My Domestic Art

I enjoy eating lentils every now and then, usually in hotel buffets or as a side dish when having Indian cuisine. Lentils were never a star dish or something that I was interested to cook before. They are just not our usual Chinese ingredients. But, lentils are incredibly healthy and highly nutritious. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and selenium, all of which boost the immune system. They are also high in proteins and fiber, which are good for digestive and heart health, and to aid in weight loss. As I am incorporating at least 1 meat-free day per week, I have been experimenting with different varieties of legumes as our source of proteins. Some legumes require soaking overnight and cooking for hours, which can be tedious to prepare. But lentils are fast to cook and don't require soaking, making their preparation a breeze. After a few attempts at preparing lentils, I am now a lentils convert! I love their taste and texture, and how versatile t...

This is another fantastic low carb recipe that I love. It is delicious and creamy, filling and healthy! Cauliflower is truly a wonderful, mild tasting vegetable that is so versatile. Combined with some hard boiled eggs and mayonnaise , you really can't go wrong with this refreshing, crunchy, yummy salad! A great substitute to the traditional potato salad, minus all the carb! 😉 Feel free to adjust the amount of mayonnaise to your liking, and season to taste. Cauliflower Egg Salad Ingredients: ½ head cauliflower - cut into small florets 1 green bell pepper - cut into 1 cm cubes 1 small red onion - sliced thinly 4 eggs - hard boiled and roughly chopped 2 spring onions - sliced thinly salt and black pepper 2-3 tbsp. mayonnaise Instructions: Bring a pot of salted water to boil, toss cauliflower and boil until desired doneness. I like mine a little crunchy so it is about 5 minutes. Drain cauliflower and set aside to cool Mix the rest of the ingredients in a ...

I used to buy lots of granola from the supermarket. Until I examined carefully what is in the ingredients list. I was horrified to discover most of the store-bought granola contains a whole lot of sugar, unhealthy fats and oils, and unnecessary ingredients.  For a fraction of the cost, I can easily make granola at home! Making it myself also allows me to control the amount of sugar that goes in and other ingredients that I want. This stove top granola recipe takes about 15 minutes to put together, incredibly tasty and healthy. This recipe is just a starting point, you can change it up, experiment with different flavours and put in more or less of whatever ingredients you have on hand or love. It is easily adaptable according to your taste. I like to use coconut oil because it’s full of nutrients and adds a lovely fragrance to the granola, but you can use any healthy oil you have. I absolutely love peanut butter and this is what...

Cauliflower is quite under-rated. It is not strong-tasting and probably quite forgettable as a vegetable. We hardly ate much cauliflower before we started on a low-carb lifestyle. But cauliflower is great as rice replacement - it is low carb, full of fiber and very satiating. On top of that, it is rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C. We have been including a lot more cauliflowers in our diets and are loving it. Boiling or steaming cauliflower makes them waterlogged and mushy. I prefer to sauté or bake them instead. This baked version in a casserole dish gives a delicious nutty roasted flavour while maintaining its crunch, and the tomatoes add some tanginess to it. A perfect side dish! Roasted Cauliflowers with Tomatoes Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower - cut into bite-sized florets 2 tomatoes - cut into wedges 4 cloves garlic - minced salt and pepper - generous amount olive oil Instructions: Preheat oven to 180℃ Toss together cauliflower, tomatoes, ga...

Today I am combining 3 of my favourite healthy ingredients to make this lovely soup. First up is the turmeric. Many research has shown that turmeric contains powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It also gives a delicious, distinctive flavour to this soup. Second is the cabbage. Cabbage is an excellent source of natural antioxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber. They are also extremely low in fat and calories, and very satiating. Finally, sundried tomatoes and fresh tomatoes. They taste fantastic and are a rich source of Vitamins A and C and folic acid. There has been a lot of talk of plant-based diet and how beneficial it is for our bodies. I am trying to incorporate as much of this as possible into our daily diet. Turmeric Sundried Tomatoes and Cabbage Soup Ingredients: 4 pcs chicken thighs bone-in 4 cloves garlic 2-inch ginger 1 onion 6 pcs sundried tomatoes 2 stalks celery 4 tomatoes salt and peppe...

Have you ever cooked with turmeric? It is a yellow spice coming from the ginger family traditionally used in many curry dishes. There have been numerous scientific studies of late to show the various healing and cleansing properties of turmeric. It is said to contain powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Turmeric also adds a beautiful vibrant colour and distinctive flavour to many dishes. Like this soup. Even though I don't believe in "detoxing" the way some people swear by it, there are times when I just want a large dose of nutrition to get back on track, especially after an indulgent festive season. And the best way to do it is by making vegetables soup. You can't go wrong with vegetables soup really. It is fool proof. So easy to make, hearty, delicious and nutritious! I always start by making a savoury broth in the thermal cooker and then load it up with veggies and spices to create different flavours. If you don't have a therm...

Have you heard of the cabbage soup diet? It's basically a quick fix solution to lose weight and to lose it fast. You spend a week, and no more, eating unlimited amounts of this low-fat, low-calorie cabbage soup. This diet should NOT be done for more than 7 days. The classic cabbage soup has no butter and no chicken, but uses chicken stock to make the meal very low calorie. But I find the taste very blah.... And I feel peckish the whole day if I have it for lunch. I decided if I'm going to try any sort of cabbage soup diet, it has to taste great. It has to be satiating to keep me going the whole day. I don't think it's possible to stick to any diet if it feels like a torture. So, I made my cabbage soup with all sorts of other goodness but is still very low calorie. And the best thing is it's super tasty and delicious! It's warming and comforting to the stomach. I am not a hard-core dieter and I don't do the cabbag...

I am definitely a little guilty of over-indulging during this holiday season. It's a good idea to give our stomachs a break after eating and drinking too much. And I'm craving for something clean and refreshing. This red cabbage salad is healthy, low carb, filling and best of all, it is so delicious! It is easy to put together and I usually have all the ingredients in the pantry already. It's a perfect after party meal to have. My hubby and I enjoyed it so much that we are putting this in our regular menu. I started by loading up my plate with shredded red cabbage. Then topped with a simple stir-fried bean sprouts with carrots, seasoned with minced garlic, sesame oil, oyster sauce and black pepper for an Asian twist. Then I added some leftover cooked ham for extra protein. I have used shredded cooked chicken and it's just as yummy. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds. And enjoy! Asian Red Cabbage Salad Ingredients: shred...