Food Inc.

P and I watched this oscar-nominated documentary last night and it's enough to make me not want to eat meat ever again. Eeeeewww! And the chickens, they all looked so pitiful. It's amazing how technology can do so much and how profit can get people to think up of new ways to do things like McDonald's did way back then.

It's perfect for me though because it will help me with healthy eating and hopefully lose the 10 pounds that just won't let go.

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My Poor Baby

Last night Via couldn't sleep and kept on crying. Her nose was clogged and she couldn't breathe. It was so bad that her eyes got red and was tearing. I tried to pump her nose but she wouldn't let me. Good thing Daddy was home. He said it must be allergic rhinitis (which she would have gotten from me) since her lungs sounded okay. He gave her antihistamine. To unclog her nose, he turned on hot shower and let it run in the bath with some vicks mixed in. Via and I sat inside the bathroom which felt like a steam room to me. He checked on us from time to time and after about 15 minutes Via could breathe through her nose.

Aside from the clogged nose, worm was found in her poo yesterday so she would need deworming. She's only 13 months! But I guess that was inevitable the way she put everything she could get her hands on in her mouth.

Today we went to Via's pediatrician to get her checked and also see if she can have the chicken pox vaccine. Turned out, the doctor was out of the vaccine and said it's better to wait until the colds from her allergy clears.

So she got meds for her allergy and the deworming which I will now buy from the drugstore as the new Pharmacy here in our office doesn't have one of them. I sure hope she gets relief soon. It's so hard to see her cry.

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This year 2010....

I resolve to

1. Attend church service every week
2. Eat healthy, more vegetables and less meat
3. Simplify
4. No more emotional spending
5. No more multitasking, focus on the task at hand for better results
6. Avoid going online at home
7. Drink 8 glasses of water every day
8. Reduce, reduce, reduce debts
9. Live in the moment and savor whatever the activity is
10. Be more giving

Just ten. I hope I can do even half of it :)

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Homestyle Indonesian Chicken Soup with Vegetables

from Periplus Mini Cookbooks by William W. Wongso and Hayatinufus A.L. Tobing

Ingredients:

½ Chicken cut into pieces

6 cups water

1teaspoon peppercorns

4-6 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon oil

1 medium carrot, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons dried woodear mushrooms coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons dried lily buds, hard stems removed

½ cup cabbage

½ cup snow peas

2 spring onions, cut in 1 cm lengths

2 stalks chinese celery cut in lengths

8-10 hard boiled quail eggs

100 g glass noodles

1 tablespoon sweet Indonesian soy sauce

2 tablespoons crispy fried shallots

Place the chicken, water and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 35 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, grind the peppercorns in a spice grinder until fine. Add the garlic and process to a coarse paste. Heat the oil in a small saucepan, add the spice paste and stir fry over medium heat until golden brown. Add to the soup.

When the chicken is tender, remove and cool slightly, then cut the meat into 1 cm cubes and set aside.

Add the carrot to the soup, return to the boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, lily buds, cabbage, snow peas, spring onion and chinese celery. Simmer for 5 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Add the reserved chicken, quail eggs, noodles and sweet soy sauce to the soup. Heat through, then serve garnished with crispy fried shallots.

I tried this recipe over the weekend. I didn't put all the veggies in though. Just carrots and cabbage and I forgot the sweet soy sauce :) Still P said it tasted good.

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Back to Short Hair

I've been wearing my hair short for years but once in a while I get the urge to grow it out. And that's what I did after giving birth last December. My hair is wavy/curly and it's awful when it's in that awkward growing out stage. I endured it and had my hair relaxed in June when it was about chin length. I used L'oreal Elseve Smooth Intense shampoo, conditioner and anti-frizz serum. It really tamed my hair. It's now October and I can put my hair up in a ponytail. But I cannot stand it anymore! It's heavy, takes longer to dry and sticks to my nape. And long hair is a nono around babies. The li'l twerp likes to pull strands of my hair....hard! It hurts!

Today I had it in a ponytail again and got a headache. It was too tight. Enough of this when I don't really know how to style long hair nor do I have the patience for it. So I went to Jesi Mendez in Robinson's Galleria after work and had it cut short. What a relief!

The stylist was trying to get me to color my hair too. I told her I had never had my hair colored. So she showed my different shades and how it would look. I wasn't convinced just yet. Maybe next time.

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Crispy Fragrant Chicken

I've been trying to learn how to cook Indonesian dishes with little success. I find it difficult because I'm not familiar with most of the ingredients and the proportions and how they should taste. I don't usually follow cookbooks to the letter. I try to add spices or change the proportions. So far I've tried Ikan Bilis, Nasi Goreng Ayam, Pecel with Peanut Sauce a few times. Something's always wrong with them. Today I decided to try Crispy Fragrant Chicken.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken cut into serving portions
2 salam leaves (optional)
1 stalk lemongrass, tender inner part of bottom third only, bruised and cut in 3 pieces
Oil for deep frying

Spice Paste:
5 candlenuts or macadamia nuts
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
5 cm (2in) fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt

To make the spice paste, dry fry the candlenuts or macadamia nuts, coriander and cumin seeds in a skillet or wok over low heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Grind them in a blender or food processor until fine, add the galangal, turmeric powder, garlic and salt and grind to form a smooth paste. Add a little water if needed to keep the mixture turning.

Put the spice paste in a wok or frying pan with a lid. Add the chicken pieces and stir fry over medium heat to coat with the spice paste, then add the salam leaves, if using, and lemongrass. Cover the pan and simmer slowly over low heat, turning the chicken peices from time to time, until all the moisture is absorbed and the chicken pieces are tender, 30-35 minutes. Remove and discard the lemongrass and salam leaves.

Heat the oil in a wok until very hot. Add several chicken pieces, with the spices still coating the outside, then deep-fry over high heat until golden brown about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and keep warm while frying the remaining chicken peices.

I basically followed everything except for the salam leaves and the lenmograss which I forgot. I used almonds instead of candlenuts and coriander and cumin powder instead of seeds. Also I added juice of 2 calamansi, 5 pieces chilli and a little Knorr original seasoning.

Finally, P said it was good. Finally!

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End of an Era in Badminton

The 2008 Beijing Olympics marks the end for many of the badminton players I've known since I started playing badminton in 2004.  It's sad that I won't be seeing them in tournaments anymore.

Zhang Ning. She's been around since 1996 (from what I've read) when she was beaten in the 1996 Uber Cup by then 16 year old Mia Audina. You could say she's a late bloomer, only rising to the top at 28 years old after Gong Ruina, Gong Zhichao, Zhou Mi left. Her reign was also short but she made the most of it winning the 2003 World Championships, 2004 and 2008 olympics and many titles after the 2004 olympics.

Gao Ling. No official announcement has been made but it's likely that she will be retiring. She has won everything there is in badminton whether in the mixed doubles and women's doubles category. Truly a legend in badminton. Her mixed doubles partner Zhang Jun retired last year due to injuries. He got to be torch bearer in the Beijing Olympics for winning gold in mixed doubles twice with Gao Ling (2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens).

Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen. My favorite women's doubles team. Yang Wei actually partnered Gao Ling in women's doubles in the 1996 World Junior Championships which they won. Yang and Zhang were olympic champions in Athens, also world champions, and won many titles together. There were briefly separated last year when Yang Wei was partnered with Zhao Ting Ting but were reunited for the Beijing Olympics. Too bad they were unable keep their title.

Xie Xing Fang. This one I'm not sure but she has been heard saying the drive to win is not there anymore as evidenced by her loss to Zhang Ning in the Beijing olympic final. All she wants to do is get married and cook for Lin Dan :)

Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah. My favorite men's doubles players have been around since 1995 but have not really won anything of note. They won the 2004 Malaysian Open, the Dutch Open, ABC, and have been runner up twice in the All England. Still they I like the way they look on court when playing and Lee Wan Wah's sooo handsome :D

I don't know anyone else retiring. Taufik is playing till the end of this year. I need to find new favorites to root for in the coming tournaments. So far, only Lee Yong Dae has caught my attention.

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Growing Out Short Hair - Some Tips

I've had short hair for more than three years and am now longing for hair that I can style. So I'm growing it out. I've had it up to my chin last June but in a moment of insanity I've had it chopped again. Now I'm regretting it. I have to start all over.

I've been searching for a sort of transition hairstyle that would keep my from lopping it off again when it doesn't look good. I like Katie Holmes' do in these pics (just ignore the pegged pants).

If you're growing out your hair:

• Wait longer in between haircuts. If you're getting maintenance cuts every six weeks with shorter hair, try waiting three months before getting trims.
• Use conditioner and don't rub hair dry with a towel to prevent damage. Squeeze out water from hair gently with a towel. 
• Use a wide tooth comb for wet hair.
• Avoid using hot water and hair dryers which damage hair.
• Have weekly scalp massage to stimulate hair folicles.
• Get plenty of rest and sleep and eat a balanced diet

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My First Completed Crochet Project

I used to do some crocheting years ago but I've never completed any of my projects. I would get bored with it and move on the something else. Lately my interest in crocheting has been renewed. I searched online for a simple pattern that would be useful to me and easily finished to keep my interest going.

I finished this wrist bag in one week. Useful to put my wallet and mobile phone in during lunchtime forays to the mall.

There are so many nice patterns online and am downloading everything that I find doable looking for my next project.

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Rainy Day

I love rainy days....as long as I'm indoors. This is the window behind me in the office. Usually the blinds are down to shield my computer monitor from the glare. But on days like this, its so nice to watch to rain pouring down and the trees gently swaying.

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