Food Allergies, Unchanged

Yesterday, I took D and J to the allergy center for another round of tests. J is still allergic to peanuts and pine nuts. D is "most likely" OK with peas. He is still allergic to milk, and showed severe reaction to peanuts and eggs. *sigh* It feels like we haven't made any progress in the last two years. This is so discouraging.

The "Commoners"

With a chilly and rainy summer, we didn't have abundant cherries and blueberries like last year. But the upside is that stone-fruit is everywhere, not just peaches, nectarine, and plums, but also pluots! Maybe 10 years ago, pluots were still like the royalties of fruit, only to be found at high-end restaurants where the server would explain that pluots were a cross between plums and apricots (That's true, but not entirely. Pluots are not the half-half-hybrid plumcots. You can read more about it here.) I didn't think there would be a day that I'd be buying pluots from local grocery stores at the incredible price of $1 per pound! Talk about the changing times. =)

Another used-to-be-rare fruit that's readily available is fig. You can get them at Costco for $6 for 2 pounds! Seared till tender, they are so juicy and sweet on top of salads. I’ve even made some jam myself. No more fancy store-bought fig spreads!

Unpopular Vegetables

Today, I found these. Did you know that brussel sprouts grow on a stalk? I was so fascinated that I had to get it. This probably would have been a bad idea 6 months ago, since hubby didn't like brussel sprouts. Luckily, I changed his mind recently. (If you are wondering, the trick is NOT to overcook the brussel sprouts, so they don’t release the glucosinolate sinigrin, which has a sulfurous odor.)

Speaking of veggies that hubby doesn't like, I haven't been as lucky with eggplants. I have always been a fan of eggplants, so of course I'd like hubby to share my taste. Over the years, I have tried making eggplants over and over again. However, hubby's reply is always "It's good, for an eggplant, but I don't like eggplants." Grrr, even my favorite broiled eggplant with Nobu's Saikyo Sweet Miso sauce from Nobu Now and eggplant in garlic sauce got rejected. *sigh* Does anyone know how to convert an eggplant-hater?

You Call That a Recipe?

Lately, I've been watching some Taiwanese shows. There is an entertainer that's known for his abrasive personality and colorful language. Before he started in show biz, he worked in restaurant kitchens for a number of years. He recently published a book about good eats for singles, which included some simple recipes. One show even did an episode on his book. It turns out that most of his recipes use just ramen noodles, hot dogs, soup packets, canned tuna, or onigiri. Other than mayonnaise, he didn't even use any seasoning (at least in the 5 recipes they demonstrated on the show). Can these even be called recipes? True, they are quick and easy. But there is no REAL cooking involved, and most of them are so unhealthy, they really shouldn't be anything but the last resort. As someone who loves to cook and eat, I find that almost insulting. During the show, a Le Cordon Bleu trained special guest compared the concept behind these "recipes" to Semi-Homemade Cooking. Well, these are both about quick and easy meals, but the similarity ends there. It’s drastically different to make a hot dog or ramen than to make a meal from appetizer to dessert. I guess as an ex-foodnetwork-devoted-viewer, I got a little worked up by the comment.

All Natural. All Natural?

The new Costco Connection came in today. One article caught my eye. These days, it's in to buy organic and natural products. But who knew that "natural" didn't really mean natural or anything quantifiable. It sounds like a marketing gimmick.

Do You Diet?

Do you? If so, are you willing to give up your favorite food?

I can't. I just know that I will never have the willpower to pass on something delicious no matter how many calories, and how many grams of fat it contains. I would still eat foie gras and chocolate souffle every chance I get.

I always thought I was blessed with the skinny gene. My dad is one of the skinniest people I know. Really! The man is barely over 130 lbs at 5'9" (and that's relatively tall for a Chinese guy). He's got no fat! And he loves to snack! When I'm at my parents', almost every time I turn around, he's eating something. And he's got a sweet tooth. He would eat anything with sugar in it. The only thing he ever mentioned being just a tad too sweet was the Costco All American Chocolate Cake, you know, the four layer, 5+ inches tall one. And my grandfather was skinny too. So of course, I was sure that I'd never gain weight no matter what I put in my mouth. All I had to do was eat a little less for 2 days, and I'd be back down again. I just ignored the people who told me that it would catch up with me when I turn 30, or 35, or whatever.

Each time I get pregnant, I put on a whopping 45+ lbs. So it takes a looooooooooong time to lose all of that. Truth be told, I still had 4 pounds left from the first pregnancy when I got pregnant with DiDi (little brother in Chinese). The last couple of years, I have been losing the 2nd pregnancy weight ever so slowly. Then this year hit, all of the sudden, I couldn't lose anymore weight. It was a little annoying to say the least to see the little pouch disguised as my tummy. But what was I to do? I couldn't give up anything really scrumptious. My best friend E told me to try Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. Really? I've never been the workout type. I was kinda doubtful. But it really works! I've been doing it everyday (shhh, those were special circumstances, don't tell anyone. =) for 2 months now. And I started losing weight again. True, I didn't lose that much. I'm only back to pre-2nd-pregnancy weight. But what's more important is that my shape is changing. The fat on my tummy is going away. Who knows, I might actually get a six-pack.

So maybe you'd like to give it a try too. Then you can continue to eat what you love. (Yes, a little moderation wouldn't hurt.)

Guacamole?

You know the saying "if it looks too good to be true, it probably is". Well, do you ever wonder how some restaurants can charge you only $1.5 for a big bowl of guacamole? Avocados are expensive! A friend of mine solved the mystery for me a few days ago. Yes, restaurants can get the avocados cheaper, but not THAT much cheaper. The trick these restaurants use is (shhh) mashed potatoes! Yes, plain mashed potatoes, with a little green food coloring and some seasoning. Then they'd put a few cubes of avocados on top just for show. So next time you think you are getting a great deal, think again. I wouldn't eat anything from a restaurant like that. Who knows what other tricks they are using!