Croutons!

Ingredients:

1. 4 slices of bread (old bread) 

- many recipes remove the crusts. I did not as I did not want to waste them.

2. Butter

3. Sea-salt

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1. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Preheat oven at 180C. 

3. Place the 4 slices of bread on the baking paper.

4. Spread butter over the bread generously. 

5. Sprinkle some sea-salt.

6. Cut the bread into cubes.

7. Place in oven and bake for 20 mins (or until golden brown and crispy).

8. Allow to cool.

9. Keep in airtight container. 

10. You can enjoy them with soup or eat them on their own.

Bon appetit!

Just For Laughs (25)

Indeed....

*picture taken from HERE

It's About Time!

The F.D.A. has finally approved a generic Epi-Pen!

The no-stock, malfunctioning pens and sky rocketing prices have gone on for far too long.

Click on LINK to read more about the generic pens.

Thermomix Chicken Powder Seasoning

Ingredients:

(I amended this recipe from the TMX cook book to suit my dietary needs. The recipe book used garlic and onion which I cannot have due to FODMAP. They used some spices and herbs too.)

1. 1000gm of minced chicken breast (I used minced instead of cut up chunks of chicken breasts to ensure faster cooking)
2. 300gm carrots (peeled and cut into chunks)
3. Chives (about 4 stalks)
4. 2 celery sticks
5. Sea-salt (about 100gm)
6. Coconut nectar (optional)
7. Sarawak white pepper powder (optional)

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1. Place everything into the TMX jug.

2. Close the lid but not the MC.

3. Set 60minutes/Varoma/Speed 2.

4. Place the simmering basket above the cover to avoid any splattering of sauce.

5. Check on it occasionally.

6. If the mixture is still in paste form, set 10minutes/Varoma/Speed 2.

7. Repeat step 6 until paste has turned into powder.

8. Once it has turned into powder form, remove the simmering basket and cover with the MC. Set 10 seconds/Speed 8.

9. Scoop it up into a bottle and allow to cool.

10. Keep it in the fridge to ensure freshness. It can be kept in the fridge for a few months. You can add this chicken powder seasoning which is free of artificial flavourings and enhancers to your soup, dishes or congee/porridge.

Bon appetit!

It's All About Diet (Part 5 - FODMAP [Food Additives & FODMAPs])

Those who are following a low-FODMAP diet should be aware of the E numbers/food additive numbers as some of these can irritate the gut.

1. E100-199 = colourings 
2. E200-299 = preservatives 
3. E300-399 = antioxidants & acidity regulators 
4. E400-499 = thickeners, stabilisers & emulsifiers 
5. E500-599 = acidity regulators & anti-caking agents 
6. E600-699 = flavour enhancers 
7. E700-799 = antibiotics 
8. E900-999 = glazing agents, gases & sweeteners 
9. E1000-1599 = additional additives 

* the list above is taken from HERE

Sugar polyols are widely used as sweeteners in food. They are:

1. Sorbitol (E420 or 420)

• This is often used in diet drinks, ice-cream, mints, cough syrups and sugar-free chewing gums. This is also found in mouthwashes and toothpastes.
• Sorbitol is also used as a laxative or enema because of its 'laxative effects'.

2. Mannitol (E421 or 421)

• This is used as a coating for hard candies, dried fruits and chewing gums. Mannitol is also added to chewable tablets.

3. Isomalt (E953 or 953)

• This is used in hard-boiled candies and sugar sculpted cakes. It is mainly used as edible decorations in cake decorating.

4. Maltitol(E965 or 965)

• This is used in sugar-free hard candies, chewing gums, chocolates, baked goods and ice-cream.

5. Lactitol (E966 or 966)

• This is used in sugar-free candies, cookies/biscuits, chocolate and ice-cream. This is also an ingredient in the drug called Adderall. 

6. Xylitol (E967 or 967)

• This is used in drugs and dietary supplements. It is also used in confectionaries, toothpastes and chewing gums. 

When sugar polyols are eaten in a large amount, it can cause some gut irritation even for people without IBS. What more for people with sensitive guts. Polyols cause extra water to be dragged into the intestines, thus triggering soft/liquid stools or can result in diarhoea. 

To read more about this, click on FODMAP BLOG. 

Can't Keep Calm!

So the flu ran its course. It's been already two weeks!

I felt better.

Or so I thought.

I started to spit bloody mucus out. The fever came back with vengeance. And then I started to leak bloody mucus from my nose. I became worse as the day went by. The pressure in my sinus was so bad that it caused a migraine and teeth pain. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. I was so miserable.

Damn.......

A sinus infection. I had only one sinus infection and it was about 12 years back. I have never had any problems with my sinus.

I called my ENT up and went to see him the very next day.

He said my sinus was severely infected. My ear drums were dull. I had laryngitis. I had a severely raw throat. The insides of my nose were completely swelled up and clogged with mucus.

He said I had to have antibiotics. I had caught a secondary bacterial infection. Augmentin is the best for sinus infection. And I had to have it for one week.

I have not had antibiotics for about 4 to 5 years.

It was horrible as it made my digestion go haywire. I was hungry all the time. My intestines were churning and very gassy. I was nauseated. My mouth had a metallic taste all the time and there was a layer on my tongue. And it caused me to have morbid thoughts about dying. I felt that I was going to die a horrible death. I had anxiety attacks and became depressed. I felt doomed. (It was very different from the feeling of doom before I had the anaphylactic attack 10 years ago.)

Click on LINK to read about the side effects of Augmentin.

During the 2nd or 3rd day, rust-like liquid flowed out of my nose. The ENT doctor said that it was stale blood.

Gross......

Today's the 6th day and things have improved very much. Hopefully my immune system will get stronger and be able to be in tip-top condition for another year(s)!

*picture taken from HERE

*picture taken from HERE

Many Times... Life Just Sucks

*picture taken from HERE

Just For Laughs (24)

Yup, I know how that feels!

*picture taken from HERE

Behold the Flu!

This is the third year.

Every July/August I will succumb to the flu bug. Even when the people around me fall like flies or have a cough-a-ton, I could withstand it all. But come July/August, I will be the one who will be the flu-zombie.

Currently red-nosed, tearing and puffy eyes, having sneeze-a-tons, cough-a-tons and using up boxes of tissues.

July/August is usually a time where it is extremely dry, hot and hazy.

I guess the immune system is much better now to only succumb to the flu once a year.

I hope to be able to last longer the next round.

P.S. : It's been 100 days of being Nexium-free. No reflux/IBS unless I eat high FODMAP food or overeat. Could even go H2/Zantact-free for weeks at times.