Bandeja Paisa done by Chef Fernandez

2 cups of aloe vera yoghurt + cheap China blender + one big mango = very satisfying cafe style mango smoothie : )

I have a confession to make.




I am a fake! I totally mixed up the meaning of 汤圆 tang yuan! And I was feeling so smug about myself for knowing the meaning!! *hangs head in shame

Glutinous rice balls known as Tang Yuan are cooked and eaten to signify unity and harmony within the family.

At least, I got that part right!

Would not have discovered today was 元宵 (yuan xiao, last day of chinese new year) till my colleagues started leaving early. I used to take this day for granted even when my mother would give me tang yuan (or was that on dong zhi? hmmmm)

And so I went to the supermarket to buy nostalgia with my favourite peanut filling in a plastic wrapper.

Vege price hike alert

Before anyone says I have plunged into the depths of auntie-hood, I have not.

The story goes that in my bid to eat healthily, I went to get myself some vege at the local supermarket which usually gives me a 'buy 1, get 1 free deal'. Today when I asked her about it, she replied in a regretful tone 'You know, vege prices have all risen. If there was a promotion, I would have told you already'. Now that I recall, long beans and some other vege were inflated by 2-3RMB.

To be honest, I don't really feel the pinch, but I was shocked by the news. Although I had read about the vege price hike due to the recent snowstorm; it does not get any more real than this. Imagine this adding on to food transport woes.

Japan is not spared my the recent cold in the atmosphere as well (Shanghai is just 2 hours away).

Magic porridge pot does not overfloweth this time

Second time at cooking oats with soy bean was not without mishaps (this shows me to be the most incompetent chef) hahah...but at least I did not overestimate the oatmeal and cause a 'magic porridge pot' incident.

The last time I was thinking that 'oh the oatmeal is so tiny, we're not going to be filled at all.' Which promptly made me decide to liberally add scoops more. Little did I know that these oat bastards actually absorb liquids and decided to torture me by expanding themselves causing a huge pot of oat. Making me swear off them quite a while after eating it that time!

Must have happened to Paul Galdone as well, who is male and can not possibly cook (yay to stereotypes to make me feel better); who made up the secret magic words to make the clean up more palatable to whoever was cleaning up after him.

We love Korean food! - Yantai, Shandong

We hunted high and low for this seemingly authentic Korean food (Yantai being in proximity with Cheju islands), it was either that or seafood (being near the sea as well). We had both and were very satisfied for rewarding ourselves after traveled 4 cities in 6 days.

Post 11pm super mini meals that cannot be considered meals

I have been frustrated that many skirts and jeans no longer button up even though they fit everywhere else! That and many wedding dinners with dresses to fit into. Although the current summer fashion of pregnant lady/ babydoll dresses do the coverup job just fine, but still... (but I still must maintain perky butt status while losing weight)

Thus, diet plan commences tonight after coming home late from work. No more late night suppers! Especially skewers!

1. tofu miso soup - 1 medium sized bowl

2. 1 cup of Lipton Q chunk wheat flavoured milk tea.

It awaits to be seen if I can wake up to begin my first day of biking, stationary biking.

Eating frenzy

Have been eating with wild abandon, almost like I'm living life of the metabolic cliffhanger. If this goes on it's definitely going to be suicidal. Not to mention in about a month it's time to head back to the-place-with-the-food-I-miss and that is going to mean - more food. Also with all the relentless relative meetups, I just simply cannot be looking plump/ fleshy/ flabby/ or in whatever undesireably horizontal fat buildup. No grumpiness in the new year, especially with DL around. So it's time for some well needed discipline, which should work since I'll be alone and bored in Beijing the whole of next week. I'll try to be really good friends with gym there. T-R-Y.