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It's a relaxing weekend

>> Oct 9, 2009

It's the weekend again tomorrow. :-) 

Saturday and Sunday sound so sweet.

The phone on my desk hasn't stopped ringing, or was that my imagination? It's been a terribly busy and so-so week for me and my in-tray getting higher...probably sounds familiar to you? Gotta 'swim' through my in-tray before knocking off at 9pm tonite. Sigh!  

What a hectic week! ... and it's gonna be a weekend for my little prince. Max is learning roller-blading and Daddy is gonna teach him. Perhaps I just might pick up a couple of pointers and skate with them...

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Cool Red Smoothies

Fancy a sweet, juicy, thirst-quencher smoothies packed with fiber, Vitamins and anit-oxidants ? All it takes is just 10 minutes and a blender with watermelon, apples and oranges.

A diet with high intakes of vitamin C and beta-carotene have been shown in a number of scientific studies to reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce the airway spasm that occurs in asthma, reduce the risk of colon cancer, and alleviate some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

A cup of watermelon provides 24.3% of the daily value for vitamin C, and, through its beta-carotene, 11.1% of the DV for vitamin A.

Watermelon has very high water content of 92% and the red flesh watermelon is also a source of the potent carotenoid antioxidant, lycopene, found to be protective against a growing list of cancers.

Watermelons are in nature an excellent source of vitamins B6 and B1. They are also a great source of potassium, magnesium and extremely low in sodium. Watermelons makes great snack for both children and adults, for the reason that they contain practically no fat. The good news is also that it is not a commonly allergenic food.

Apple is a good source of dietary fiber, although I’ve chosen to peel these apples due to pesticides residues and wax-coating, unless you opted for the organically grown. So much of the fiber, Vitamin C, anti-oxidant and flavonoids are found in the skin and pulp. Anti-oxidants and Flavonoids play a significant role in lowering heart-disease risks, regulate blood pressure, prevent unwanted inflammation, protect against cancer and help regulate over-production of fats in the liver.

There’s the Granny Smith, Royal Gala, Honey or Fuji available here. Apples may seem common and sold through-out the year but of different varieties & origin. So, don’t forget to include these anti-oxidant packed fruits in your weekly diet.

Orange is an excellent source of Vitamin C. Just one orange supplies 116.2% of the daily value for vitamin C (Wow!). Vitamin C is the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body, disarming free radicals and preventing damage in the aqueous environment both inside and outside cells. Inside cells, a potential result of free radical damage to DNA is cancer. Especially in areas of the body where cellular turnover is especially rapid, such as the digestive system, preventing DNA mutations translates into preventing cancer. This is why a good intake of vitamin C is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.

Orange is high in fiber, and has been known to lower cholesterol, thue helping to prevent atherosclerosis. An orange has over 170 different phytonutrients and more than 60 flavonoids, many of which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and blood clot inhibiting properties, as well as strong antioxidant effects. In addition to oranges' phytonutrients, vitamin C and fiber, they are a good source of thiamin, folate, Vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), potassium and calcium.


Scientific research can boast all they want on the nutritional benefits of these fruits but I do noticed the radiant and youthful complexions of people who regularly consume a diet high in fiber and Vitamin C…(chuckling)…I’m gonna make sure I include lots of these in my diet from now on… as age is catching up!




Recipe for Cool Red Smoothies

12cm x 12cm x 12cm watermelon
2 green apples
2 oranges
4 ice-cubes

1.      Rinse blender
2.      Cut watermelon into 4 pieces
3.      Peel and core green apples, cut into 8 and squeeze 2 oranges
4.     Put all into the blender and blend till slushy.
5.      Add in ice-cubes, and press ice-crush button on blender.
6.      Pour into 2 plastic tumblers with straws.
7.      Serve.

Ta-dah!... There’s your refreshing Cool Red Smoothies, perfect for a HOT-HOT afternoon.

Enjoy!

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Breakfast Pancakes

There’s nothing nicer than Home-made Pancakes on a lazy Sunday morning.


Mom flipping pancakes on the pan, Dad making his espresso and the little prince setting the table laying out his favourite maple syrup, Golden Churn butter, blueberry preserve, orange marmalade and some kiwis. It’s such a homey setting.

The home-made pancakes are fluffy and not hard to make. I first tried this recipe a couple of year ago and have never bought the box-mix anymore. I got this recipe from Allrecipe, with a little adjustment here and there, it’s perfect.

Serving size : 12pc of 10cm sized pancakes

1 cup of plain white flour
1 tbsp fine granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup (250ml) low-fat milk
1 egg
2 tbsp sunflower oil or vegetable oil or melted butter
½ tsp vanilla essence

1.      Sift together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.
2.      In a medium bowl, beat the egg, add in the milk, oil and vanilla essence. Mix well.
3.      Make a well in the center and gently pour in the wet mixture.
4.     Whisk sparingly just enough to moisten the dry ingredients, till it comes together.
5.      Do not over-mix. It’s fine if there’s still little bit of lumps.


6.      Let the batter sit for 10-15 minutes or you can let it sit in the fridge for a few minutes. (This is to let the gluten settle down and let the baking powder start to act)
7.      Heat a lightly greased non-stick pan over medium heat.
8.      Scoop about ¼ cup of batter onto the pan.
9.      Flip when bubbles form on top of pancake and cook until golden brown on both sides.


Serve warm with your favourite fruit preserve, maple syrup or honey or fresh fruits.


Max likes his pancakes with honey and butter curls. :-). Just like his Daddy. Well,...like father like son!

Enjoy your Sunday morning !

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Fluttering wings...on Lanatana Camara

>> Oct 7, 2009

I caught a beautiful butterfly as it landed on my Lantana Camara this morning. These flowers are so attractive and cheerful looking, with their strong smell beckons seductively to the insects.







One elderly lady neighbour stopped and had a short chat as I was taking a good shot of the butterfly, ..."Good morning, gorgeous flowers!" and what a beautiful morning it was.


I was never interested in flowers or gardening, except for bunches of roses during...er... courtship, birthdays, engagements and weddings. Alright, I admit that I used to spot boyish hair when I was a teenager, active in school sports and being more comfortable in a pair of tattered jeans and shorts rather than a pretty princess dress. Somehow, having my own home, my own garden...green patch actually, changed me. I started with a few pots of green and later added some flowers.



Working in the city is hectic, not to mention the horrendous traffic. We had to leave home just before sun up and only get home by 10pm daily, after dinner. We have kept the home decor to simplicity and cluttered free for ease of maintenance. And having a well-kept garden with plenty of greens and flowers made a warmer home, which means more gardening activities during the weekend.


Many may agree that gardening is very therapeutic and a very relaxing activity, as close to nature as one can get living in a suburb. Dealing with greens is good for the lungs, relaxing for the eyes and soothing for the soul.

I promised myself to give a few minutes each weekend to my garden and I will be rewarded with smiles from my garden.

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A place to share my thots, my experiences, my dreams, my musings, my tips...
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