Ten Things... to do in the shower (apart from bathing!!)

So let's face it, if you were to calculate how much time we spend in the shower, it's a lot! Seven days times at least a shower or two every day, maybe fifteen minutes each. It's literally hours every week.  I'm a busy mom and every minute I can steal from something to multitask gives me more hours in the day, sort of! I often try to use my showering time to do other things and so here's a list of some of them:

1. I take the opportunity in the shower to do some simple exercises! My favorite are standard barre moves.  It takes minimal room and time to do some easy barre exercise like these. Another favorite of mine are simple lunges or going on point to releve. Doing a couple sets of each is a very productive way to wait those several minutes while the conditioner does its thing in your hair!
   
2. Exfoliate!  Keep the product in your shower and if you have a few minutes extra, try exfoliating any area where hair grows! This will help eliminate in-grown hairs and promote follicular health
3. Grab that scrub brush and scrub down the grout here and there in the shower, between soaping yourself. It will make keeping your shower scum free that much easier!
4. Use this time of quiet to find your zen. Try some slow exaggerated breathing. Close your eyes and find your happy place. A few minutes each day of quiet meditation is great for mental health.
5. Have you ever tried warming up your vocal chords? Ok we are not all professional singers but the steamy warm air is the greatest place to hum, practice a tune or do your vocal scales.  It keeps the voice box warm and in tune!
6. Meal plan.  I usually spend a couple minutes in the shower mentally planning out the household meals for the next few days, even the week.  Then as soon as I jump out of the shower, I jot it down so I don't forget.  This is a great way to multitask something that has to be done during the week anyway.
7. Grab those makeup brushes and clean them while you shower!  The best product for cleaning your make-up brushes are actually just water and a mild soap like baby shampoo - which is perfect!  Make sure you take a small bowl, wash cloth or sponge into the shower to help. And in case you did't know, make up brushes should be cleaned every week, especially if you use them daily.  Not cleaning them leads to cross-contamination, build up of bacteria and potentially harming your skin and face.
   
8. Cut your nails.  Grab those nail clippers and give yourself a trim while in the shower. The warm water makes your skin nails super soft and easy to cut, and allows the cuticle and hang nails to soften for grooming too. Just remember the following: it's best to dry your nail clippers after. The water can rust them and also promote bacteria, even dulling the blades.  Also, you may want to use a wash cloth to collect the trimmings so that you can properly discard them instead of just washing them down the drain. Yes, they are biodegradable (I suppose eventually!) but I've never been a fan of washing things down the drain that can be discarded.  The drain water filters back either as recycled water or into the rivers and ocean eventually. It's not really the place for nail clippings!
9. Write a love note to your partner in the steam!
   
10. Whiten your teeth! Most tray whitening systems or strips require 10-20 minutes for the treatment to take so what better way to multitask than to pop the whitening tray in your mouth before you shower! By the time you're done with your shower, your teeth will be fresh too!

Well, try out these little tidbits that I do in the shower and enjoy the extra time you've made for yourself in your day!

3 Kitchen Items I cannot live without

We all know how much I love to cook so here are my 3 Kitchen Items I cannot live without!

1. A flat cooking utensil. I have found that this is my 'go-to' item when cooking everything from pancakes, to scrambled eggs, to fish and even pasta.  Surprisingly, one of my absolute favorites in this category is this IKEA 365+ Hjalte one. So much so, that I have bought several for friends and family. It's soft handle is ergonomic and it's plastic texture is perfect for any pot or pan, both metal, cast-iron and non-stick. I have left my utensil resting on my hot pans before and it never created those nasty plastic indentations from the heat. The bonus is they cost just $3.99 each and you can throw them in the dishwasher!

IKEA 365+ HJÄLTE

Spatula, stainless steel, black

$3.99

                  Article Number: 

001.494.59

2.  My Mini-Prep.  I own the Cuisinart Mini-Prep but there are so many versions out there. So here's what I love about my Mini-Prep. Whenever a recipe calls for "finely minced" or "finely chopped" onions, garlic, or ginger - or a combination of all three, I can throw it all in my Mini Prep and I have the least stinkiest and least labor-intensive way of prepping these items.  There's nothing worse than doing this by hand!  The Mini-Prep bowl has just two settings: chop and grind. Its capacity is roughly 24 ounces or 3 cups and there are only 3 components to the small appliance: the base motor, the bowl and the removable blade.  Both the bowl and the blade can be cleaned in the dishwasher. Cuisinart also sells their appliance with a spatula and a recipe book. I store my mini prep in a drawer by my cutlery,  it's that small! If you don't own one of these, definitely go buy one for yourself, they retails for about $40.

Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor DLC-2A

Instruction and Recipe Booklet

3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Olive Oil is oil pressed from olives which are fruits from the Olive Tree. I hear the process is actually very simple and if you actually press an olive, you can see the oil come out! Olive Oil is proven to be incredibly good for you. It has a  lower smoking point (due to its high monounsaturated fat content) which also allows you to cook food without extra risks of burning it and safely at a very high heat.

The main problem with Olive Oil is that just because a product is labelled as 'Olive Oil', does not necessarily mean it is of great quality. It's like the difference between a wine that is sold in a box and a wine sold in a bottle. Two different calibers and two totally different products, in terms of quality.  Some of the lesser quality oils labelled as 'Olive Oil' sometimes extract the oil from the olives using chemicals, or even dilute the oil with cheaper ones.

So what do you buy? Always buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil!!! It is extracted using natural methods and is standardized for purity, taste and smell. Extra Virgin Olive Oil always has a distinctive taste and is high in phenolic antioxidants (one of the main reasons why olive oil is so beneficial).  Extra Virgin Olive Oil is also very high in monounsaturated fats (good fats!), contains a modest amount of vitamin E and K and is loaded in antioxidants, some of which have been proven to have powerful health benefits (such as anti-inflammatory properties and protection against cardiovascular disease).  Studies have shown in preliminary evidence that Extra Virgin Olive Oil can help fight Alzheimer's Disease, cancer, heart disease, joint problems and strokes.

I always try to buy Olive Oil that is source from a location reputed for its high quality olive oil, such as regions in Italy, Spain and even locally in California. Always, read the label and see where your Olive Oil comes from, and do buy the more expensive one, it is expensive for a reason! Your food will always taste better when cooked in a higher quality oil.

Children are the pickiest eaters!!!

I just love this set of photos going around from mommyshorts.com

Click below to see more of these hilarious photos!!

10 Things: I Didn't Know Before Becoming a Parent

(1) I would never need an alarm clock again.  Sunday morning, my two-year old woke up at 6:15am.  Now, remember I worked as a corporate lawyer for years and I don't remember even waking up this early in those days, except to catch a flight. I think the last time I set an alarm was....um.... before kids??

(2) I would become an expert negotiator. It goes something like this: "How about we color with the crayons after your have put your clothes back on and stop hiding under the dining table?"

(3) I would become a really good liar. I think I told this one today: "<insert name> called me today to find out why you didn't eat your yoghurt. Yes, good girl. I will ring <insert name> and tell them you ate your yoghurt". Today, I used her hand surgeon's name. I secretly hope she doesn't randomly announce to him that she ate her yoghurt at her appointment tomorrow morning...

(4) I would have my hand in so much poop. Literally.  The most distant and recent example of this was a couple weeks ago.

Usually when one of my girls have done a diaper blowout, I stand them up in the big laundry sink and use the extendable faucet to wash them down nicely.  Of course, before I do that, I have to carefully peal away the diaper and quickly (with one hand) discard it into a plastic bag I store under the laundry sink.  Well, first time this ever happened - I was in the process of peeling the diaper off and I lost control of it and it just opened out... plop...plop....plop.  My one hand was gripping my Mini-V, the other was now holding an open, half empty poopy diaper and I am staring at what has plopped into the sink. These were my thoughts: "What just happened??...I wish I had gloves... I wish I had another bag... If I blink, maybe we can go back in time... omg I have to use my hand and pick that sh*t up. Literally".  And I did.

No amount of anti-bacterial soap will erase that disgusting memory. This is where I remind myself I have two degrees plus a Masters and yet I find myself handling poop all day. So gross. Pregnancy should come with a poop warning.

(5) Children think it's absolutely normal to spit out into your hand whatever it is they have chewed and decided they don't want to swallow.  The worst part is they do it in public too. Oh, and if your hand is not freely available, be warned that they will just spit it out on you, the floor, really anywhere. Today, my daughter decided to not finish her pasta and so she just spat it out on my kitchen floor.  And then they will use your pants leg to wipe their dirty hands and mouths afterwards.

(6) The diaper bag is now my handbag. I never actually realized when I was pregnant that it would be a long time before I would be reunited with my handbag. I mean every now and then when I am out without the kids of course I leave the diaper bag at home and take a purse but I had no clue before kids that essentially the diaper bag would be all I would carry! I was never a real purse-kinda-gal anyway but I do miss carry around items beyond my "bare essentials" of wallet/lip gloss/keys/gum. I also sorta miss carrying around junk I don't need... toothpicks, restaurant candies I know will never make it to my stomach because of the bag lint attached to it, sachets of sugar, random bobby pins, random receipts shoved in my bag that should be thrown out...


(7) You never get to eat.  Parents of 2+ kids, you know what I am talking about. You and your partner tag team eating at restaurants: "honey, you eat first and I will feed the kids and then we can swap"... then you inhale your food the first instance you get because you don't quite know if you will get another five minutes uninterrupted to eat for a while. Sometimes I am so hungry and honestly, I don't get that five minutes just to get even a cracker to tide me over... between the "carry me Mommy!!!!" (whimpering ensues if you attempt to put them down) and then the constant diapering, feeding, crying... I think back to the good old days of one child. Man, those days were good! When she was down for a nap, I had all that time to myself.  Now I am just holding out for when I can ship them off the school. Maybe then I will eat.

(8) Going to the toilet becomes a spectator sport.  Not only does my toddler barrage me with a ton of questions about what I am about to do, but then she wants to be there, watch and get a running commentary during the main event. This is how it goes: "Mommy, you go wee-wee? I'm coming too... Is it big wee-wee? Maybe poo-poo? Did you fart? Was it big poo-poo? Will you wipe now? Can I see it? Can I flush it?".  Honestly, you would think I had just given birth to something memorable.

Sometimes I try to trick my toddler just so I can use the toilet alone in peace for once: "Mommy is going to...um... check something...." (quick exit) but this usually follows with tears and the pained wailing of "Moooooommy!! Where are yooooou? Come baaaaaack!" - not worth it, I think having a spectator and answering questions is slightly more tolerable than trying to back one out whilst listening to your child cry and scream for you like they are in pain.

I really miss the days of being able to go to the toilet in peace.  Sadly, the few occasional moments I do have the chance to go alone, I tend to drag it out like it is some sort of vacation. I take my phone, have a game all ready to play,  or sometimes I keep a nice new catalog waiting for me and then I take my time and sit there for several minutes, just enjoying the solitude.  It's really quite pathetic.

(9) It becomes normal to refer to yourself in the third person.  I honestly can't remember the last time I used "I" in a sentence  with my children.  It's always Mommy this or Mommy that. It's so bizarre when you actually think about it. I mean, I know that they know that I am Mommy, so why do we do it?

(10) That just my touch, hug and kiss, has the power to stop tears and make a crying child happy again. Now, that is a gift, maybe even a superpower!

'Annie' star all grown up!

This came up on my Yahoo browser today and I had to share!  Annie was one of my all-time favorite movies as a child.  The famous 1982 John Huston musical about an orphan who is taken in by a billionaire bachelor made its main star Aileen Quinn, who played the title character Annie, a recognizable face in every household.

Thirty years on, the movie has been released as a special edition on Blu-Ray and here is the star all grown up!

Taken from yahoo.com

Aileen Quinn is now a 41 year-old woman! Can you believe it!? I think she looks so different from her photo as Annie - would you recognize her on the street?

Fighting stains with Cream of Tartar

BEFORE

So I was on Pinterest and saw a post about the uses for Cream of Tartar.  So I clicked on the link, which led me to a random blog with a suggestion to use Cream of Tartar for cleaning a stainless steel kettle

BEFORE

My eyes were glued, my mouth parted slightly with intrigue!! My kettle is forever decorated with the brown telltale splotches bearing next-burner witness to all my stovetop dishes of yesterday. I read the instructions and decided to try it out.

Before I launch into the description of how to clean your kettle, take a look at the photos and decide for yourself whether the result are noticeable! I admit, it wasn't 100% effective and there are still stains left behind on the kettle, however the difference is significant and worth it for probably about 10 cents worth of Cream of Tartar and a little elbow grease.

AFTER

AFTER

This is what you will need:

• what you want to clean
• cream of tartar (costs a few dollars at the supermarket)
• rubber gloves
• a scourer or good sponge
• bowl
• teaspoon
• Tbsp water

Mix the water and enough Cream of Tartar together to make a thick paste.

Pot the rubber gloves on and in the sink dip the scourer/sponge into the mixture and start scrubbing the kettle (or whatever it is you wish to clean).

Keep scrubbing for a couple of minutes until you get the desired result. You can always add more Cream of Tartar directly to the kettle and scrub.

Give the kettle a final wash with a clean sponge and some washing detergent and then rinse.  Not bad for minimal work and minimal cost!

The other side of the kettle once cleaned

The Important Things in Life

This is an old and memorable story that circulated years ago. Don't know if it's an urban legend in teaching us life's lessons, but it's worth sharing again.  These kinds of stories always hit home for me, since losing my mother two years ago.  It's important to always cherish the important things and people in your life and not lose sight of it. Here it is:

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.  He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.  They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes".

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.  The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - things that if everything else was lost and only they returned, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter - like your job, your house, your car.

The sand is everything else. The small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued "there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.  Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.

Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities.  The rest is just sand"

Author Unknown.

Peeling fruit

There is something so deeply satisfying about peeling a fruit all in one uninterrupted strip! Here's the peach that gave me such satisfaction this morning!

Hilarious look-alikes!

This is a hilarious list of celebrity look-alikes. The Ellen DeGeneres one made me laugh out loud!

Family Photographs - tips and information

Seven months ago, we had our second baby and we have still not had a single photo taken as a family of four. In fact, I am always finding myself on the other end of the camera.  I am really keen to have a nice family photo taken this Fall - one that we can use for our Holiday cards.

Here are my hopes for our family photos:

• keep it simple and casual
• try to time it right with the children's "best times" - avoiding meltdowns, meals and naps. 
• Aim to co-ordinate our outfits but not match. Also aim to fit the season we will be shooting in
• Keep the energy positive and natural. I really want to just capture the moment and not have the photos coming out contrived or fake
• Keep the background and location interesting and fresh, but I don't want it to detract from the subject matter of the photos - US!!
• I am hoping to use a photographer we already know and trust, that the girls will be comfortable with and hopefully we can get some sort of package deal to keep the cost low.

Resources:

• Ideas of what to wear for Family Photos
• 10 Tips to take great Family Photos
• More tips for Family Photos
• What to wear for Fall Family photos

Toddlers and Balls

I have just realized that having a toddler in the house means you live in a house of balls. I mean, literally.

I am constantly stepping on balls, finding them in the most obscure places, not to mention that I have to play dodge ball everyday - balls are whizzing by me all the time.  Mummy, catch!

I wonder, am I alone? Surely not because I see that Mini-V's 2 year-old friends are just as ball-obsessed as she is. They gravitate to them like it's some sort of baby crack. So today I decided to do a stocktake and actually walk through the main floor of the house, counting and documenting all the balls I found. I did not expect to find so many!!! There were TEN balls randomly placed on my first floor. I didn't even know I owned 10 balls. Here they are:

Ball 1: Next to the oven

Ball 2: Next to the couch in the living room

Ball 3: Under the Piano

Ball 4: in the corner next to the living room fireplace

Ball 5: in the foyer (and damaged by little teeth)

Ball 6: at the front door

Ball 7: in the kitchen

Ball 8: in the breakfast nook by the deck door

Balls 9: caught and grouped in a carrying case on the coffee table (this one is really cute to watch being toted around!)

Balls 10: in the play tent

The Flat White

The "Flat White" is my ultimate coffee.  It is, in my opinion, the perfect blend of espresso-steamed milk-froth and I love how it is always served in a nice cup and saucer. It looks so pretty, I am always taking photos of it when I visit Australia.

Flat White at The Pier, Port Melbourne - Australia

Flat White at Moulin Noir Bistro, Port Melbourne - Australia

Flat White at Cocao, Doncaster - Australia

Flat White at Laurent Patisserie, Doncaster - Australia

Being an Australian, we pride ourselves in excellent coffees and Baristas are serious professionals.  The cafe culture is strong in Melbourne, my hometown, and no day passes without sitting down for an espresso.  My choice drink? The Flat White. Unfortunately, I am yet to see it on a menu outside of Australia and my goal this year is to put my espresso machine to good use and learn how to perfect it. 

I have to admit, ordering an "espresso" is really disappointing in the United States and I use quotation marks there because nearly every restaurant that advertises a cappuccino or caffe latte on their menu makes it using an automatic machine. Personally, I do not think pressing a button is real espresso... the barista needs to make love to the espresso machine! There is truly a science involved in making a great espresso and it involves intricate and precise details, such as temperature, the type of coffee bean itself, methodology in swirling and pouring and water filtration.  Usually in the US, I stick to regular filtered coffee because I don't want to be disappointed by the automatic machine-making "espresso" - and I usually do ask anyway if they actually making the lattes with a real machine (they never say yes).

So if you are after a different type of espresso to the usual lattes and cappuccinos, and have access to an espresso machine, why not try the Flat White? It is luxuriously smooth in taste and not unnecessarily embellished by a thick head of froth. Here is a great tutorial:

10 Things: the 10 silliest wedding poses

1. The bridal party posing at a random location, attempting to look like they really do belong there

2. The bride looking at herself in the mirror

A small lesson in life

This post was circulating on my Facebook today and I felt it was worth sharing.  It's about patience and kindness.  I read it and it stayed with me for a while. It's one of those stories that reminds us to take time in this life and count our blessings and remember how every day makes an impact, either on ourselves or on others. Here it is:

A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard

box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive

through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly..

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice..'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired.Let's go now'.

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.

They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said

'You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut.It was the sound of the closing of a life..

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk.What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

10 Things: to pack in your carry-on luggage for a long flight

1. All your "essentials": passport, money, travel details, phone etc
2. Lip Balm - lips always seem to dry out on long flights
3. Individually wrapped packets of antibacterial wipes for wiping down your seat area (buckle, tray, remote, light switches, TV etc) and for after meals and using the bathroom
4. Just one good book, flying is actually the best time to relax and rest so try not to overload yourself with too much to do on the flight. Enjoy the downtime, put a movie on or some music and close your eyes.
5. Socks - especially if you are wearing open shoes on the flight. There is nothing worse than cold feet on a long flight and these days with all the budget restrictions, few airlines provide the complimentary socks of yesteryear.
6. A small "essentials" kit that will contain ibuprofen, bandaids, ear plugs, toothbrush and paste, comb.
7. GasX. Everyone gets gassy in the altitude. That doesn't mean it's OK to fart as you please. You are still sharing confined air space with scores of others
8. Spare Underwear and light clothing.  Believe me, I never thought I would use it until I got stranded in Miami airport for many, many hours before the airline finally decided to put us up for the night in a hotel (without our luggage), which took an hour to get to as it was in the middle of an Indian Reservation. Oh, yes it was a casino/hotel/Indian Reservation - what a great combination.  Luckily, I had my toiletry bag with me and was able to take out my contacts, brush my teeth etc And I was so glad to see my two sets of spare knickers! It was at least a full 24 hours later before we were on another flight. It happens.
9. Something small (and non-perishable) to eat just in case. i.e. a small trail mix packet or a bag of chips
10. Don't forget your moisturizer. A small hydrating lotion is plenty, don't bring along your big bottles!!! In fact, just pump a little into an inexpensive refillable bottle that you can buy from any drugstore for a few dollars. It will be easy to throw out or leave behind if you have to.

Cauliflower

1 cup raw (100g) = 25 calories (calories from fat = 1)

This week I bought probably my third ever head of cauliflower.  It just seems to be one vegetable I always overlook.  I purchased it with hopes of making the indian dish Aloo Gobi (potatoes and cauliflower) but already 3/4 of the way through the head and I now realize that we might be missing out on aloo gobi this week.  Turns out we like Cauliflower.

So where has the 3/4 of the cauliflower gone? Mini-V mostly!!! Mini-V, my broccoli-loving child has a a newfound love for the gas-inducing white vegetable.  And with her two-year molars coming in, the soft-textured, indistinct tasting florets are super palatable for her too.

Yesterday she ate a whole bowl of cauliflower (probably 6 florets) so today I doubled the quantity and of course it is Murphy's Law that she just nibbled at about 3 florets. Then again, she is running a 102 fever today (teething).  I also pan-fried a few florets in olive oil, cumin seeds and salt to toss into our salads for dinner tonight. So delicious and simple!

So I thought it would be interesting to take a closer look at our friend Mr Cauliflower and see if there was anything interesting about this usually boring and bland vegetable.

The cauliflower has a few varieties and hybrids, most notable is the purple cauliflower which turns green once cooked.  Turns out that cauliflower is actually low in fat and carbohydrates, though high in dietary fibre, folate, water and Vitamin C.

It also contains several phytochemicals (often found in cabbages) that are said to be of great nutritional benefit to humans, including properties that not only protect against cancer but can also slow the growth of cancer cells. I did not know that before!!! I just thought Cauliflowers were stinky, watery and lacking any significant nutrients.

It is said, however, that boiling is the worst way to prepare cauliflower as it destroys these important properties, particularly if you boil the vegetable for more than 10 minutes. Well, I suppose that means I got no anti-cancer compounds today but the good news is that you can preserve the anti-cancer compounds found in cauliflower by steaming, microwaving or stir-frying it. Phew!  A high intake of cauliflower has also been associated with a reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

So enough on calories and fibre and cancer, let's talk about taste. The great news is that cauliflower is the ideal vehicle for stronger, bolder and more exciting flavors (think lemon, garlic, olive oil, cheddar cheese, herbs, bacon etc etc).

The cauliflower's blander facade, coupled with its broad cooking versatility, makes it the ideal vegetable to truly enjoy guilt-free as a good starch or carb replacement.  I say "cooking versatility" because cauliflowers can be baked, roasted, pureed, steamed, stir-fried and of course, even eaten raw.  Yes, the cauliflower is slightly stinky (imagine the last remnants of a gassy fart wafting out of a car with its windows rolled up) yet it magically transforms once cooked.

And did I already mention that kids love cauliflower?

I once asked myself why my daughter continually demolished her steamed broccoli as if it were doused in honey and then I sat down one day, plain old steamed broccoli in font of me. I closed my eyes and ate it pretending to have pure taste buds like hers, uninfluenced by a lifetime of sugars, salts and other flavors.  I finally got it. Vegetables are sweet! We just don't see it anymore because our taste sensors have been ruined by drinking sodas and eating chocolate. So it came as little surprise when Mini-V hungrily ate her entire bowl of cauliflower yesterday.  In its purest form, it really is delicious!

10 Things: About me that you didn't know already

1. I was born and raised in Australia
2. I have to eat a Kit Kat everyday
3. Growing up, we always had cats as pets, often 2 or 3 at a time
4. I was a practising Lawyer before becoming a Mom
5. I never liked eating fish until I became an adult
6. I never order chicken at a restaurant
7. I don't own any yellow clothing
8. I drink a Coca-Cola nearly everyday
9. I love Sago Pudding, though I hardly make it as it's so much work!
10. I drink my coffee and tea very sweet

So there you go!! "10 Things" is a new feature in my Blog, hope you enjoy my random "10 Things" and stay tuned for more :)

Garbage Day

I thought my neighbors had gone away for the Labor Day long-weekend since they didn't put their trash out last night.  Early this morning, I saw her put it out. Now I understand why she waited until right before trash pick-up.  By the way, we don't like our neighbors.

In case you can't read it, it says "wedge/lift combo" with three graphic photos.

Remembering Princess Diana

It has been fifteen years since we lost Princess Diana. Can you believe it? I wonder what she would be like now, had she still been alive? She was such a great role model, advocating for so many important causes and making a difference to so many people in this world. It is fortunate there are other celebrities continuing in her footsteps (Angelina Jolie springs to mind).

Diana the Princess

Diana the mother