or in is very own words, THAT ROUND BREAD!

So, tortilla it is.

The next morning, the opportunity came up for me to use the tortilla

QUESADILLA!!

Ooooh llaaa laaa!

And it was so easy to make.

Simply heat up the tortilla on a clean frying pan under low-medium heat. Heat each side for about 30 seconds or so, or until you see the edges browning up. It also helps to move it around the pan (just swirl it round and round).

When the tortilla are ready, turn off the heat and spread generously and evenly any type of organic cheese (I use mild cheddar) on half the side of the tortilla.

Fold over and cut the tortilla-now-turned-into-quesadilla (pronounced as ke-sa-di-ya) into sections.

Perfect and super easy for breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper or snack! :)

P/S Try adding cooked meat or avocados to the quesadillas for a even more scrumptious meal

Great Initiative from Healthy Child Healthy World

2010-09-27T15:11:00.000+08:00

Do One Thing: Share the Bounty of Your Garden (Or Encourage Others To)

At Healthy Child, we stress the importance of eating healthy – especially whole foods like fresh produce. While we encourage people to eat organic as much as possible, the fact remains that organic can cost more and it’s simply out of reach for many families in today’s economy. Sadder still are the many families who are struggling to put food on the table – period.

You can help.

We know there are a lot of gardeners in the Healthy Child community and right now is peak harvest time. If you have eggplants coming out of your ears or you’re up to your armpits in heirloom tomatoes – consider donating your excess bounty to a local food pantry.

Maybe your garden delights will end up feeding a pregnant woman or child? Think of the healthy impact you can have by offering local, garden-fresh produce instead of another box of mac-n-cheese or can of overly salty soup.

This is the essence behind AmpleHarvest.org – an organization developed in response to the fact that while 41 million Americans grow food in home gardens, 49 million Americans are food insecure – a fancy way of saying people either do not have enough food or they are at real risk of not having enough food for their families.

It does not have to be this way.

The AmpleHarvest.org Campaign, a charitable organization enables gardeners to donate any excess produce to a local food pantry – easily found at www.AmpleHarvest.org or using the free AmpleHarvest.org iPhone app.

Initially rolled out in May 2009, nearly 2,800 food pantries across all 50 states now participate with more signing up every day. AmpleHarvest.org has been working with the USDA and food banks in the Gulf region of the USA to help local food pantries meet the increased demand for assistance brought about by the BP oil spill.

Gardeners who donate some of their harvest not only diminish hunger in their community; they also help to improve the environment – all without spending a dime.

You can help diminish hunger in your community and throughout America in a number of ways:

1. Share this information with your network of friends and family across the country- especially backyard, patio and kitchen gardeners - as well as CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) members who may occasionally receive more produce than they can personally use.

2. Share a flier with a food pantry in your community. As 70% of all food pantries are in houses of worship, reach out to your friends in the faith community to ask them to help get a pantry registered.

3. Ask your local garden shop/nursery to help their customers learn about AmpleHarvest.org byposting a flier.

4. Let the local media (print and electronic) know about the AmpleHarvest.org Campaign.Press/media information.

5. Most importantly, if you are a home gardener, please be generous with your excess harvest. You are one of 41 million gardeners in America who, garden by garden, can diminish hunger in your community.

Times are tough. The AmpleHarvest.org Campaign enables people to help their neighbors in need by reaching into their backyards instead of their back pockets.

One out of every six Americans is hungry. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Do one thing today and help more families eat healthier.

Thank you!

For more info, go to www.healthychildhealthyworld.org

One of The Things That We Did in Houston

2010-09-27T14:17:00.000+08:00

Picture from mytimesdispatch.com

Yeap- John Mayer! We caught him live in concert and it was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

It was held at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, which was about 30-45 minutes drive from our place.

Cynthia Woods is a great place for concert, with a huge lawn where concert goers could sit, stand or lie down to watch/listen to the artist playing. There's also seating area available.

Picture from breakfastontour.com

This was Z's first real concert (ok, second, after The Wiggles:)). Usually concerts are way past his bedtime, but since we were technically on holiday and with the jetlag and all, so, what the heck. It was a good concert to bring him to since JM's concert wouldn't exactly be one of those out-of-control wild concerts. Plus, he got in for free :)

The concert was supposedly scheduled to start at 7 ish p.m. but D, from experience assured us that John Mayer would not go on until much later- 8.30 p.m. to be exact. There is usually another artist opening the concert and in this case, it was Owl City! You know, they sing "Fireflies".

I didn't know before I got there. I only managed to catch half of 'fireflies' when we were walking into the pavilion. If I'd known earlier, I would make sure we got there sooner. Next time.. :)

By the time we got there, it was about 7.30 + p.m. After getting something to nosh on, we went to search for a place to camp out. It was pretty hard, since the place was already packed to the max.

We only had the back of the lawn to choose from (see pic above), but that was ok, since we weren't planning on squeezing and pushing with the thousands of the more serious JM fans, esp. with a 2+ year old and a 60+ senior (D's dad).

D got us all lawn chairs (which was surprisingly very comfortable), and we settled down to ~~watch~~ listen to JM sing. The night was cool and we had a cool breeze, since we were so far up on the lawn (it's a slopping lawn). And I was impressed. Even from the very back of the lawn, his voice was powerful! And I was soooo happy to find out that he does not have the Beckham-like squeaky voice. (Why does most good looking guys have squeaky voice?)

All in all it was a great night. Z was enjoying the lawn chairs. D & I were enjoying the music and the whole concert atmosphere despite only catching JM in person as a very very small blur. :)

Z's Mooncake Festival Lantern

2010-09-23T23:07:00.000+08:00

Here's Z's fish lantern for last nite's celebration- a Nemo lantern.

We had a simple celebration with some home-cooking.

After dinner, we brought Z down to our apartment's pool area for a little 'lantern parade'.

Little meaning, there're only 3 of us walking around with ONE lantern. :)

And we got to check out the beautiful round round moon.

In fact, Z was the one who found the moon amidst the concrete jungle that we live in.

See the moon?

D & I ended up carrying the lantern most of the time, of course.

And I think Z was happiest, not with the lantern but

when he got to play in the playground before we took him home. :)

Eggy Pumpkin Pancakes

2010-09-23T16:26:00.001+08:00

I made this a few weeks ago during the whole no-gas-for-two-weeks episode.

Despite it being a two-step cooking process, it is super easy to prepare and cook.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp of chopped organic yellow onion

A handful of chopped organic asparagus

1/4 cup of chopped organic pumpkin

A handful of organic cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 organic eggs, beaten

Seasoning

1 tsp of organic extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp of liquid amino acid/organic soy sauce

Firstly, preheat your oven.

In a 1" deep ceramic dish (or any oven safe dish), place the onions, asparagus, pumpkin and cherry tomatoes. Add the seasoning and make sure all the vegetables are well-coated.

Set the oven to broil and place the dish in and let cook for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat up the eggs and set aside.

When the vegetables are cooked, remove the dish and add in the beaten eggs.

Return the dish back to the oven and let cook for another 10 minutes, or until the eggs are fully cooked.

When done, let it cool for about 5 minutes, before serving.

I serve it with a generous dollop of leftover pesto and wa la (!!), lunch is served.