Easy Healtilicious Pumpkin Soup

This is one nutritious recipe suitable for young and old ones. Smooth, flavorful and full of goodness. Pumpkin soup is one of my little ones' favorite soup whenever we patronage western restaurant, but it really is quite easy to make at home kitchen. I have ran out of milk at home otherwise the texture will be even creamier. 

This soup is ideal for infant too, with just pumpkin, garlic and onion, it's one nutritious early food for your little ones. Just skip the cinnamon, salt and fresh milk.

 

Preparation Time: 10 min 
Cooking Time: 30 min
Serving for: 4-5 person

Ingredients:
1 medium pumpkin, cut into cubes and wash

1 whole onion, finely chopped 

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

900ml / 6 rice bowls of water or stock
300ml fresh milk (or replace with water / stock)
A dash of cinnamon 

A dash of salt to taste

2-3 slices of bread 

Essentially, these are what you need to make this soup.

The Making:
1. Heat a table spoon of olive oil in a pot, add in the chopped garlic and onion, stir fry for about a minutes until the onion turns translucent. Add in the pumpkin cubes and cook with lid on for about 3 minutes. 

2. Add in the water or stock, let it simmers on high heat for 5 minutes then switch to low heat. Cook for approximately 25 minutes or until the pumpkin cubes turn mushy. 

3. Add in the milk and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Unfortunately I've ran out of milk so I used only water.

4. Turn off the heat. Using a hand blender, blend the soup directly in the pot for about 2 minutes on high speed, until no lumps observe.

Prepare the croutons:

5. Using a separate pan, melt a small lump of butter and pan fry the bread on both sides until it turns golden brown and with crunchy edges. Cut into cubes or long strips and drop into the pumpkin soup when serving.

Yums..... Hot and aromatic pumpkin soups to warm the tummy on a rainy night! Now I'm going to keep a small pot for my old ma who has been ill, this shall do her good.

Just for Sharing..

Pumpkin is high in fiber and a good source of beta-carotene, anti-oxidant, vitamin A and is low in calories. It also has high level of potassium which is needed to keep our muscles and heart working at optimum level. So, if you are not a pumpkin lover, perhaps you may re-consider this pumpkin soup in view of it's many benefits.. ;)

{Homecook} Just another Simple Luncheon

Today is just another day of simple homecook food for a lay-back lunch, mostly veggies as you can see, with some chicken fillets and seeds for a balanced nutrition intake. A healthy meal such as this only cost us no more than RM20 and less than an hour to prepare.

I like to things in order, so I got all ingredients nicely prepared before I started cooking. 

Beans & Fingers

Just simple stir fried with olive oil. Lady fingers are good for bowel movement. I don't have a recipe for this, but the cooking is similar for this crunchy veggie dish.

Cherry Tomato Omelette

Added some lotus seeds for a twist of taste and natural source of protein and magnesium. This is a dish that is also high in antioxidant thanks to the cherry tomatoes. Recipe available here.

Cabbage with Glass noodles

One of my little ones' favorite, the glass noodles. Just soak it in water for about a minute and add it into the wok after the carrots and bell peppers starting to get soften. 

Simple hearthy meal for the family, the way we like it. Little ones emptied their plate joyfully and we don't have to sweat driving out to the mall to join the weekend crowds.

Just a Tip..

After each dish is done I will wash up dishes immediately while waiting for the oil to heat up for next dish, so I don't have a whole sink of dirty dishes to wash after cooking, which I really really dislike. If you are lucky enough to have a dish washer at home, good for you.... ;)

Mini No Bake Orange Oreo Cheesecake

For this Father's Day, I thought of just having a simple celebration with Big Guy and the little ones at home, for the benefit of our expanding waist lines due to lack of exercise. Guess finding time to work out is common problem for FT working moms or stay at home moms.  So while the elder was out for his swimming lesson with the daddy, I made these little cuppies and when they were home an hour plus later, it's ready to serve! 

I didn't have any heavy cream or sour cream at home, so I used the recipe that calls for yogurt instead. This is pretty much a trial attempt, I didn't even use proper measurement as I'm only making 4, so a lot of estimation and test tasting involved.

Glad they came out alright and everyone enjoyed it. 

Ready to make some? Here it goes...

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Waiting Time: 1 hour

Serve for: 4-6 medium cupcake size

Ingredients:

(A) For the base
6 tablespoon Oreo cookies crumbs
1 table spoon melted butter

(B) For the Cheesecake 

227g cream cheese (1 tube)

1/2 teaspoon orange zest 

4 teaspoon sugar

1 medium orange, juiced
2 teaspoon gelatin powder
113gm or 1/2 cup plain or vanilla flavored yogurt

2 tablespoon of Oreo crumbs (optional)

The Making:

1. Line 4 medium cupcake holders with paper cupcakes. Use the most basic one as you will remove them before servig, or use a silicon cupcake holders instead.

2. Mix the melted butter with Oreo crumbs (short cut: heat up the mixture in microwave for 20-30 seconds!).  Using a spoon, press the mixture onto the base of a cupcake holder for up to about 2cm height.

3. Mix gelatin and the orange juice, stir to mix well and leave aside. We'll come to it later.

4. In a clean mixer bowl, mix sugar, cream cheese and orange zest, whisk till it reaches a creamy and smooth texture (there shall not be any more lumps)

5. Heat up the gelatin orange juice in microwave for 20 seconds (too little to use a stove for this task). stir to reduce the heat and mix it into the cream cheese mix. Add some Oreo crumbs if you are a Cookie Monster like me.

6. Scoop the cream cheese mixtures into the cupcakes laid with Oreo crumbs. Tap lightly on table top to avoid holes in the cream cheese mixtures. Sprinkles some chocolate chip on top.

7. Chill the cheesecakes for at least an hour before serving. Dig in and enjoy!

Simple, isn't it? I told you so. *wink*

Happy Father's Day! 

Original recipe adopted and modified from My Kitchen Snippets. She has tons of interesting recipes there..

Tips!

• If you can't find ready packed Oreo crumbs (normally available under bakery section), you can use normal Oreo cookies, just remove the cream filling and crush the cookies using a rolling pin.

• Have a sweet tooth? Increase the sugar used. I have reduced the amount of sugar used by at least half as I do not encourage too much sugar in my kiddos' diet to avoid them from getting hyper active.

Luohan Guo Mixed Herb Drink for Cough 罗汉果蜜枣止咳汤

Bilingual | 双语版

My little ones had been coughing for few  weeks and recently passed the bugs to me, not long after recovered and finished their full round of medicine course, the cough just slowly creeps back again and it is real heartache to see them suffer.

So I decided to introduce traditional herbs this time. Right after they had completed the cough mixtures and flu medication prescribed by paediatrician, I started making traditional Chinese herbal soup after visiting our local Chinese medical hall. I boiled this soup and the Double-Boiled Pearl with Rock Sugar on alternate day for a week, and we are now all well and free from cough... No more noisy "orchestra" in the house!

So I thought its worth sharing with readers whom may have experienced long term recurrence cough. However, do note that since every body may react differently to the herbs, I would suggest you get advise from your local Chinese medicine hall if in doubt.

最近两个小瓜相续咳嗽了好几个星期，小儿科医生给的药吃完了但依然不能治根，还把咳嗽传了给我，所以我到中药房找了止咳汤配方。和着冰糖雪梨汤，相隔喝了一星期后我们三人都相续痊愈了，不再每晚上演咳嗽演奏曲。

分享这个止咳汤，希望对你也有帮助。不过每个人体质和病症不同，个人建议你到相熟的中药师询问意见为佳。

材料 Ingredients:

罗汉果 一粒，敲裂 LuoHan Guo fruit, 1 (lightly crack the shell)

柿饼 一个 Dried Persimmon, 1

南杏北杏 30颗 Sweet & Bitter Apricot kernels, about 30

蜜枣 5-6粒 Candied dates, 5-6

桑叶 一把 Mulberry leaves, 1 palmful

清水 八饭碗 water, 8 rice bowls

做法 The Methods:

1. Briefly wash all ingredient, put them in a pot and boil on high heat for 5 minutes. Then switch to low heat and let it continue boiling for another 45 minutes. It would reduce to about 6 bowls of water. 把所有材料洗净，放入锅里大火滚五分钟然后转小火，滚大约40分钟后熄火。

2. Let the drink cool to room temperature before consuming. 倘凉后即可饮用。

All of us had 2 small bowls of the drink each, it tasted pleasantly sweet and you may eat the apricot kernel, which is crunchy like nuts.

Useful Tips (speaking from experience...)

• avoid air-conditioner when sleeping, turn on the fan or keep the window opened instead (if safety is not an issue in your area) 

• avoid consuming cold water and cold fruits, however room temperature is alright.

• if you have a humidifier at home, add few drops of eucalyptus oil before  sleeping and elevate the pillow, this shall ease breathing difficulty cause by block nose. 

温馨叮咛：

• 晚上入睡时避免开冷气，自然风或风扇为佳。

• 冷水、冰箱的水果尽量避免（室内温度的水果不妨）

• 家里有humidifier的话，睡觉时可以加几滴由加利油，枕高枕头，帮助呼吸好入眠。

Spicy Teriyaki Sausages #15MinuteSuppers

Last weekend I decided to clear all the frozen meats I have in the freezer, and I found some sausages, a slice of cod fish, half an onion and some broccoli in the chiller compartment. Suddenly I thought of the spicy grilled sausage tapas we had in La Bodega restaurant and how we loved it with a jug of chilled Sangria.

Another 15 Minute Supper idea. *light bulb beaming*

So I made this Spicy Teriyaki Sausages, perfect to serve as appetizer or as a side dish. 

I wish I had better picture to share, but my 2 boys just could not wait and half the plate was gone when I took this picture (one of which is my Big Guy)... I didn't expect my little boy to like this dish as it is slightly spicy. He ate quite a few slices and kept asking for more. 

Best of all, took me only 10 minutes to have it served.

Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 5 min
Serving for: 2-4 person

Ingredients:

2 foot-long gourmet sausages, roughly sliced 

1/2 onion, cut into wedges

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Seasoning:

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon Teriyaki sauce 

A dash of paprika powder (or more if you like it fiery)

A dash of pepper

The Making:

1. Heat up the pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, toss in the onion and stir fry for a minute till it turns transparent.

2. Toss in the sliced sausages follow by all the seasoning, stir to mix well and let it cook for about 3 more minutes for the sausages to cook thoroughly. Serve hot.

It is that simple.. we had a filling lunch that afternoon and a very clean fridge!

Interested with the steam cod fish? Another 10 minutes dish. ;) Grab the simple recipe here..

Need more quick 15 minute recipe ideas? Check out these other great #15MinuteSuppers!

Follow 15 Minute Suppers on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
and look for the #15MinuteSuppers hashtag too!

• Strawberry Tea Sandwiches from Jen's Journey
• 3 Quick Appetizers from Around My Family Table
• Cilantro & Black Bean Tortilla Roll Ups from Better in Bulk
• Spicy Teriyaki Sausages from Food 4 Little Ones
• White Clam Pizza from Upstate Ramblings

BLOGGERS: Would you like to join us at #15MinuteSuppers? We’d love to have you! Please check out the 15 Minute Suppers website or ask to join the Facebook group (for bloggers) to participate on Fridays…we’d love to have you join us.

Honey Sesame Chicken Cutlets 蜜糖芝麻鸡块

Bi-lingual | 双语版

We are having a small family potluck party tonight and I wanted to cook something that is suitable for all ages. My old ma likes food that are crunchy and so does my duo. I was out of idea so I decided to just do a round visit in the supermarket to find my inspiration, and I found. When I saw the  fresh chicken meat on the shelves, I thought to myself it's time to cook some traditional Chinese dish that is our family's favorite whenever we visit the restaurants - Sesame Chicken Cutlets, in honey sauce.

Served with some baby pak choy, it was quickly finished up in the dinner.

Give it a try, your little ones will probably thank you for it. ;)

 
Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Serving for: approximate 6 person

Ingredients:

600gm/ 3 strips of chicken breast, cut into cubes 600克/三大片鸡胸肉，切块

For Marinate / 调味料

3 tablespoon soy sauce 三汤匙酱油

1 teaspoon sesame oil 一茶匙芝麻油

1 tablespoon corn flour 一汤匙粟粉

1 teaspoon of Shao Xin wine 一茶匙花雕绍兴酒

A dash of salt 盐适量

A dash of pepper 胡椒粉适量

For coating / 煎料：

1 egg, beaten 蛋一粒，打散

5 tablespoons corn flour 粟粉，五大匙

For sauce / 酱汁

1 tablespoon of organic sesame seeds 一大匙白芝麻

2 tablespoons raw honey (adjust accordingly) 两大匙野生蜜糖 （自己加调)

1 tablespoon soy sauce 一大匙酱油

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce 一大匙黑酱油

1 teaspoon brown sugar 一茶匙黄糖

5 tablespoon water 五汤匙清水

 

The Making / 做法:

1. Marinate the chicken cutlets with the marinating ingredients (except sesame seeds) for 10 minutes or more. 

把鸡肉切块，以酱料（除了白芝麻）腌十分钟左右。

2. On a heated wok, cook the sesame for a minute without oil, set aside. 

用一个烧锅炒香白芝麻，免油。

3. Heat up about 5 tablespoon of cooking oil, coat the chicken cutlets with egg liquid follow by corn flour, deep fry for about 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. 

烧热一锅油 （约五大匙的油）把鸡肉块裹上蛋液和粟粉，放入热油中大火炸约三、五分钟至金黄色。

4. Set the fried cutlet aside, use a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil if too oily. Discard the excess cooking oil.

把鸡肉块捞起备用，用吸油纸吸掉多余的油。把锅里的余剩的油倒掉。

5. Mix the ingredient for the sauce in a bowl, then heat up on the wok. When the sauce is starting to boil, add the chicken cutlet and stir fry for about a minute. 

用小碗把酱料调均，倒入热锅中烧滚，加入鸡肉块，快炒1分钟左右至酱汁完全被吸收，即可熄火。

6. Dish out the cutlets to serve on a plate of blanch baby bak Choy, sprinkles the sesame seeds right before serving.

把鸡肉块盛在碟上（我用烫熟的小白菜铺在盘底），撒上炒熟的白芝麻，即可上桌。

趁热吃哦！香喷喷的蜜糖芝麻鸡块和着热腾腾的白米饭入肚，人生一大乐也。我的小瓜们各吃了好多块呢！

You are all set! Enjoy the dish as is with a bowl of steaming white rice, the sweet and aromatic sauce will sure stir up your appetite.. My duo actually ate many pieces of the chicken cutlets nonstop :)

Omelette Waffle Sandwich, Perfect Breakfast!

Remember we made some chocolate chip waffles a week ago? This week we are making waffle again, but it's a level up - we made it into egg omelette waffle sandwich!

The big one loves it.

The small one couldn't resist too. 

However sad to say that my little girl doesn't like omelette so she just had her small square cut of waffle blocks. 

It only took 2-3 minutes before the omelette started screaming "Eat me! Eat me!". It expanded so much till we can see it flowing out from the side, and my little boy excitedly screaming "it escapes!!!". But the moment we opened the lid, it started shrinking and became 30% smaller. It's like magic to the little ones. :)

I added some fresh basil leaves in the omelette. One thing I really like to make the omelette this way? It requires NO oil and I have less utensil to wash! That is certainly a plus point for a busy mom without helper.

My little boy had fun assembling his waffle sandwich. He decided to add a slide of cheddar cheese and some ketchup.

Nom-nom...

Sandwich is never the same as before. :)

Kids 'n Mommy Favorite: Chocolate 'n Coffee Waffles!

My kiddos love love love waffles, so do I. Whether to serve with honey, banana and ice cream, chocolate, blueberry jam or maple syrup, we never fail to finish it off, only problem is outside restaurants never sell cheap. So I decided to make the duo their favorite for breakfast at home.

This is what we had today. Light and fluffy, perfect chocolate & coffee waffles for Sunday breakfast.. I kept the remaining batter in the fridge so we can have waffle again the next weekend. :)

Chocolate & Coffee Waffle with yogurt. For daddy & mommy.

Chocolate Waffle with wild honey. For the kiddos.

Freshly made hot waffles, smelling nice..

My duo loving their breakie. So do we. 

I'm loving this and I don't mind making them again and again. The good thing of homemade waffle is that I can control the sweetness and my choice of ingredients. 

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking: 10 minutes

Serving for: 10-12 medium waffles

Ingredients:

Ingredient A

2 egg whites

1/2 table spoon brown sugar 

Ingredient B

2 egg yolks 

2 cups all purpose flour / wholemeal flour

1 3/4 cups fresh milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder (optional if without)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/2 table spoon of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 table spoon of chocolate chips 

Not A Chocolate Lover? 

Easy, just minus the cocoa powder.

Any Coffee Lover like Me?

Just add 1/2 tea spoon of instant coffee powder into the mixture, mix well.

The Making:

1. In a clean bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon powder. Add the egg yolk, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract, continue mixing until it reaches a smooth texture. I added some Choco chips for the kids version, secret treats for them.

2. In a separate mixer bowl, whisk  ingredient A on high speed until it reaches peak. If you are using manual mixer, do be warn that this will be quite an upper arm exercise... On the other hand, do not over whisk as it may collapses and turns watery. Once you see it's stiff and peak, just stop.

3. Fold the egg white into ingredient A, mix evenly in slow motion. Doesn't it looks like a clump of cloud? 

4. Heat up the waffle machine, scoop about 3-4 spoons of the mixture onto the waffle plate and cook until golden brown (took about 4-5 minutes or as per indicated by your machine). I like mine in crispy golden brown so I gave an extra 30 seconds, they are oh-so crunchy..

  

Now you may add your favorite topping and serve while it's hot, I mean like immediately from the waffle maker if you can.

Instead of whipped cream or ice cream, I served mine with yogurt instead. Great companion & an ideal low fat option :) 

Enjoy the fluffiness in every bite!


Tips...
Only have 10 minutes to spare? No problem, you can choose not to separate the eggs, just add ingredient A and B together and mix well, your waffle batter will be ready in no time! However, do note that the waffle may not be as fluffy and crunchy if using short cut way...