Blueberry Smoothie

These small round purple-blue berries are packed with so much goodness. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, B2 and an excellent source of flavonoids. Blueberry smoothie is the perfect snack beverage on a hot summer day, or serve it as a meal replacement drink if you want to lose the few pounds you have put on from Christmas and New Year feasting.

Ingredients (2 small servings)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup fresh milk

Method
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

Sweet delight - Banana Milkshake 濃香誘人的香蕉奶昔

Finally, a new post after MIA for more than four months!!! ;) My job is my new best friend (to keep up with the ever-increasing childcare expenses! It's $92/day this year, damn!) and I devote remaining spare time to the loves of my life - B&B. My camera has been sitting idle in the cupboard for months so I decided to check the battery life this morning. It's running low but I managed to capture some shots. Hence, this post... I am unofficially back to blogging.

If you are craving for something sweet, cool and refreshing this summer, here's a healthy nutritious drink to kick start your morning - Banana milkshake. It's super duper easy and quick to make. There are just three ingredients - 2 ripe bananas, 2 cups milk (about 500ml) and 1-2 scoops of vanilla ice-cream. Blend them all in a blender to your desired consistency. This makes 3 small servings.

Coconut Red Bean Pudding 椰汁紅豆糕

Before I start my entry on Taiwanese style fried bee hoon, I want to share with you a dessert that I made yesterday - Coconut Red Bean Pudding 椰汁紅豆糕.

If you are a red bean lover, you would love this! This traditional Cantonese dessert is easy to make and serves as a perfect after dinner snack. It is also great for a pot-luck or dinner party.

Ingredients
100g red beans
100g corn starch
400ml coconut milk
100ml evaporated milk
700ml red bean water/water
150g sugar

Method
Soak red beans for an hour and cook in water till the beans are soft (same method as cooking red bean soup). Strain red beans and keep both red beans and water for use later. You can use leftover red bean soup as well.

Mix coconut milk, evaporated milk and corn starch in a bowl and stir well.

Re-heat the red bean water. Switch to low heat, pour in cornstarch mixture and stir in one direction till thicken. Keep stirring to prevent lumps forming. Turn off fire and stir in the red beans.

Pour mixture into a mould/baking tray that has been rinsed with cold water. Let it cool and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Invert pudding onto a plate, cut and serve.

Baked Pumpkin Pudding 烘南瓜布甸

I am still craving for sweet food but I try to cut down on my intakes of chocolates and ice-creams. Here's an easy and healthy recipe that satisfy my sweet tooth - Baked Pumpkin Pudding, and it's definitely healthier than the Magnum Ecuador, Dove chocolates or Tim Tams. ^__^


Ingredients
120g pumpkin, skin removed and diced
12 foiled cups
200ml evaporated milk
1 tsp custard powder
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp caster sugar


Method
Microwave diced pumpkin at high power for 5 minutes until soft. Alternatively, steam pumpkin at high heat for 10 minutes. Remove and arrange pumpkins in foiled cups.

Put all remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour mixture over pumpkin.

Preheat oven and bake at 160°C for 15 minutes.

Serve hot or chilled.

Snow Fungus and Beancurd Skin Dessert 雪耳龙眼腐竹糖水

This nourishing dessert helps to satisfy my sweet tooth and the sugary cravings that seem to heighten during pregnancy. Snow fungus, also known as the vegetarian bird nest, has anti-inflammatory properties, improves blood circulation and boosts the body immune system. It is also regarded as beneficial for the complexion during pregnancy.

Check out my previous posts on snow fungus desserts:-
Snow fungus dessert 冰糖银耳红枣汤
Luo Han Guo and Snow fungus Dessert 罗汉果银耳龙眼红枣汤

Ingredients
1 large piece snow fungus, soaked
Half bowl dried longan
1 small sheet dried beancurd skin
Rock sugar to taste
1.5l water

Method
Soak snow fungus in water for at least 30 minutes till soft. Change the water several times. Trim and discard the hard yellow ends, tear snow fungus into smaller pieces.

Break the bean curd skin into tiny pieces when it is dry and crispy. Rinse them before adding to the soup. Rinse dried longans.

Bring 1.5 litre water to boil and cook snow fungus covered, over low heat for about 30 minutes. Add the beancurd skin, longan and rock sugar to taste. Cook for additional 20 minutes.

Serve either hot or chilled.

Luo Han Guo and Snow fungus Dessert 罗汉果银耳龙眼红枣汤

Ingredients
2 Luo han guo, removed shell
Half bowl dried longan, soaked
1 large piece snow fungus, soaked
5-6 red dates, stoned
1.5l water

Method
Soak snow fungus in water for 30 minutes till soft. Change the water several times. Trim and discard the hard yellow ends, tear snow fungus into smaller pieces. Soak dried longan in water for 5 minutes to remove dirt and impurities. Rinse red dates.

Bring 1.5 litre water to boil and add all ingredients . Cook covered, over low heat for about 45 minutes.

Serve either hot or chilled.

Note
Luo Han Guo is a natural sweetener so there is no need to add any rock sugar, unless you like it really sweet.

Snow fungus dessert 冰糖银耳红枣汤

Ingredients - Serve 3
1 large piece snow fungus, soaked
6 red dates
1.5l water
Rock sugar to taste

Method
Soak snow fungus in water for 30 minutes till soft. Change the water several times. Trim and discard the hard yellow ends, tear snow fungus into smaller pieces. Rinse red dates.

Bring 1.5 litre water to boil and add all ingredients except the rock sugar. Cook covered, over low heat for about an hour. The snow fungus should turned jelly-soft yet a little crunchy.

Add rock sugar to taste. Serve either hot or chilled.

Lek Tau Suan 绿豆爽

Ingredients
150g split mung beans
150g rock sugar
1.5 liters water
Tapioca starch
Pandan leaves (optional)
Coconut milk (optional)
Yau Char Kwai, or Crispy Chinese Crullers (optional)
.
Method
Wash the mung beans, drain and steam on high heat for 20 minutes.

Cook sugar syrup by adding rock sugar into 1.5 litre water (add some pandan leaves to enhance the flavour, but I can't find them here in Sydney). Bring to a boil and add the steamed beans. Reduce heat. Dissolve tapioca or potato flour into some water to create starch, slowly pour in the mixture to thicken the syrup, stirring constantly to prevent lumpiness.

Serve hot with coconut milk or some yau char kwai.

Deep fried nian gao with sweet potato and yam 炸年糕

Nian Gao 年糕 is literally translated as “Year Cake”. Also known as rice cake, it is made with glutinous rice flour and sugar, steamed for hours (traditionally it was steamed for 10-12 hours!) until the sugar caramelises into a rich brown. Nian gao is one of the auspicious and must-have festive goodie during Chinese New Year as it symbolises a sweet life ahead and a homophone for "a prosperous year" to ensure your advancement 年高 in the new year.

There are various ways of eating nian gao. The version introduced here is to deep fried them, forming a crispy layer outside, with sticky sweet filling sandwiched between the yam and sweet potato. Lovely treats!

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Ingredients

Nian gao
Plain flour

Water

Oil – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp

Sweet potato
Yam

Oil for deep frying

Method
Cut nian gao into ½ cm thick slices. Wash, skin and cut the yam and sweet potato into thin slices.

Mix flour, water, salt and oil into a smooth batter. Heat oil till hot and lower to medium heat.

Sandwich a piece of nian gao in between a slice of sweet potato and a slice of yam. Secure the sandwiched nian gao with a toothpick and dip it into the batter.

Deep fry the nian gai on one side, remove the toothpick and fry the other side until both sides turn golden brown.

Drain on paper towels and serve.