All by myself

When I worked in bank, I used to eat alone. I did not have privilege of going out for lunch with colleagues back then since everyone was busy and bank required few staff to be on duty during lunch time. So we took turn to have lunch.

I would had my lunch outside all by myself or brought lunch from home back then. Since then I seldom eat by myself outside. 

Last week on one of the weekday, I were super hungry since I had little for breakfast. So I decided to drop by this restaurant nearby for a quick lunch and takeaway. It has been a while since we have dinner here. Hubby complained its quality has dropped and food not so great sometimes. I thought the food is alright but nothing great though.

So as usual they have their chap fan section and I went to check out the dishes. Suited me well so I had my plate of chap fan. Self-service where we take our own dishes and I ended with these 3 dishes.

Bittergourd with black beans, stir fried pork belly in spicy soy sauce and soft beancurd. RM5 for my lunch. And I did not order any drink that day since they gave me a bowl of soup.

A vegetable soup. I did find the waitress that served me that day was generous with the soup. She gave me a bowl full with carrots, winter gourd and beancurds.

And they had kacangma that morning, so I bought RM4 of the kacangma (motherwort chicken) home for dinner later that day. 

After my lunch, it was time to pick the youngest from kindergarden and went on with my usual busy schedule for the rest of the day. 

He's back, I pack

After a year in Sri Aman, hubby is finally back to Kuching. He spent wonderful time working in Sri Aman town during the 1-year period.

At the same time, he is happy to be back home but excited and vigilant for the new challenge ahead in takingover the new branch. So, I wish hubby all the best! Jia you! You can do it.

Since my girl started her afternoon classes in school last month, I have been cooking more lunches than buying outside. More economical and healthier, my personal opinion. It could be tiring on my part but I do enjoy cooking for my family. 

And with hubby is back, I also started to pack his lunch as well on some days. 

So more cooking and less eating out. And what makes my day is when my girl commented her lunch is wonderful and tasty. She must be enjoying her takeaway lunch from home. *wink*

Exercising

I was supposed to start my exercise regime beginning of the year. However January was packed and my hands were full with kids starting school and then spring cleaning and preparation for Chinese New Year.

But oh boy, I glad I slowly starting to do it after the big celebration.  More spare time now to do so in the morning when everyone is away.

It did felt like the first time in my life I have had a regular schedule of exercising after stopping for so many years. 

I started slowly at first. Do not want to exert myself after long absence of exercise. So I had brisk walking for about 30 minutes on the treadmill. 3 times a week.

Regardless of the weather, I will dutifully go to the gym and get the workout but last 2 weeks I had slow down a bit because of the sickness and fatigue and other family matters to attend to.

But little by little with some exercises, I could feel I am more energetic.  In term of physical changes, I don't see much.  No drop in the weighing scale. I do cut down on my carbs intake, like what I did last year.

Less carbs for dinner.  Heavy breakfasts or brunches, occasionally skipping my lunches and have early dinners in the evening.

Hopefully I will get down to more strict routine and get better result. In term of stamina, and physical health.

Any health or exercising tips, someone would like to share with me??

I love peahs

I am not a big fan of peahs (Chinese pastry) but this box from Penang changed my mind overnight!

It was a gift from hubby's Sri Aman colleague who went to Penang on a company trip.  This box of peahs from Ming Xiang Tai really make me craving for more. Ming Xiang Tai originated from Perak and has few shops in Peninsular Malaysia. Thanks to hubby's colleague for this delicious box and other gifts as well.

12 pastry in the box and as you can see, I had ate one before I took this shot.  Initially not planning to post about it, but after tasted the 1st peah (glutinous coconut puff), I think it is worth mentioning.

Hubby and I tasted 3 of them last night; namely glutinous coconut puff, pandan salted egg pastry, and chicken floss pastry. The pastries were flaky yet not overly dry. The filling was generous and soft, and simply so good. Not too sweet for me.

Ta-da.  The pandan salted egg pastry.  Very generous filling, right??

And I personally enjoyed the glutinous coconut puff.

Not many peahs left, so we got to enjoy them little by little.  

Learn from tv

This lunch was all prepared and cooked by hubby when he was at home on one Monday morning.

He watched a cooking show the night before and eager to try and cook for the family. So together with me, he went to buy the necessary ingredients on Monday and get down to cooking. Talking about eager cook who seldom get into the kitchen!

According to the cooking show, this is a Hainanese cuisine.  I liked the dishes as they were simple, no hassle and all natural taste.

Boiled pork belly and cabbage rolls

With my hubby as the chef and I were the sous chef, our lunch was ready in less than 1 hour.

Ingredients:
1 pork belly, blanched
4 leaves of napa cabbage
2 tbsp hay bee (dried shrimps)
Salt for seasoning

Methods:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil and add the pork belly. Let it cook for at least 30 minutes.

2. In a pan, fry the dried shrimps till crispy. Drain on a kitchen towel. Set aside.

3. Take the pork belly out and let it cool down before slice in biteable size.

4. Arrange the pork belly in a plate, leaving a hole in the middle. Add few tsp of sea salt.

5. In the same pot of boiling water, toss napa leaves one at a time. Let it cook to soften.

6. Drain the cabbage and let it cool slightly before roll the cabbage from the white stem to the green leaves. Place in a plate. Do the same for other leaves.

7. Toss the dried shrimps on top of the cabbage leaves. Scoop some of the boiling soup on the rolls.

How to eat:

Pork belly - dip some salt before you enjoy it

Cabbage roll - cut the roll into 3 parts so it is smaller piece. You could add a pork belly in the roll as well as some haybee before eat

Remark:

The original recipe called for santan (coconut milk) to be add to the boiling water for cooking the cabbage leaves but we did not have any at home, so we omit it.

The good and sad

It was a raining Monday this week. I am still recovering from my illness; could feel the chill in the air and I am much prefer to stay indoor more nowadays than caught in the rain.

A normal Monday except I needed to send hubby to airport for his morning flight to KL.

Hubby receiving his award on stage

List of winners

He was attending his "Oscar-like" award in KL that afternoon. Congratulations dear for winning an award. 

And then, in the late afternoon, I received a call from my dad, conveying a sad news on a passing of an uncle.

My mum's older brother passed away that same afternoon. He has been admitted before CNY for a heart corrective surgery and stayed in the heart specialist centre since then. It was a shocking news to everyone as my uncle was fine (other than the blocked arteries). And what more devastating was my mum's second brother passed away last July. Not even 1 year and now, this older brother has passed on.

Life. Sometimes I do ponder over life. What if and what not. The people close and around us leaving us. Every day we are faced with challenges and bumps.

When you are disturbed...ponder it on your beds, and be silent....and I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety ~ Psalm 4: 4,8

My prayer : Heavenly Father, thank you for the comfort and peace you provide in times of loss. Help us to share your love and grace with others. And thank you for the wonderful blessing and miracles you shown us everyday. Help us to seek the path of righteousness and remember that our salvation is in you each day. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Miscellaneous Sunday

It was a tiring but wonderful Sunday yesterday.  We spent most of the day in the church. We started off the day early as Jan and Jay were participating in the Sunday School's Day celebration. 

The best breakfast in the kids' minds!  McD's breakfast set.



Everyone had their share of breakfast before we drove ourselves to the church since we were late for the early morning briefing (I mean, the kids were late for the briefing).



Nevertheless, the mass went on well, with songs, praises and prayers.  Jan had her first share of singing in front of the audiences and oh boy.  We were proud of her.



The Sunday school children also have a group singing as well as a short drama and song.  Everyone was taking part in celebrating the Sunday School's Day.

We stayed for the 1st session of the mass which ended around 9.30am but Jan and Jay stayed back for the refreshment and continued with the 2nd session.

Hubby, Jamie and I went for our kolo mee in Huan Lok Café before we gone back to the church to pick the kids up after the 2nd session. 

After that, we went to Kubah Ria market to get some herbs.  And yes, our new babies.  Mint and Rosemary.

The old mints died off and this is my first rosemary, so fingers cross.  Hope they survive in my hands!! Lol.

The rest of the afternoon?? We rested, slept and watched tv.  We had our dinner at home earlier since the kids needed to rush for the night session of church mass.  By the time we were done, we reached home before 9pm and everyone were so tired from the day events to do anything other than sleep. zzzz