Thermomix Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1. 50gm organic gluten-free rolled oats
2. 90 to 100gm filtered water
3. A pinch of sea-salt

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1. Soak the oats overnight.

2. Drain the water away the next day and rinse the oats.

3. Pour the fresh filtered water into the TMX jug.

4. Set 10mins/100C/Speed 1.

5. Once it reaches 100C, add the oats and sea-salt and continue to let it cook.

6. Serve hot.

Bon appetit!

Grilled Chicken Chop & Potatoes

Ingredients:

1. 6 chicken drumstick-thigh (deboned)
2. Sea-salt
3. Potato starch
4 White pepper (optional)
5. 10 large potatoes (skin removed and cut into wedges)

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1. Season the chicken legs with the sea-salt, potato starch and (*white pepper - if you're able to) liberally. Place in container with lid and keep in fridge overnight.

2. Next day, preheat oven at 220C.

3. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

4. Place the chicken legs the undersides part up first (skin part on the paper).

5. Bake for 20 minutes.

6. Then turn the chicken legs around and grill for 30 minutes.

7. While the chicken is being grilled, prepare the potatoes. Remove the skin and cut into wedges.

8. Season with salt and (*white pepper - if you're able to) liberally.

9. Remove the chicken once they turn golden brown.

10. Place the potatoes on the baking tray and toss them around so that they are coated with the chicken oil.

11. Grill for 35minutes.

12. Serve them together!

Bon appetit!

Surviving the Heat Wave

We are currently experiencing a severe heat wave. I think the heat can truly melt our flesh off our bones.

*picture taken from Malaysia Meteorological Department website

38C!

I have been overwhelmed by the heat so badly that I blew out a gunk of blood from my nose. It's not time to fall ill yet. It's only March. And the haze has been ever present too!

To combat the heat, I've been doing a few things very religiously.

1. Drink TONS and TONS of water 

2. Drink lots of soup

3. Shower to Cool Down

4. Eat More Fruits & Vegetable

5. Sweat It Out

6. Hide in the AirCon Room

7. Drink Coconut Water

*all Keep Calm pictures taken from KeepCalmAndPosters.com

Do share if you have any other ways to survive this heatwave!

Maple Syrup Grilled Chicken Strips

Ingredients:

1. 2 chicken breasts (cut into thin strips)
2. Cornstarch OR potato/tapioca starch
3. Sunflower oil
4. 1 teaspoon sea-salt (you can add more or less to your liking)
5. White pepper (optional)
6. Maple Syrup (4 tablespoons)

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1. Mix all the ingredients above and place chicken in airtight container overnight in the fridge.

2. (Next day) Preheat oven to grill mode.

3. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

4. Pour the chicken strips onto the baking tray and arrange them so that they do not overlap each other.

5. Grill for 30minutes or until golden brown.

6. Pour into serving dish. You can have it plain or with hot rice.

Bon appetit!

Unshackled in a Decade!

It's 10 years today. 10 years ago today was the day I was struck by this incurable condition.

And this picture sums up the whole journey during these 10 years.

Freedom in a cage.

How?

I've been unshackled. I've been set free. I'm no longer bound by fear or insecurities. At first, I felt that I was locked up in a cage with no freedom. With no life. Sentenced to a life of doom.

And then when my soul started to heal, my perspective changed. My mindset changed.

And then I began to heal physically.

Even though I still have to live in a 'cage' today, I am free!


*picture used with permission (Taken by Lai Pei Yee from KL Book Appreciation Club)

Happy Pancake Day! (Thermomix Pancake)

Shrove Tuesday is the day in February or March which is preceding Ash Wednesday. This day is celebrated in some countries by having pancakes.

Today is pancake day. Let's have some pancakes!

Ingredients:

1. 50gm butter (have some extra for frying)
2. 300gm oat milk
3. 2 eggs
4. 2 bananas (mashed)
5. 200gm buckwheat flour
6. 5gm baking powder
7. 1/2 tsp salt

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1. Place butter into TMX jug and set 2min/70C/speed1.

2. Add the milk, eggs, buckwheat flour, baking powder, salt and banana and mix 10sec/speed 5.

3. Heat up a frying pan.

4. Add some butter to the frying pan.

5. Pour a ladle of batter and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until bubbles start to appear on the pancake surface.

6. Flip the pancake over and continue frying for another minute or two.

7. Repeat with the remaining batter.

8. Serve hot with butter or maple syrup.

Bon appetit!

Is the Air in Your Home Polluted?

Did you know that we spend as much as 75% to 90% of our time indoors? Indoor air pollution is more toxic than outdoor as indoor air is much more concentrated as it is in a confined space.

Poor indoor air quality has been known as Sick Building Syndrome.

Poor indoor air can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, dizziness and fatigue. Some people after long term exposure to bad indoor air develop respiratory and heart diseases.

Sources of indoor air pollution are:

1. Fungus, mold and mildew

• Mold spores are everywhere. And they enter our home through the doorways, windows and air conditioning system. They can even land on us, our clothes and bags when we are outside. We then bring them indoors with us. 
• Fungus, mold and mildew survive and thrive in humid and damp environment. Indoor relative humidity (RH) should be kept ideally below 60 percent. 30% to 50% is perfect. Not only does low humidity discourage fungus, mold and mildew, it also discourages cockroaches and dust mites too. 
• A dehumidifier will work in humid homes. 
• Click on LINK to read about the toxic effects of indoor mold.

      2. Tobacco smoke

• *Exposure to second hand smoke exposes one to 4000 over chemical compounds! (*taken from HERE)
• There is no way to minimise the effects of second-hand smoke. The only way is to not smoke. 
• Click on LINK to read more on smoke-free homes.

     3. VOCs

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are compounds that easily become gas or vapours. Even though they are released from burning fuels such as gasoline, wood, coal and natural gasses, they are also released from many consumer products.
• Some examples of consumer products are solvents, paint and thinners, adhesives, hobby and craft supplies, glues, wood preservatives, household cleaners and disinfectants, moth repellants, air fresheners, pesticides and building materials and furnishings. 
• Formaldehyde is one of the most common VOCs. 
• Click HERE to read more about VOCs. 
• Click on this YouTube LINK to watch about man-made VOCs.
• There are now low VOCs house paint which are sold today. 

     4. Radiation

• *Construction materials such as bricks, cement blocks, granite, marble and glazed tiles contain uranium and thorium which are Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM). (*taken from HERE)
• These two elements undergo natural decaying process. During this process, they emit several types of radiation such as alpha, beta and gamma rays. 
• Apparently even toilet bowls contain radioactive materials and there's no running away from it!
• To read more about indoor radiation and how to protect oneself, click on LINK.

In order for indoor air to be of good quality, one must ventilate the house. Opening windows and doors to allow outdoor air to clear the stagnant indoor air is a must! And if it's a new home you're moving into, allow the house and furniture to off-gas as much possible with good ventilation before moving in.

On bad days where outdoor air is bad, air cleaners (air purifiers/ionisers) play a great role in helping maintaining good indoor air.

Some say that indoor plants help with maintaining good air quality. But wet/damp soil and bugs will be another set of problem.

Click on the links below to read more about indoor air pollution:

Breathe Easier

Improving Indoor Air Quality

Making A Healthier Home

Guide to Indoor Air Quality

Indoor Air Breathing

*picture taken from HERE

An advertisement on fresh air.