Low-fat snacks @ Choice Bakery, Auckland

Ever wondered how Chinese girls manage to stay so slim (despite eating like horses)?

Well, they don't have super-high metabolic rates

The secret is in their choices of food..especially Taiwanese desserts, which are literally like 'diet food' - yummy, but almost fat-free

If you're in Auckland, good news:)

You can easily get those fat-free cakes at Choice Bakery outlets
The one that I normally go to is at Newmarket
The Japanese Cheese Cakes (no added butter)
are light, fluffy... :))
(ohh yumm, I'm in heaven - just thinking about it)

"Butter-less" cakes

Now, instead of having the usual pound cake, you eat 200-300 calories less per serving with these:-

These cakes have a higher protein content

(more egg whites used in the recipes, to compensate for the fat reduction)

Wife cakes aren't exactly my favourite...but I'm including the pics here just in case you might wanna see what they're like :)

and then tehre's something similar to the "wfie cake" except that there's "red bean paste" inside the pastry

not very healthy - it's just lots of sugar, oil, flour & boiled mashed red beans

Umeke Market & Deli, Honolulu

Umeke Market Deli is my favourite place for yummy organic food :)
The food's so good that I went there at least 5 times!

My favourites: Tofu lasagna, spinach casserole, turkey meatloaf & "Naked" natural fruit juice ;p

(Yes, it's 100% natural! Preservative free. Unlike "Simply Squeezed" - the organic impostor)

For those of you who wonder what Umeke means, it is the Hawaiian word for "calabash". It literally can be translated to mean "wooden bowl". In ancient times, Hawaiians used the umekes for medicinal purposes as well as for cooking. Nowadays, umekes are often given as gifts or awards in both cultural and business gatherings. Umekes are also used for keeping favorite items (e.g. small keepsakes and treasures).

The deli section at Umeke, filled with dozens of salads and side dishes

Preservative-free pomegranate & blueberry juice

Trying out the yummy Free-range Chicken Curry Salad

(Cotton shirt by Arcadia, Sunglasses by Elle)

Clockwise, from top left: (1) Free-range Chicken Curry Salad, Squash & Butternut Casserole, Turkey Meatloaf

Clockwise, from top left: (1) Turkey Meatloaf, (2) Spinach Ricotta Casserole, and (3) Grilled Veggie Lasagna

Parking space for "bicycles" :)

Umeke Market is located along the Kalanianaole Highway (nearby Kahala Mall).
Address: 4400 Kalanianaole Highway, Honolulu

Plenty of parking spaces for cars too!

Website: http://www.umekemarket.com/

Umeke Market and Deli is a family owned and operated business by husband and wife team, Daryl and Michelle Yamaguchi and sister, Debbie Yamaguchi. The Yamaguchi family has had long-standing roots in the Hawaii food industry, as far back and the mid 40's. Their grandparents operated the "E.S. Yamaguchi Family Market" in the old Farmer's market building in Kakaako.

Daryl and Debbie Yamaguchi opened the Kaimuki Health Market in 1997 and have grown and renamed the business and added Michelle's expertise in the kitchen as a mainstay of their deli. Michelle has created many tasty and delicious menu items, including her own recipe for her tantalizing "veggie burger", the ever so popular Turkey Focaccia Sandwich, Chicken Adobo and Veggie Foccacia Sandwich.

Articles about Umeke Market & Deli:

http://www.midweek.com/content/columns/maincourse_article/fresh_natural_plate_lunches_on_bishop_street/

http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/8193/108/

My personal trainer's blog :) - aprilsiow.net

I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce all of you to my favourite personal trainer - April

- and to congratulate her on the official launch of  Aprilsiow.net

She's the epitome of a modern woman - smart (Economics grad), adventurous, healthy, independent, steroid-free... etc (I can go on & on)

Oh, she has climbed Mount Kinabalu too!
(Mount Kinabalu is the tallest mountain in South East Asia)

What I like most is that she achieved her toned body through "real" and "realistic" workout regimes
- not with the aide of performance enhancement drugs and freakish Hollywood-like fitness obsessions (ie, Demi Moore & Victoria Beckham)
- no bulimia, no anorexia, no bygarexia

Omg...I wish I can jump like that too...

I don't choose my fitness role model based on the size of their muscles
I don't see The Rock (Dwayne Johnston) as a fitness role model

I see Tom Welling (Smallville actor) as a better male fitness role model

(Source:www.starswelove.com)

I also don't see Pamela Anderson as a healthy role model

I don't even see her as a sex symbol

Gosh, if I were a guy I'd much rather squeeze some smaller boobs as long as they're real & I won't have to worry that the implants are gonna burst

(Source:http://themexbox360.craveonline.com/albums/userpics/10022/normal_Pamela%20Anderson%205.jpg)

I prefer April's holistic approach to health & fitness
& body too
(no fake boobs, fake pecs, bicep implants & whatnot)

To her, health & fitness is not a fad
It's not an obsession
It's just...a lifestyle
& a very good one :)

Good quality Kiwi bread

Was having a lil' Consumer Price Index comparison talk with my friend Li Li who has been residing in Auckland since 8 years ago.
We're debating about the higher average income and higher taxes in New Zealand, the higher car prices in Malaysia (a Toyota Vios costs NZD$40k in Malaysia) , the cheaper dairy products in New Zealand (a NZD$3.99 tub of Yoplait yogurt costs NZD$11 (MYR21) in Malaysia)...
She lamented about the higher cost of bread in New Zealand, but I still think you get a better value for your money here in Auckland compared to Malaysia.
- Fresh and natural ingredients are used
- Kiwi bakers don't cheat or skimp on flour by adding more cancer-causing chemicals such as bread improver and bread softener
- The variety is just amazing!
You can find at least 50 types of bread in a typical supermarket

Fresh loaf of fragrant rye bread (bought from Countdown supermarket, Auckland City), NZD$3.50 (MYR7.50)

 

Signature Range Rye Bread 750g (Less than NZD$2.99)

Signature Range Mixed Grain Bread (I think it's less than NZD2.99) 

In Malaysia, a normal loaf of rye bread that you can get from Countdown will cost 3-5 times the NZ price at a gourmet bakery in a posh 5-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur (eg, Renaissance Hotel)
All supermarkets in Malaysia (except for Cold Storage) offer a limited choices of bread; white bread, wholemeal bread, burger buns... and unfortunately, most bread contain a hazardous level of cancer-causing preservatives (propionic acid), artificial flavouring, colouring, bread softener and bread improver. Awful!!!

In fact, the bread in Malaysia are so unhealthy that we had to resort to making homemade bread

Homemade brioche with fresh Iranian dates:) My Dad's favourite

These are photos of my sister’s eldest son when he was 3-yr-old:-). He’s very very fussy about food. I was delighted that he tried the homemade banana bread without any coaxing and so, decided to take snapshots of him eating em;-)

He's cute, aye?;)

New Zealand Premium Scallops

Don't worry ;), this is not another pornographic review of New Zealand seafood 

Apologies for the overdose of seafood review, but my Mum in KL is so worried that I haven't been eating enough seafood that I have to explain to her that we do get seafood here in Auckland - and that kiwis don't just drink milk all the time even though there are more cows here than us human beans

I'm a regular consumer of "Premium Quality New Zealand Ready-to-Cook Scallops" from Countdown and Foodtown supermarkets
The name sounds nice, aye?
(Oh crikey, what's wrong with me? I'm starting to sound like a kiwi after having been here for only a month, aye)
They're quite easy to cook
- pretty similar to other types of scallops except that the NZ scallops come with the soft orange bits that taste like cooked testicles

Of course, I haven't been able to find the fierce looking pike mackerels that I really liked back in Malaysia...

But then again, I've never had better-tasting scallops anywhere else in the world :))
& they are affordable too
- approx $6 per packet

Biodegradable attire: Cabbage Bras ;p

Human beings, let's all go green and buy less textile, lol ;p
We should all wear cabbage bras ;)

(Seen on Queen St/Victoria St intersection, Auckland City, New Zealand)

Swine flu prevention methods

When I saw this Harvey Norman's (Malaysia), I thought it's the cutest respiratory mask I have ever seen :) :) :)

 

But when I put it on, I thought it's the ugliest accessory I've ever had

It made me look like a pig!

Oink oink oink oink oink oink oink oink

I'd rather get swine flu than wear that thing over my face

But don't worry, the masks won't go wasted ;p hehe

I'll just use them as a bra

So, how did I manage to protect myself from swine flu when I spent 20+ hours in airplanes and airports without a respiratory mask?

I bought a whole box of alcohol swabs

I disinfected everything from the seats, food trays, lavatory door handles.... etc etc

Tamale Pie : definitely the best Mexican dish :)

Being a great fan of Mexican food, I was delighted to have discovered Gourmet Express while shopping at Kahala Mall, Honolulu. While Mexican restaurants are aplenty in Oahu, Hawaii (Chilli's, TGIF, & other taco places), none have tamale pie on the menu.

Ah... Gourmet Express is not a typical Mexican fast food place. GE serves turkey dishes (turkey meatballs, turkey enchiladas) & the best Tamale Pie in Oahu! :-)

Veggie Tamale Pie layered with Spinach Tortilla and Mozzarella Cheese

The pie was served with two generous servings of side dishes - roasted vege & lemon-flavored couscous.

Gourmet Express at Kahala Mall offers a offers quick healthy and made to order meals.

Turkey meatballs serve with Tofu Poke, brown rice & salad

Fresh tofu salad - MSG-free:)

Grilled Opakapaka fish served with vegetarian couscous, fresh salad & tomato salsa

Steamed sardine

Sick of MSG-laden food? Need to detox? Try steamed sardine with ginger :-)