Mulberry and chia smoothie

Mulberries are very nutritious and is famously known as a superfood due to its high antioxidant content. The moment my organic fruit supplier passed me some of these little gems, I immediately whatsapped a few of my close mommy-friends to inform them of this. These beautiful fruits will definitely do lots of wonder to the health of their little ones. 

Mulberries tastes sour-ish on their own. So I have been having them combined with other sweet fruits (like this), I have baked buns with them, for recipe, refer here, and I have also turned it into a beautiful looking smoothie for my lil' fella who loved it! 

Other than its high antioxidant content, mulberries contain alkaloids that activate macrophages, which then stimulate the immune system, putting it on high active alert against health threats. They are great sources of protein, vitamin C, K, fiber and iron. So hurry up, chuck in some mulberries in whatever you're baking or eating today. 

Here's the recipe for this beautiful and nutritious mulberry and chia smoothie: 

• 1/2 teaspoon chia seeds soaked in 1/2 cup milk for 5min (for a toddler I used full fat fresh milk) 
• 1/2 tablespoon honey or Rin Enzyme 
• 8 fresh organic mulberries 
• 3 tablespoon plain yogurt 

Instructions: Using a blender or food processor*, blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.

*I have been using this baby bullet for all sorts of my toddler's food and drink/ smoothie for about a year. I love it because it is small and convenient especially in terms of cleaning. 

Baby bullet is available from 9months maternity in Kota Kinabalu. They are available at 

• Suria Sabah 088 487 966 
• City Mall 088 486 966 

Alternatively if you're in KL/ Selangor, try drop by Happikiddo.  They sell everything you possibly need. Both the owners are parents, they work hard to bring in some premium quality products into the store, with an attractive selection of healthy food and snacks, toys, baby- and kids-safe products suitable for every parent or parent-to-be. 

Superfood smoothie for the super hero boy. 

Easy vege stew rice

My mommies network of friends would rejoice when they see me preparing rice dishes for my little boy. Out of convenience and my own 'lazziness' I always prepare pasta for my little boy, so I seldom share on recipes for rice dishes. Recently the mommies in Healthy Food for My Baby facebook group has been talking about how they fried rice or prepare rice stew using some prepared vege puree. So I decided to try it with my rice stew this morning. Interestingly, it did turn out nice. It made the rice stew extra creamy and very fragrant. There were leftover after I packed them in the thermal container for my boy's lunch, so I also packed the balance for my lunch. 

I love cooking my rice dishes for my boy this way. It makes it soft and a little mushy. My mom dislike it, probably my hubby wouldn't like it cos they like their rice dry with good bite. I hope my son likes it this way. I am not sure yet, cos so far he hasn't shown much preference for neither dry cooked rice or rice simmered in stew or stock. 

Recipe 

• 4tbsp super rice grain (which I prepared by mixing together brown rice, millet, quinoa, red lentils and amaranth), soaked for overnight in the fridge. Soaking makes it easier to cook and to be absorbed. 
• 1-2tbsp rice bran oil (for cooking) 
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced 
• 1/4 onion, finely minced 
• 1/4 medium carrot, finely cubed 
• 3cups of chicken and vege stock 
• 3tbsp roasted vege puree (for recipe, please refer here)
• Seasoning of your choice (I used a little liquid amino by Bragg's)  

Instructions: 

1. Heat up the wok with rice bran oil. 
2. Stir in garlic and onion. Fry for about 1-2min. Stir in cubed carrot, fry for another 2min. 
3. Stir in soaked rice grain. Fry for another 2min. 
4. Pour in stock and vege puree. 
5. Simmer for about 20-40min or until all the liquid are absorbed. 

Sausage bun / Carrot and goji bread

 

 

 

Sausage versus carrot and goji - 一个被视为不大健康的，一个听到都知道是健康入骨的，两个在一起成了一个非常强烈的对比，味道又会是怎么样的呢？　

 

On Sunday, both hubby and I would go out for our 'usual' yam cha sessions in the afternoon and we'll indulge in something we usually don't. We had economy noodles at the market in Pasar Tanah Merah 石咀巴刹。They taste really good. In my opinion, they sell the best economy noodles 经济粉面 in Sandakan. I always wonder, how difficult is it to prepare fried noodles? Why is it that not all of them cook good-tasting ones? My phone was sent in to repair and maintenance, so I used my hubby's phone to snap some photos of the food and posted them on FB. A friend commented, 'Never imagined that you guys would eat these kind of food, knowing the nature of Jennifer's job'. Honestly, I don't think I was shocked to see these kind of comment. It's not the first, for sure. What do you guys think a nutritionist eat?

 

Yep, I don't eat sausage bun everyday, or probably not even once in 6months. And neither have I been eating or buying bread or buns from outside. I have shared about the reason a few post back and I better not re-emphasize that again, in case I get mistaken that I eat apple and oat all day long.  

 

I made this sausage bun, cos I wanted to have a change from the usual plain buns we've been eating. But sausage bun with white dough would be so plain, so I made it with a carrot and goji dough, don't you just love the golden color? Carrot and goji are both excellent foods that benefit the eye. The goji berry is among the highest source of carotenoids of all known common foods. Gojis contain 500 times the amount of vitamin C, by weight, than oranges About 11mg of iron per 100g can be found in the gojis.

 

The bread dough is the soft and fluffy milk bun dough that I've been using all this while. It does involve an extra step of preparing the starter dough, but the results of the bun or bread is sooo much worth it. I have stopped trying out other bread recipe, even though claimed very soft and fluffy, cos to me, I have already found 'the recipe' for my soft and fluffy bread. It was originally a recipe by Alex Goh, but I have adapted it very much making it my own recipe which works well either kneaded by hand or breadmaker. I have kneaded this dough using my faithful Donlim breadmaker.

 

Starter dough

• 100g bread flour
• 70g boiling water

To prepare the starter dough, pour boiling water over flour and stir with folk until combined to a slightly tacky dough. Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Keep for 20min before use, can keep up to 12hrs in refrigerator

 

Main dough (the ingredients are placed in the breadmaker according to the order they are listed):

• 3tbsp rice bran oil*
• 150g carrot and goji berry puree (prepared by steaming and pureeing 1 carrot and 1tbsp goji)
• 100g fresh milk
• 2tbsp dark muscovado sugar
• pinch of salt
• 300g bread flour
• 100g all purpose flour
• 2tsp active dry yeast  

*Other than grapeseed oil, rice bran oil is also a healthy baking oil. It is the oil extracted from the germ and inner husk of rice. It is notable for its high smoke point of 232 °C (450 °F) and its mild flavor, making it suitable for high-temperature cooking methods such as stir frying and deep frying.

 

1. Add all the ingredients (in the order listed above, except for the scalded dough) in breadpan.

2. Select mode no. 7 (dough 发面）. Press START.

3. When the ingredients have combined together, about 3min into kneading, add in the scalded dough by pieces.

4. After 1hr 30min, a beep alert will sound indicating that the dough is ready.

5. Remove the dough from the breadmaker.

6. On a floured surface, punch the dough to remove trapped air. Knead a few times. Form about 130g portion of dough into ball shape. Using a rolling pin, flatten into an oblong disk and roll up to form a rope shape. Roll up around the frankfurter. Brush top of bun with milk/ water or beaten egg wash, sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds.

7. Place the bun in an enclosed oven (temperature not switched on) for a second rise, about 45min, or until the buns double or at least 1.5x their original size.

8. Preheat the oven to 170deg C. Bake the buns for about 15-20min.

 

 

Attaching a photo of myself, indulging in my sausage and carrot goji bun. Happy Monday :)

 

 

Chia seeds pudding

 

 

 

 

 

I have been introducing chia seeds, the superfood, to my clients since many years ago. But oddly enough, I have not started introducing it to my little fella until recently. I guess it's the word seeds that kinda put me off. Other than flaxseed and sesame seed oil, I have not given him any seeds until he turned one year for fear of the choking risk. According to Superbabyfood by Ruth Yaron, most pediatricians agree that you can add these seeds (one of a time, of course) to your baby’s diet at eight months of age!  

 

Chia seeds have become very popular and it is no wonder. It is such a nutrient-compact superfood. I have had couple of chia seeds got stucked to the base of my wash basin, it grows into chia seed sprouts! Nature must have put a concentrated store of nutrients in the seed, which can grow a new plant with no soil and nothing more than plain water. I was crazily sprouting chia seeds few years back. Refer to this link for more info on my sprouting experience.

 

Omelette and chia sprouts sandwich

 

 

These unprocessed seeds, which come from a desert plant grown in Mexico, have been around for thousands of years and were a staple in the diet of the ancient Mayans and Aztecs. Aztec soldiers used to consume crushed chia to boost energy, and the seeds were thought to have magical powers based on their ability to increase stamina over long periods of time.

 

Most importantly, chia seeds are the best plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids on the planet. Info from here. Omega-3s are glorious, and because they are not made in our bodies, we need to get them from our diet. These fatty acids help build new cells, reduce inflammation, regulate physiological functions, and prevent heart disease and diabetes. improve cognitive function (be smarter!), and promote healthy skin, hair and nails. They are also potent sources of complete protein, and more easily digestible compared to soy, beans or peas' protein. It has 2.7 times more iron than raw spinach, and five times as much calcium than milk! Now you know why there's a hype over it all over the world.  

 

Chia seeds can absorb up to ten times their own weight in liquid. So when placed in water or liquid, they expand and take on a gel-like texture. After a few hours of soaking, the seeds swell up and form jelly pudding texture, making healthy nutritious snacks or desserts for the little ones. My boy doesn't like plain avocado puree, but he loves this.

 

Avocado milk chia seeds pudding

• 1/2 cup fresh milk or soymilk
• 1/2 avocado, medium size  
• 2tbsp chia seeds
• 1tsp honey (optional)

Puree avocado with fresh milk until consistency turns creamy. Add in chia seeds and blend for another second. Pour into bowl or glass and let chill in refrigerator overnight or at least 4hours.

 

Black soymilk chia seeds pudding

• 1/2 cup warm water + 2tbsp black soy powder
• 2tbsp chia seeds

Dissolve soy powder in warm water by stirring or shaking in a tumbler. Add in chia seeds and shake. Pour into bowl or glass and let chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least 4hours.