Baby Salmon Fish Cakes

These are lovely for older toddlers who can & love to self feed. For younger tots (like Kimi who don't like things too dry now), I added milk and cheese and microwave slightly for a quick creamy cheese sauce. Yummy!

Ingredients

• 1 potato boiled or steamed
• 200g Salmon Fillet lightly grilled (less if you wish)
• Spinach
• Butter (approx 2-4 tbsp)
• Milk

Method

1. Once the potato is cooked, remove skin, scoop some butter and mash into the potato while hot. Add more butter if it look dry. Then add some milk to make the texture more smooth.


2. Rub kelp & pepper onto salmon and lightly pan fry, skin side first till golden brown. Set aside and use fork to check for bones and flake the cooked salmon flesh


3. Lightly steam or blanch spinach and chopped thinly


4. Combine the salmon flakes, spinach and potato together.


5. Scoop a spoon of the batter onto lightly floured hands and shape into balls before flattening like patties


6. Fry on small heat with butter or oil till golden brown


7. Drain fish cakes on kitchen towels to soak up excess oil


8. Serve as finger food or prepare cheese sauce as above to serve together

Tips

• Different potatoes and cooking method yields different texture. Hence, pls approximate the butter & milk to get a smooth paste (mash potatoes)
• You also can use other kinds of fish or veg as you wish.
• Instead of potatoes, you can try pumpkin or sweet potatoe which will be very tasty too

My Food Treat

Yummy Brekkie - Egg with Melted Cheese & Ham on Toast

Very often I would just go without proper meals when hb is not around or grab some really unhealthy food (which I don't even like to eat in the 1st place) like instant noodles just to fill a hungry tummy.

But, I've been inspired by blogger pal, Cath, (Cath takes FAB pix, cooks well and has a very handsome son!) and that I should start to treat myself well and start to eat well. Well, I'll endeavour as eating simple grilled fares with veg sides are really what I love and used to enjoy before I became a mum.

In the end, I realised that I couldn't stomach (literally) 2 full & rich meals for brekkie & lunch. But I enjoyed eating my food again!

Lunch - Grilled Salmon With Asparagus & Kimi's leftover Salmon Fish Cakes, downed with an ice cold coffee!

Tangy Lemon Grass Steamed Fish

Bought some lemon grass and lemon leaf as have a craving for something tangy with the fish. (pls don't let your imagination run wild, I'm not pregnant!). For chilli die-hards, think it would be better if you slice some chilli or chilli padi on top of the fish. Hb & myself are not chilli fanatics so settled for Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce instead - it worked for us.

Ingredients

• 1 slab of Batang fillet fish (approx 500g)
• 1 stick of lemon grass (sliced thinly)
• 4 leaves of lemon leaf (sliced thinly)
• 2 tbsp of Thai Fish Sauce
• 4-5 tbsp of Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce
• Pepper
• Some fresh grated ginger and juice
• 1 kaffir lime (or lemon or lime)

Method

1. Marinate fish with Fish Sauce, pepper & grated ginger & juice for 30mins


2. Pour Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce over fish


3. Roll lime/lemon on table, cut in half and squeeze over fish


4. Spread lemon grass & lemon leaves over the top of fish


5. Steam till cooked


6. Remove and serve hot. ENJOY!!

Kimi's BIG ONE! Happy 1st Birthday!

We had a party for family and close friends to celebrate Kimi's 1st Birthday. The theme was Pirates! But, only 1 pirate around, Kimi! The cake was fashioned after his costume and a big THANK YOU to Aunty Julie for bringing it back all the way from the States!

Kimi's 1st Birthday, Actual Day

As we shall be celebrating Kimi's Birthday Party on 19th, which is later than his actual birth date which is the 17th, we decided to have a small celebration to mark this special day.

We brought Kimi to T3 for a walk-about and then had dinner and cake at Jenny's. We bought the much talked about Popeye Chicken and some Zhi-Char (local chinese take-away). Frankly, didn't think the Popeye was as great as what some have raved about. Though, I agree it's much better than KFC. Think the cook overdid the salt badly!

Nonetheless, we had a nice day out and Kimi enjoyed himself especially with the girls!

Happy Kimi, on our way to T3

Kimi, amazed by the giant propeller ahead of him

M&Ms GALORE!

Kimi can't leave these cuties alone

Father & son having a 'tickled' time

Popeye - didn't deliver much punch...

Present from Grandpa

Durian Birthday Cake

Kimi is ONE!!

Pirate Rehearsal

Kimi in full gear to prepare for his big role as a pirate during his birthday party!

Sword-wielding Terror of the Seas!

Sweet Pirate!

Captain Hook?

HELLO 2008!!

A Big Hello to you and 2008!!

Yes, we are back but just too many things to do that I have no energy and time to share the trip. So sorry, pls give us a little more time... coming up soon!

In the mean time, I've updated a Baby Recipe for Pancakes and our pre-trip Xmas Lighting post. Do take a look!

Baby Teriyaki Grilled Fish

Wanted to let Kimi try something different other than just steamed fish, poached fish, grilled fish, etc. So, I came up with this Teriyaki sauce just for babies.

I couldn't get any Cod steak so I used Threadfin Fillet instead. The taste is as good as the real thing except the fish was not as smooth as if I had used Cod. I would suggest using Cod as it would give a softer texture.

I had avocado and steamed asparagus on the side. Think next time I will just use porridge as an accompaniement as this dish would go wonderfully well with porridge!

Ingredients

200g fish fillet

Marinade

• 2 tbsp of Maple Syrup
• 1 tbsp of Mirin
• Dash of pepper & kelp
• A few drops of dark soya sauce for colour and balance of taste
• A few drops of fresh ginger juice
• 2 tbsp of water

Method

1. Rub the fish with pepper & kelp
2. Put the marinade in a bowl & mix well. Taste to see if taste is balanced.
3. Pour marinade over fish and marinate for 1 hour
4. Place marinated fish together with the marinade into aluminium foil and onto oven-safe dish
5. Grill at 200 degress till cooked, occasionally scooping some of the sauce onto the top of the fish.
6. After the fish is cooked, cover with foil to 'rest' the fish for 10-15mins

Tips

• Always taste the ginger juice aft using a grinder to get the juice as some young ginger can be very spicy. In such instance, use sparingly.
• The above recipe only produces a little 'gravy'. if you would like more, double or triple the marinade portion.
• Mirin is a Japanese Sweet Cooking wine. But do not worry about the alcohol content as it is very minute. With all the cooking and grilling, all the alcohol will be gone. You can get a small bottle of this from Daison at only $2. It has a red cap with a clear liquid content.

Simple Roast Chicken

This is one of hb's favourite dish and since I've not been cooking for him for quite sometime, decided to make this for him so that he can be happy!

I also made some Cream of Mushroom soup and fruit salad to go along with the roast chicken. I couldn't get any fresh promegranate or cherry so the salad looks a tad boring. You can use any kind of fruits for this salad.

Simple Roast Chicken
Ingredients

• 1 fresh chicken (approx. 1.3 to 1.5kg)
• 1 whole golden onion (washed & peeled)
• Some salt & pepper
• Dried/fresh parsley sprinkled on chix (optional)
• A little oil

Method

1. Rub salt & pepper into the cavity of the chicken
2. Insert the onion into the cavity & use a toothpick to seal the cavity up
3. Rub more salt and pepper onto the skin of the chicken and then add some oil
4. Place chicken breast side up on foil and put into a 180 degrees celsius oven for 1 hour or till cooked (depending on size of chicken and oven heat)
5. Make a small 'hat' using foil and place onto the chicken's breast for the first 30 mins. Remove and continue to let it bake. If the skin is too dark. replace the 'hat' for another 10 mins and remove
6. The tips of the wings noramlly cooks and gets crisp after 30 mins. Tuck the tips in under the drumsticks. You can use a long tong to help you get the tips in
7. Leave breast uncovered for the last 10 mins so the skin can be nice and golden brown.
8. Remove and completely cover with foil and let it rest for 10-15mins
9. Serve with boiled broccoli or cabbage and baked potatoes

Fruit Salad
Ingredients

• 1 small mango
• 1/2 apple (crunchy)
• 1/2 pear (korean, crunchy)
• 1 small clementine (mandarin orange)
• 1 cup of strawberry yogurt
• 1 large tbsp of Japanese Mayonnaise (Kewpie brand)

Method

1. Peel all fruits and cut into cubes of relatively same size, soak in salt water for 5 mins (except orange)


2. Pour yogurt into a large bowl and mix the mayo in


3. Drain the fruits and pour into the sauce. Turn lightly and refrigerate covered till ready to serve

I used this brand which I found at Giant. It's not too bad. You can use any brand of yogurt you fancy! I like the strawberry flavoured ones..oops, pix is not strawberry! Cos I used it oradi! Hehe!

Travel Feeding Tips for an 11 month old

Kimi's food
Kimi's tuna & broccoli porridgeHow the Sanyo Travel Cooker looks like

At this age, Kimi can't really eat outside food yet can't solely rely on milk feeds. Hence, many would shudder when they think of bringing baby for holidays. Fret not, all you need is some planning and lower your expectations a little and enjoy the process.

A good thing to invest is a travel cooker. Hb have this Sanyo cooker since 1992 and it has served us well all these years. Now, I whiped it out for our Seoul trip for Kimi's porridge..

Some food ideas are of course, jar foods for convenience. You can also throw in some Nestle instant porridge for last minute meals. I personally like Pigeon's packet meals as it's so easy and you can even bring it with you when dining out. Cos all you need is to pour some hot water on the pack and leave it for 2-3 mins and you have a piping hot meal..

If you have access to supermarkets, you can buy broccoli and carrots for your porridge and that sums up baby's veg needs. These are 2 good veg to get (if you can bring in to the station, pack it in your cargo luggage) cos they hold up well unlike leafy veg..

As for baby's protein, you can bring along some canned tuna or get some eggs at the local supermarkets. Also do not forget your ikan bilis powder, they can save your day! Or, open up a jar of food and mix in to plain porridge for a new twist...

Breakfast foods should be fast and easy to prepare. Bring along some jar fruit puree and add to nestum, cereal, etc. I normally buy fresh milk and bread at the locals. To warm milk, I sterilise the boiler (add 1 sterilising tablet) and use that to heat up the milk - heats in a jiffy. If I can get fresh fruits, then I will add that to breakfast if not, just rely on jars. Don't be overly anal about serving jars to your baby. There are organic ones to choose from and even the regualar ones are made under high quality standards..

Being on holiday doesn't mean your bb do not get any variety. You can still give him good nutritious food in variety. All you need is some creativity and plan all his meals ahead and really relax a little. Do not get too uptight over the small things cos you are on a holiday! ENJOY!

** Pls ensure that food served are age appropriate

Cutting of 5th & 6th Tooth

Finally after so many months of no pearly sightings, Kimi's 5th & 6th tooth cut one after another. His 5th tooth made its appearance (amidst many cranky nights & days) on 4/1/08 while his 6th tooth cut on 7/1/08.

I shudder when I think of the period when he cuts his canines! Apparently, these are more painful than the molars!

Seoul Holidays

We departed early morning of the 29th (Jan 07). The itinerary is to stay in Seoul for 2 nights before flying to Vancouver for a couple more days. However, eventually, I stayed in Seoul alone with Kimi as the flight out of Vancouver was overbooked. Hb didn't want to risk bringing us in case we get off-loaded and get stuck at Vancouver.

Oh well! No choice but to stay in Korea and I was quite determined to make my stay as enjoyable as possible sans hb. Thought it would be a lovely way for more bonding and mother/son time together in a foreign land - what an adventure... yes, no?

Guess it would have been fab if the weather didn't suddenly took a downturn, literally and if I had not forgotten to bring the stroller weather shield! Sometimes, I can be a pea-brain.

In the end, with temperatures like minus 8 degrees (the day we went to the Temple opposite the hotel), we spent most of our afternoons roaming the COEX mall which is just below the hotel.

Frankly, Seoul is SO VERY CHILD UNFRIENDLY! You can be struggling with your stroller and an heavy glass door and people will just stroll by, not once have someone stopped to help. I would have been grateful if they did not try to run us down with pushing/shoving me aside or kicking my stroller! Ya ya ya, I know it's their culture but ... 'nuff said. I also dislike their subway (mrt) as not all have lifts and even those handicap chair lifts are for locals cos I tried using one and apparently, there is a special key to unlock. I can understand why the need so that there's no abuse.

But, it is really no joke carrying a kimi-laden stroller, diaper bag & food shoppings walking up & down eons & eons of stairs. Not 1 person came forward to help. Hence, I decided not to venture on my own after that day I took a train to Lotte World. At one point, I thought my knee was giving away after walking like a few hundred flights of stairs!

Anyway, here are some pix to share. I didn't really take many pix as I was already struggling with Kimi & stroller. Thank God that it was a travel stroller that I lugged with me & not my usual one!

Kimi at T2 after check-in

Kimi in his cot at the Hotel

After landing in Seoul, we went for a quick dinner at

a eating joint, opposite the hotel. I had Ginseng Chix

while hb had Soon-dobu (not sure if spelling is correct).

We shared a bimbibap, loved the condiments!

That night, it snowed and we awoke to snow flakes on our window sill

Outside the subway, on our way to Lotte World

Kimi with papa inside the station

Jus bought a woolie to cover Kimi's little head. So cute right? He's almost crying as he doesn't want this funny thing on his head! We had to ask him to look at the other babies who were wearing head gear to convince him not to yank it off!

Kimi, so happy inside the play-house. There is a play area with balls and gym for toddlers this departmental store we went

Our lovely hotel room at InterContinental COEX. Kimi KO in the cab to the hotel.

The Boguesa Temple opposite the hotel. This was the coldest day during our stay - minus 8 degrees! I really love these old architecture of temples and palaces and wouldn't mind going to Seoul again to visit them. The weather was simply just too cold to be gallivanting outside with a bubba even if I was game to travel 2 hours to get to where I wanted to. Such a pity too, cos aft making our way up the temple, Kimi was fussing so I headed back. Hence, didn't get any pix, excep for these few. Kimi, above outside the souvenir store.

Look at the lovely, colourful lanters and huge bell!

Kimi having his milk before his nap.... ahhh.. blissful!

Then, I quickly had my lunch at Berith. It serves fried rice (fusion omu rice) in omelette with different toppings! I ordered his creamy salmon one, it was sooo delicious! Try it if you have a chance! http://www.berith.co.kr/

This is how Kimi greets us in the mornings!

Early morning Kimi! See the before & after? So fresh and clean after a bath!

Kimi chewing on a bread stick while I ate my lunch and Yes, I was back at Berith cos I saw someone having the hamburger steak omu rice and I just had to have it. Look at how thick the beef is? It is almost as thick as the omelette rice! Although the beef was a little strong, I still enjoyed it! Kimi was running a slight fever but he could still smile, what a sweetie!

Yummy!

The Old Seoul Station and ....

The New Seoul Station

After not sleeping for 2 nights, I just had no energy to put on any make-up when I went out! I look ghastly! This was the day we were heading back to Singapore, I can't wait! Kimi is much better, but he looks rather not himself as he did not eat or drink much milk... poor thing!

Happy Kimi with Papa - look at the lovely landscape!