Category: Family & Parenting Page 4 of 5

Eat a Mummy

On 3rd July 2016

Edamame

One of the daily challenges in mum-dom is encouraging my three year old to like eating vegetables. Perhaps I have become immune or have learnt to feign ignorance to the “choking”, “gagging” and “tears” that inevitably seem to arise when she starts to eat them.

Indeed, the veritable v-word has been difficult to pronounce and even harder to swallow. I recall trying to encourage her when she was a doe-eyed two and looking at the vegetables mixed in the plate before her, apprehensively and with suspicion. In my feeble attempts to vigorously nod my head every time she attempted to take a bite and cheer her on…”yes, yes, yes!”, I would exclaim, we now call them “yes-tables”–yes to vegetables. It’s hilarious but the “word” has stuck and so have my efforts to glorify them.

It was with great pleasure that I got a chance to introduce her today to edamame for mid-afternoon snack. Edamames–preparation of immature soybeans in the pod, -are found in the cuisine of China, Japan, Korea. The pods are boiled or steamed and served with salt. They are also fuss-free and nutrient packed, a really easy condiment of greens at the dinner table. They are now on offer at NTUC Finest. You’re welcome.

As expected, her first instinct was to frown but fortunately her older sister caught on and popped a few pods in the her mouth. “Edamame” sounds like “Eat-a-mummy”, no?”her sister quipped. “You wanna eat-a-mummy?” The little one looked at her with brightly lit eyes, realised it might be a queer but adventurous proposition, and dived right in. ‪#‎eatingtherainbow‬‪#‎fussfreevegetables‬ ‪#‎notagoodmothersdayidea‬

Kissing Mimosas

By Mama T

On 3rd July 2016

In Family & Parenting

Kissing mimosas

There is nothing more liberating than when you’re led into the inner world of a child. Or rather, when you allow yourself to be led into that world. When we choose to do so, we realize we can leave our well-worn, tired suits of adulthood on the dusty park bench and enter into childlike introspection and wonder-filled abandonment on the very grass patch that our feet stand.

As she twirled her little finger around mine and I desperately gripped on, it dawned on me how in little spurts it must have grown and that I hadn’t really noticed. Immediately, I observed how her crouched frame had lankily elongated, her voice sharpened and developed a cheery lilt just because she was excited that I was holding her hand. I was her perfect accomplice to take with her; her shield and guardian of the universe, as she drew me into her little fairy world on the grass.

Today we learnt to kiss mimosas. Giggles, tickles, pokes in watching them curl and fold in, lush squeals of delight as we imagined them waving goodbye and mesmerized, purely happy and contented with the simple joys that we didn’t have to look far to find. We went on to hunt for another patch, another and another and quickly experienced life as a playful hunt marked by fearlessness and unexpected rewards at each turn.

To all battle-worn parents, it may be a jungle out there. But all we really need to know lie in the eyes of our children…when we really have the courage to look deep into them. We can then find our footing again, about what life is about, our misplaced priorities reordered at the feet of mimosas.

1453 Days

By Mama T

On 4th February 2016

In Budget Recipes, Family & Parenting

It’s been sizzling hot where we are in the tropics and for a pregnant woman with an oversized belly, that’s really not funny.

Besides perspiring and waddling around not being able to remember what my feet actually LOOK like, it doesn’t help feeling like an upside-down turtle while trying to side-flip to get out of bed in order to get bladder relief. Not forgetting fending off queries like “You still around?”(I wish I was on a summer holiday or take the next shuttle to space?) and well-meaning quips like “your belly is very big”(duh…come to think about it..I possibly ate another human.)

And the eating doesn’t seem to stop… to be more accurate, have been eating like there’s no tomorrow! Away with constant thoughts of piping cinnamon buns and ice cream at 11pm at night…! A humorous quip goes: Each month has an average of 30-31 days, except the last month of pregnancy, which has 1453 days. Spot on.

Still, despite what I might look like around the house, there’s still reason to celebrate: I still get a shot at reasonably decent sleep, plus, when I feel like it, I still do nice things ?: like making this Spicy Tuna Aglio Olio. Lots of garlic (love), lots of chili flakes(love), tuna and bell peppers (love), little minions to assist you (love, love, love!) and a homecooked meal (what’s not to love!). Now if that doesn’t make me feel like a “hot” mama, I don’t know what will!

Spicy Tuna Aglio Olio

Spicy Tuna Aglio Olio (Pregnant-friendly)
(Serves 4)

500g spaghetti
5 whole bulb garlic, chopped
2 cans tuna in oil
2 bell peppers
light olive oil
sea salt
Parmesan cheese
red pepper flakes

1. Cook the spaghetti aldente, reserve some pasta water.
2. Prepare chopped garlic and bell peppers thinly sliced. With 3 Tbsp of olive oil on low heat, add the garlic, and fry gently till slightly fragrant for about 1-2mins. Add the bell peppers it, and fry till fragrant. If you like your pasta a little spicy, shake some red pepper flakes into the oil as well.

3. Turn up the heat to medium and add the spaghetti. Fry the spaghetti with the garlic oil, then add the tuna. Mix well.

4. Turn the heat down to low.
Season with sea salt, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese to taste.

Restfulness

By Mama T

On 31st May 2015

In Family & Parenting

There have been some recent adjustments to our routine and we’re trying to stay upbeat, learning to dance to a different rhythm and beat: new kind of routine so to speak.

When life is busy and in transition, it’s so easy to think achieving states of quiet and rest during the day is like chasing an illusive dream in a bustling household with bursting needs: there’s always some request, laundry piles and dishes to wash, hunger to satisfy, disagreements to mediate, hearts to reassure, hugs to smother on damp, tear-stained cheeks.

Serenity lies only in the promise of a faraway future when the kids “grow up” or buried in the ideals of a hidden getaway on some remote paradise island.

Restfulness

The truth though, couldn’t be further. I’ve come to realise and understand that quiet and restfulness belongs first as a state in our hearts. We can be quiet and restful in our spirit when we choose not to be alarmed or frustrated when a spill occurs on the carpet, or when we have to repeat a request for the Nth time or when a tantrum kicks loose on a tired child. We can allow peace to dwell in our hearts in daily doses at the start of the day, with top ups of joy, thankfulness, gratitude, embracing the present and the presents (hugs, kisses, learning moments) that come our way. In doing so, we embrace who we are and what we are as a family in our season of life: messiness, warts, unfolded clothes and all. It won’t come our way again.‪

Budget Friendly Kid’s Play- Sorting Buttons

By Mama T

On 16th May 2015

In Family & Parenting, Frugal Fun, Frugal Living

Sorting buttons

Buttons are a mom’s best friend and so are cool random recyclables for this budget mom 🙂! In this present culture of overabundance where little ones could possibly get whatever they want, whenever they wanted, it’s a challenge not to be swept headlong into buying the next popular gadget, toy, newfangled product on the market.

We very rarely buy toys though we’ve been blessed with many but somehow, its always a little more exciting and so much more personal for me, when we invent and create ways of playing which are customized to our child’s needs, whether it’s for a week or two before he/she puts it away and attention shifts towards a new skill or development—the comforting fact of us facilitating ways of playing with ordinary things we have on hand is that it is so much easier on the wallet and creative to boot. Kids really just enjoy simple things with a punch of imagination!

Hence, it was love at first sight with this electric blue compartment carton box which used to house milk puddings from Paris baguette cafe, now fashionably repurposed as a button sorter for downtime pursuits for my near-3yo. Had earlier made a mental note to head down to Daiso to get some compartment trays but these fit the bill more than perfectly. Stuck the buttons over each compartment with tack and off she went exploring. Never mind if she didn’t “get” the classification at first, but learning is exploring and discovering and that’s the new fun of it! The little one ended up counting and treating the buttons as coins! Must have been her imaginary “bank”, saving up stash for the future!;)

Thinking of new ways to repurpose this box when she’s done! Drop a comment if you have an idea! ?

When it comes to sticky floors and dirty ovens, I’d admit it here: I have both. My brood of messy little eaters have a special knack of leaving the dining table floor looking like a tornado just ripped through:

Breakfast debris: breadcrumbs, raisins, flakey stuff
Lunch debris: more breadcrumbs (they never seem to go away do they?) rice grains, a stray salad leaf or two

Afternoon tea debris: cracker bits, some cheese goo, fruit drips and juices
Dinner debris: more rice grains, oily fingerprints, goopy drips of sauce (ewww), some boney bits, lots of hair and dubious-looking fluff.

Massive “rescue operations” in the past have never seemed to return my floor to pristine, grime-free conditions sans kids. Squeaky clean floors, at least for now, are a thing of the past. Life post-kids is a cacophony of random but beautiful messes. It is the wise mother that soaks in it, takes it all her stride and runs with the fun. This stage is fleeting. It is also awesome. There’s too little time to waste vexing over spilled food and the imperfect, disorderly surroundings around. It is the time to rest in the mess. This is the season which leaves a trail of laughter, giggles, goopy kitchen accidents, meal-time prayers, childhood squabbles in its wake — the signs of a family alive and in bloom.

Now you would understand why, I also have a dirty oven. I love that I can cook with it and have whatever oil, stain, splattering and debris contained within that tiny square foot of space, for when you decide that you feel like cleaning it all up. Operative word: FEEL(which doesn’t happen very often at all, I’m ashamed to say.)

There have to be other pressing priorities in life than rescuing a dirty oven, you think?

Such as going after messy eaters & sharing this dirty oven dish? *wink*

Fuss-free Roast Pork Chops with Roasted Dutch carrots

Chops:
4-5 bone-in pork chops
2.5 tablespoons Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano/thyme
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion power
1/2 teaspoon sage/basil
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper.

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C. Pat pork dry with paper towels. In a bowl, mix spices above, rub onto both sides of your chops. Arrange them on a baking sheet.Bake for 15minutes, and flip. Bake for another 15mins. Check for doneness.

Carrots: (adapted from simplyrecipes.com)
1 1/2 lbs of 5 inch long baby carrots, carefully washed, patted dry, greens cropped to 1 inch above top of carrot
1 medium red onion, peeled, cut lengthwise (root to top) into 8-12 wedges
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary, or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
Garlic powder
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Gently toss together the carrots, red onion, rosemary to coat with the olive oil. Lay out on a rimmed baking pan, lined with aluminum foil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

By Mama T

On 19th April 2015

In Budget Recipes, Family & Parenting

Kid Friendly Gado Gado

By Mama T

On 30th March 2015

In Budget Recipes, Family & Parenting

It’s been a crazy sort of a week and finally, I feel like I’m preparing dish that represents my unsorted emotions near perfectly: gado gado–a colourful, mixed salad bed of raw and blanched vegetables resting under a haphazard drizzle of mildly spicy peanut sauce. Mellow, messy, mixed, me. If food could speak, it just did. You’re talking to a carbo girl, pushing for change, finding identification in a carb-less dish that marries the bland (veggies) with the bold (edgy sauce). Oh well, it’s complicated.

The concept however, is very simple and worth a go at home: cooked veg (sprouts, long beans, cabbage, potatoes) + raw veg (fresh toms, cucumber, romaines) + firm tofu and soy-food tempeh with classic hard boiled eggs, lusciously bound by the very aromatic blend of peanut, chilis, belachan, garlic, tamarind pulp , coconut milk and palm sugar.

To make this kid friendly version: I exercised a controlled use of red chillies and bird’s eye chilis to give a warm rather than stinging heat which even the 5 year old didn’t mind at all.

Kids-friendly Gado Gado

Kid-friendly Gado Gado Sauce (adapted fr Rasa Malaysia)

10 cloves garlic, stir fried/fried/roasted
300 g roasted/fried peanuts
1000 ml coconut milk
3 red chilies, discard the seed and 1 bird’s eye chili (put up to 10 and 2 birds eye chilis if spice is not a concern).
1 tsp terasi (dried shrimp paste), toasted
1 block of coconut sugar (about 62.5 grams)
Juice of 2 limes
Tamarind pulp juice (2 tbsp)
2-3 tbsp rice flour dissolve in a small amount of water

1. Process garlic, peanuts/peanut butter, a half part of coconut milk, red chilies, terasi, coconut sugar, pulp juice, lime juice in a food processor or blender.
2. In a sauce pot, combine processed mixture with the rest of coconut milk, stir and turn on the stove at low-medium heat. Stir occasionally.
3. Cook sauce until boiled, the volume reduced and the sauce surface looks a bit oily. Add rice flour mixture. Keep stirring until bubbling about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat

Inside Out Avocado Teriyaki Chicken Rolls

By Mama T

On 8th March 2015

In Budget Recipes, Family & Parenting, Frugal Living

We’ve been unwittingly living on the “inside out” over the past few weeks as a family. Of course, the thematic title is inspired by none other than Pixar’s newest flick proclaimed by many a reviewer as one of the “finest animations to date”. That, and my coming-of-age 11 year old insisted that she’d “lava” (N.B. those who’ve watched it in theaters, you’d know what I mean) for the family to watch this film of another coming-of-age 11 year old’s emotional turmoil on a large fantastical canvas. And so being mature and feeling adults, we happily obliged.

Crazily though, we haven’t stepped into a cinema for at least two years and we owe it to the blanket of consistent hazy weather to drive us inside rather than outdoors in search of ourselves. Because of the imminent bad weather, we have found ourselves looking out at grey blurry skies and connecting with a bundle of lethally-mixed emotions: Disgust (when reading dodgy ministerial replies from neighbouring country), Sadness (that deforestation and forest burning is accelerating like a speedster bent on scoring roadkill, more Sadness and irony (when we realize we just bought the tissue packs, to wipe our tears, which killed the trees). And perhaps a little Anger (watching the PSI levels like the stock market index and having to snuff our noses behind closed windows and unfashionable masks.)

Lastly, Fear. Fear is staying home, not knowing what to eat and deciding to attempt making inside-out sushi for the first time with small doses of trepidation. Inside-out sushi rolls-a perfect descriptor of my vulnerable state of mind, where the revelatory insides of my emotions are rolled outwards to be bared and stared at. The good news is, that this concoction- grains of sticky rice, backed tight with seaweed and walled in into a neat and immensely satisfying bite of mushy avocado, sweet teriyaki chicken and crunchy cucumber- hits a definitive home run for pure, invigorating Joy with every bite henceforth putting every other emotional sidekick in its proper place. The wise Helen Keller once said, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen but are felt from the heart.” This, must be one of those things.

Recommend watching this, next to the movie?:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RrzXv14QNQA

Family Fun with Fondant!

By Mama T

On 28th October 2014

In Family & Parenting, Frugal Fun, Frugal Living

This is a throwback post to a few months back when we were preparing for the littlest’s two year birthday celebration. I confess I haven’t been up to date with posts but I’ve been in no hurry, really. The bits and pieces of life can be dug up, strung together, relived, savoured as opposed to archived, anytime we choose to enjoy them again and again as we wish, don’t you agree?

Anyway, this post puts a smile on my face as it was truly a family cake for our favourite family member – the baby in the house!

Family Workshop with “Fun”dant

All the kids wanted to chip in and we bravely decided on Faith’s Fantastic Fondant Peppa Pig cake. It was our first foray into fondant and Peppa Pig was the “flavour” of the month.

Why did it take so long to be “initiated” into the fondant factory? The truth was none of the kids liked to eat the “too sweet” icing. Even then, the kids unanimously decided that we would not eat the fondant but use it anyway to indulge the likes of their baby sister.

We don’t do fancy birthday parties in our household unlike the common trend these days, but we believe in giving a collective effort, however simple or “unprofessional” as its the memories and process of doing things together that we value- we want to build family memories and gift ourselves with them in the years to come!

Assembling our family cakes with the gifts of our time and efforts

It is also fitting to give the kids some time and space to practice giving gifts of time and service while mummy practices on being hands off and allowing room for creativity and imagination to bloom. Thus, the children went on their way with a simple cake mix, and conceptualised the scene and setting of how the figurines would be placed. They also tried their hand at making “oddballs” of the colourful balls presented before them: experimented on how to mix colours, how to mould shapes and things to look realistic and how to support Peppa’s big head and prevent it from rolling off! Of course, we are thankful for YouTube!

Do you spot a picnic basket and an apple?

A radio and a big beach ball?

The little one also relished dipping her hands into the fondant bowl- I would like to think it was a nice change from playdough! It was also hilarious and heartwarming at the same time seeing the little gifts the kids made, lest their fondant fantasies were “foiled”, there were momentos to fall back on. Handrawn cards, our improvised chopstick banner with coloured twine, Lego Peppa and Paperdoll Peppa!

Can’t go wrong with a Lego Peppa and Paperdoll Peppa. The little one is getting dolled up by eldest sister

Oops, the cake is split, but the bday girl ain’t bothered so we aren’t too!!

Making Birthday Memories

By Mama T

On 2nd September 2014

In Family & Parenting, Frugal Fun, Frugal Living

The passing of birthdays are slightly bittersweet in the mummy universe that I inhabit as I realize that yet another year of my little one’s childhood has slipped me by all too quickly.

I’m well aware how precious these fleeting years are to be cherished and more so, with each passing year as the little ones graduate into lankier frames and grow a head or two taller.

It has always been my wish to make birthdays memorable, but not in a fancy, over-the top sort of way. Big parties are just not our thing in our family of mostly introverts.; they are fun but tiring logistically and too much hassle. We warm up to quiet, cozy gatherings and it’s really alright if it’s just us in the end.

This is a birthday memoir of the time that E turned five while we were mid-way through a few months of settling in Australia. We wanted her to know that while we were going through all these changes in our lives, that we deeply cherished spending this day celebrating her- and giving her the only constant in our life- our hearts as a family. We wanted something quiet and meaningful.

Pretty banner for E

Of course we got her a little girl gift. The thing is, apart from the $10 mini pink purple washing machine that we got her, [because it was just TOO cute and she won’t ever find a pink and purple washing machine that makes washing noises ]…I wanted to gift her with something (to me) that would truly matter.

It had to be more than just a toy or a something that would be worn or tossed away and forgotten. So I decided, funny as it sounds, that she would have me and my time–my undivided attention on her special day. I would give her the “gift” of baking her own birthday cake, that included conceptualizing the cake she wanted, choosing the cake mix and decoration tools and basically making it so achievable for her that she would enjoy the whole cake project from start to finish and be involved as much as possible in it. In the process, we would spend time together, she would learn how to plan, pick up some new skills and craft some pretty awesome memories.

Adorable Cupcake case and flag set

Little pretty things

Strawberry Milkshake Cupcake Mix

As I thought, she was delighted. She had often looked on longingly at me putting together a bake in a rush, she would help out here and there but never had we taken the whole process from start to finish. Or rather, I didn’t have the time. On her special day, it was going to be different. She would have her input and we would be as unhurried and as creative or as crazy as we wanted. So we trotted to the mall and picked up these buys on a $10 budget: $2 cupcake toppers and holders, $2.90 icing decorations and marshmallows, a $3.90 pink strawberry organic cupcake mix. She played stylist and picked all of the designs, accessories on her own.

The little baking star

Spooning her own batter

Our adventure started, she donned her pretty pink fairy apron and her 5th birthday memories came into being! Look at her here, arranging the marshmallows on the platter and building her cupcake kingdom. She enjoyed mixing the batter, scooping it in, and then rolling on the icing and deciding how to use the pretty accessories.

Decorating

On hindsight, I really enjoyed the time I spent with her. I really took the time to slow down, to watch her and listen to her give her opinions, to brainstorm together, laugh and chat, to see her gleefully take ownership of each process, to see her experience the value of hard work and also the satisfaction of the finished product. We even made a budget DIY cupcake stand together with stuff in the pantry! There was a lot of joy that day and it filled our hearts with fondness, pink, cream and lots of love.

Happy Cupcakes

Cupcakes on my budget DIY cupcake stand

Close up

Happy Birthday Sweetheart

It was one of the best and most memorable birthdays purely because we were unhurried, unscheduled and simply enjoyed each other. This happy photo makes me smile to this day. What would you do in your own way to make birthdays memories in your family?