Yeah ok, so it doesn't sound very convincing I know. But its a fact that oats are good for health. Here are some whys:

~ Oats make us calmer. Its a natural anti-depressant.

~ It has Inositol which maintains the blood cholestrol level. (The Boyfriend can prove this.. his health report came back alot healthier since I "forced" him to eat oats hehe. He now loves it!)

~ Oats protects us from bowel cancer because of its high fibre content.

~ Unrefined oats can be eaten on regular basis to reduce stress while cooked oats will relieve fatigue.

Okay enough of benefits. But it is boring to eat the same thing everyday, eh?
For me, I mix in my milk tea (some ppl find me weird, but try it, taste good), mix with hot water and some prunes and bananas, or just plain oats with some sweetened milk.

Recently Momma taught me another recipe with oats, the salty version and here's how I prepare it:

Ingredients: (basically what you fancy eating) I like mine this way-
- Minced meat
- Onion (chopped)
- French beans / cabbage (finely chopped)
- Mushroom (any type) (sliced)
- Oats (of course)

Just heat the pan with some oil, and saute onion.

Add in meat and mushroom and stir for a few minutes.

Add in french beans / veggies.

Season with salt / soy sauce.

Add a cup of water, and pour in oats.

Keep stirring until simmer.

Ready to serve! Yummm... I love it. Keeps me full!

Mmmm some healthy, easy to make dish.

Ingredients:
1 pound soft tofu
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced white onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
10 ounces diced mushroom (button / portabella)
1 tbsp lemon juice
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp paprika
1/3 tsp thyme
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp turmeric
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Dijon or honey mustard
3 tbsp snipped fresh chives
4 chive blossoms

Directions:

1. Drain tofu, place on a clean kitchen towel. Draw the corners of the towel together, twist around tofu to drain water.

2. Heat oil until hot, but not smoking. Add onions and sauté until coated with oil. Reduce heat, continue to stir until translucent, about 8 minutes.

3. Add garlic and mushrooms

4. Cook briefly, add in lemon juice, continue to cook for about 7 mins

5. Add in tofu and toss.

6. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except chives, cook for 5-8 mins.

7. Stir in chives, adjust seasonings.

8. Garnish with chive blossoms.

Recipe from Yoga Journal :)

Got this from Yoga Journal dated back in 1999!
Also known as: Glycyrrhiza Glabra

Benefits of Licorice:

• Aphrodisiac (taken with milk and sugar)
• Soothe bowel and kidney irritations
• Cleanse the colon
• Strengthen the liver
• Mild laxative to expel mucous from lungs
• Good to treat sore throats
• Relieves canker sores, eczema, psoriasis.
• Heals herpes (sprinkle powdered roots onto clean sores) (WTF?)
• General abdominal pain, asthma, depression, insomnia
• Menstrual difficulties, nausea, tooth decay

The Nutrients:

• Vitamin B and E
• Choline
• Biotin
• Inositol
• Glycosides
• Isoflavanoids
• Triterpenoids
• Sterols
• Amino acids

Too much of a good thing can become harmful; so use moderately. Excessive use may cause:

• increase sodium
• water retention
• elevate blood pressure
• increase cardiac dysfunction

Licorice Tea:

by decoction:-

Put 1-2 teaspoon of dried licorice into pot/saucepan. Add one cup of water for each teaspoon of licorice. Bring mixture to boil and simmer on low heat for 10-20 mins. Add honey / apple juice after simmerring.

Can't find pictures of these, anyone tried before?

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups sifted powder sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Beat sugar, vanilla, lemon peel, and 6 tablespoons of butter until well blended.

Add eggs one at a time.
Add flour and baking powder. Dough will be sticky.

Transfer the batter to a large pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.
Pipe batter into small rings onto cookie sheets about 2" apart.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Make the glaze by melting the 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat.
Add sugar, water, lemon juice and vanilla, stir continuously.
Brush hot cookies with warm glaze.

Let cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool
completely.

Weather sucks these days, and many fall ill.
Worse, Swine Flu is here! Lets down some Green Juice~!

• 1 cup kale
• 4 stalks celery
• 1 1/2 pears
• 1" piece of fresh ginger
• 1/2 lemon, zest and pith removed

Yum!

Back Entry: 22nd July 2009

I’m here updating my purchases while resisting seduction from my mom’s Eel Soup.
The aroma of fragrant ginger and pepper, combined with the eel… is just so tempting me.
One more hour till dinner time..

This soup is very very good for skin *awake* It gives us bright and supple complexion.

But the fish is full of tiny bones, so be extra careful when you eat it. Me and momma was at the market after bfast, and at 10-ish, the sellers were preparing to go home, and desperate to sell off whatever they have left. I’m so amazed with momma’s haggling skills – she got about 6 big pcs of eel for $5! WTF??! If I was the one buying, I’d innocently pay $10 for those… sheesh what a catch. Learn to haggle girls!

The old folks once said when you cook eel with ginger, you can find out if the eel is toxic. Why?
Because in the water, sometimes they mate with snakes (!!!) so they become toxic. I don’t how true is this.. but better be safe than sorry, yes? Anyway, when cooked with ginger, if the eel turns black – it is toxic, so don’t consume it. Else it is safe.

This soup is warming. Suitable for rainy days :)

Ingredients:
1 pc of eel (for one person)
Few slices of ginger
Some pepper
Spring onion.

Seriously??
... Yummy!!


-from MarthaStewart.com


Ingredients

Makes 24

* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
* 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside

3. Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated. Gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture just until combined

4. With a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chunks, raisins, pecans, and oats

5. Drop 2-inch balls of dough, spaced 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten dough balls slightly. Bake 12 to 16 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned, rotating sheets halfway through

6. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.