Archive | Food & Drinks RSS feed for this section

Unusual Flavors

13 Aug

Over the weekend, we had the most unusual after-dinner dessert. We decided to visit a fine desserts cafe after googling it up, and decided to try it out since it was just a short drive from the mall where we had dinner.

The menu wasn’t extensive but enough with the usual offerings of dessert, coffee and tea. As always, we shared our portions.

The single scoop was rather interesting – ice cream made from Guinness Stout, yes the stout beer and contained alcohol. I still can’t get into my sorbet (there’s still half of the pint in the freezer) so I have resorted to indulging in small intake of real ice cream.

The other dessert choice was an Apple Strudel with a scoop of Black Pepper Mango ice cream! The strudel was normal like any other strudel but this ice cream…. obviously we’ve never had anything like it before! What a combination.

Comparing both flavors, the three of us preferred the stout ice cream. Although the crushed pepper was too strong and totally subdued the mango flavor, I liked that the pepper provided a nicer crunch than the pistachio bits. Very unusual.

I foresee this will be our new favorite haunt for dessert if we feel like having some dessert after dinner regardless of future dinner venues.

img_4541

Tags: , , , ,

A New Problem

26 Jul

Besides avoiding dairy and caffeine, these days I also avoid onions, eggs and beef if I can help it. Life as a cow (consuming just greens) sometimes can be very bland and boring. So in between meals, I would munch on seeds and nuts because they are supposedly good for me.

Recently, I discovered I can’t eat sunflower seeds! Oh dear. I like sunflower seeds and have been eating them my whole life but of late, these puny seeds make me bloated and a horrible discomfort would ensue. It looks like food listed as good will not necessarily be good for me. Every Endometriosis sufferer is different and it’s a matter of trial and error, or rather eat and suffer, to discover.

I then checked again the symptoms for Endometriosis and sure enough, bloating is right there after the back pains and cramps. So maybe it’s not the sunflower seeds after all. Somehow this bloating was never so pronounced before and was mistaken for something else at the beginning of the year which then led to the discovery of Infectious Colitis.

Still, this bloating issue is a new problem to deal with. I have to monitor and see if this is cyclical. Sigh…

Tags: , , ,

Going Dairy-Free, Part 2

23 Jul

So I tried the Ciao Bella mango sorbet. Hmm… I am not sure if I like it although I appreciate hubby and M2’s thoughtfulness of buying it for me. Ice cream has always been up there on my list of comfort food but not sorbet.

It was a bit weird to spoon frozen fruit puree instead of smooth ice cream. Moreover, it was too sweet for my liking given that I have eliminated sugar almost totally from my diet. Are all dairy-free sorbet this sweet? Maybe I should try another brand and flavor.

Perhaps after this pint is consumed (I’m sure eventually), I may go back to normal dairy ice cream just to appease the urge for something cold, bearing in mind not to be excessive in the portion intake. After all moderation is the key to manage the Endometriosis pain levels.

On one hand, I’d like to be careful with what I eat, then again I’d like to enjoy and savour the choice. Unfortunately, I just can’t relate to this sugar-laden, dairy-free frozen puree.

Tags: , ,

Going Dairy-Free

17 Jul

It is most unfortunate that I have to give up ice cream because dairy is bad for me. I have given up my cheeses (sadly my favorite) and milk but I still do chocolate because temptation is too strong. Occasionally a little morsel of indulgence to appease but not overly to create discomfort.

Hubby and M2 are very aware of my diet change and was thoughtful to buy a dairy-free sorbet for me when they went grocery shopping recently. So nice of them!

img_4243

Tags: , , ,

What Can I Eat? Part 3

5 Jul

I have never in my wildest dreams thought I would be in a coffee- and alcohol-free situation. I used to live on Coke and Oreos for the caffeine and sugar kick in college and later, thrived on coffee in my professional working life. Then there’s alcohol, a totally different story but not now.

It’s been three months since my laparoscopic surgery and five months since the colonoscopy. Life has resumed with normal activities and recently, I have even gone back to an occasional alcoholic drink or two but not as much as before. Moderation is the key.

Somehow for coffee, I just can’t get back to drinking it on a regular basis. I am not complaining though, I am happy with my decaf Earl Grey.

Health wise, I have maintained my weight which is good but I find I have lost some core strength. Lack of gym sessions to build this back? This is especially very obvious when I play golf because all my distances are off by 10 meters! To compensate this, I have to use a club stronger. Oh well, as long as I can still play golf, I should be thankful.

Initially, within a month from the laparoscopy, I felt fine and pain free. But now, three months later, my pain problems have returned.

One is never cured from Endometriosis unfortunately. I suspect it could be a new round of build up because I have been careful with what I eat. I guess I need to be even more careful all over again if I don’t want to suffer.

The immediate thing to do is to manage the diet by eliminating food that will imbalance the oestrogen. And when the chemical reactions are reduced with a controlled diet, it curtails the Endometriosis the chance to grow and reduces the many symptoms linked to it.

Also I checked again on the list of food to avoid and found out I got my info incorrect on soy products the last time. It’s unfermented soy based foods (like soy milk and soy cheese) that are not good for me, so actually tofu, miso and soy sauce are okay. Thank goodness.

Don’t be surprised if I lose another kilo or two the next few months because it looks like I  shouldn’t be on an in-moderation diet but a restrictive one all over again to manage the pain levels. Sigh…

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

What a Day

18 Jun

Last Friday our road trip to ‘nowhere’ turned out to be the most fun and relaxed day! We decided to head to Resorts World Genting. Located in the highlands at 6,000 feet above sea level, the drive was unhurried and leisurely as traffic was clear. Within an hour from leaving home, we arrived, found parking and started our adventure. There was no time limit, no fixed plans and everything was just spontaneous.

We started off looking for food. Something light to get us going. The Congee and Wantan Mee (not very generous with the pieces of Char Siew) was very expensive but then again, when one is at a tourist spot, food prices are at their mercy. There was no lack in choices I must say. Plenty to eat and plenty to tempt your palate, the only thing holding one back is the tummy’s ability to eat everything.

img_3907

The food choices from the two different stalls

Wandering through the indoor mall, the sea of people was bearable. Crowded but not shoulder to shoulder, we just explored and simply enjoyed the mall’s deco, festive attractions and digital display.

img_3908

Lights, sights and sound to entertain and dazzle

img_3912

The Smurfs on display. Wasn’t quite sure what the red costumed folks were about…

 

The first stop we made was at the Jurassic Research Center. Having watched Jurassic World last week, we thought this would be fun. And it was. Although there were no thrilling rides or popping out dinosaurs to scare you, the docile animatronics giants were enough to make this experience very enjoyable.

img_3909

Our combo ticket included entry to Ripley’s Believe it or Not too. And this was just as enjoyable. By the time we finished these two attractions, it was 2.30pm already. So we looked for food again but we got lost going around in circles. The place was practically an intricate maze but nobody got mad or upset about it.

img_3910

809bc219-8cf1-4113-9bc7-04bf28a05987

Channeling my inner T-Rex but at the wrong attraction!

We ended up at a Parisian-themed cafe for high tea instead of lunch. This was quite an experience. Sugar laden from all the pastries presented in the elaborate setup, we had good black coffee to counter all that sweet intake. Our high tea indulgence lasted an hour and a half in total relaxation without a hurry in the world.

img_3911

It may not look much but believe me, it was quite a struggle towards the end for us

Pumped by all that sugar, we felt we had to do something more active to burn all those calories. The next stop, the amusement park and we played some silly arcade games – coin tossing, shooting, ball throwing and some serious driving with more shooting. Good workout it turned out. When the amusement park credits were all used up, we moved on with silly grins pasted on our faces.

By now, we decided to leave as it was getting very crowded. Thankfully, the weather outside was lovely and it was very refreshing to enjoy the cool temperature of the highlands. With the much needed short breather (we passed the 10,000 steps mark with so much walking), we felt revived and then made our way back into the indoor maze to try to get to the car park. It wasn’t the easiest because we got lost again.

img_3914

Finally the car was located and it was a new challenge to drive down six levels through haphazardly parked cars in the narrow multi-level car park. Eeesh. Driving into the abyss, we bade the highlands goodbye and headed to the Premium Outlet, a short distance away.

The Premium Outlet offered many international brands at attractive prices. Nothing caught our eye but we did buy some necessary items because it was a good deal. We had dinner here and the spicy and salty choices were a welcome taste to overcome the sweetness of the earlier afternoon tea.

img_3913

Taiwanese dry pork noodle, salty crispy chicken and spicy beef noodle… yum

By 9.30pm we decided to head home. What a day it has been! Tired and contented, I think this was one of our better escapade and we plan to visit again. It took an hour to arrive home and I clocked in 12,866 steps by the time I opened the front door to the house.

 

Tags: , , , ,

The Cycle Continues

11 Jun

The habanero chillies were all eaten. We had to share them with some golfing friends as it was too hot for us to handle. And boy, were they fiery hot! While some people avoided out of fear, some enjoyed the taste and kick immensely.

Mom, unaware of the habanero’s killer heat, called to say her hands were on fire immediately after cutting them. All sorts of remedy did not help to quell the pain and heat. It took some time before the agony subsided. Oh dear…

Hubby is now preparing the next batch of seeds to plant. He left a couple of chilli on the branches to ripen even more before plucking them. Then both chillies are left to dry to become like the original he still has. From here, the seeds will then be planted.

And the cycle continues… plant, harvest, consume.

img_3672

These killer habanero chillies are more potent than any killer tomatoes…

Tags: ,

A Sweet Tooth

24 May

I must confess I do have a sweet tooth. Yes, I cannot resist chocolate every now and then or even dessert after meals. And occasional I’d like to have a lollipop to have a sugar rush.

The lolly of choice is of course Chupa Chups.

Recently, I went to the grocery store, not my regular store and discovered to my delight, Chupa Chups now comes in a can! A sparkling drink in various flavours. Wow, I never knew. Then again my regular store does not carry this.

But that day, I didn’t feel like having anything sweet so I gave it a miss. Maybe next time when I revisit that particular store, the range will still be there and I may pick one flavour up, just to try.

img_3344

Which one should I try? Hmm…

 

Tags: , , , ,

Resistance is Futile

22 May

Of late, I find myself craving for chocolate. So for the past several evenings, I’d have a little piece or two or three but not more. Hopefully this won’t go to the waistline.

I must say I am holding up okay in terms of my weight after the weight loss due to the recent health issues. In other words, I have not gained what I have lost which is good. Although I have gone back to eating normal, in moderate portions, and even having an occasional glass of alcohol, I cannot eat much. I think the tummy has shrunk and unable to stomach big portions which probably explains the zero weight gain.

The one thing I find I can’t get used to now is coffee! I don’t need it and I can function without it, so it’s okay if I don’t drink it at all. There’s no urge and the Earl Grey tea, decaf mind you, suits me fine.

I even went back to having onions, again in moderation and no reactions. As for the other food items that I avoided before – wheat, cheese, dairy, eggs, tuna and white bread, somehow I just don’t eat them anymore. There’s no sense of missing any of it. But if I do eat, there’s no reactions. Thank goodness.

Now, chocolate… it’s a totally different thing because resistance is futile.

Tags: , , ,

Massaged Kale

8 May

Yesterday M1 sent us a picture of her dinner, bought at San Francisco Airport. She was en route to another city but that is not the point. The point here is her dinner.

What is ‘massaged kale’ pray tell? The food that I am used to, Asian or Western or otherwise, does not need any massaging. The only thing I know that needs massaging (besides me) are them cows that give us Wagyu Beef. I never knew vegetable also needs to be massaged. We thought it was funny.

Then I decided to google up the meaning to find out exactly what ‘massaged kale’ is. Ahh… it’s the preparation step.

One should massage the kale with bare hands to soften them. And this process apparently will yield a softer texture, making it easier to chew compared to just using a utensil to toss the greens.

Hmm… We learn something new everyday. I may try both methods just to see the difference if I do buy kale the next time I am at the grocery store.

6ecfae07-bc90-42e3-b190-680551794df5.jpg

Tags: , , , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →