iShed Foodgasms

"let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" 

[ishedfoodgasms]

Christmas is just around the corner and I received the best early present to myself - I’m officially a fourth year medical student! Such a relief and I can finally enjoy the holidays. Well, as much as you can enjoy crazy Asian family company! 

Originally I wanted to write about tips for surviving the family during the holidays but honestly, I don’t think I have any worthy of sharing. Not entirely sure how I’m getting through it! Lots of patience, comfort food, tea and occasionally whiskey!

Have a wonderfully jolly, festive and safe holiday, errbodi! Drink lots, eat more and laugh the most :) 

Shed xoxo 

Festive Roast Whole Cauliflower

one whole head cauliflower, minced garlic, cumin, turmeric, curry powder, chilli flakes (optional), lemon, olive oil, salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to about 180 degrees celsius. Line a baking tray with some parchment. Wash the cauliflower with the leaf trimmings and all. Smother the cauliflower with a tbsp of minced garlic, a tsp of cumin, turmeric, chilli flakes and curry powder. Then squeeze the juice of one lemon over it, drizzle generously with a good quality olive oil and season (mind the pun!) with sea salt and black pepper. 

Roast the cauliflower in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes 0 one hour depending on the size of your cauliflower. Put a skewer through the centre of it - if it goes through all the way easily then it is cooked. 

[ishedfoodgasms]

During exam time I really struggle to keep my motivation and spirits high especially with the sheer content overload. I constantly feel overwhelmed, exhausted and my anxiety levels go sky rocketing. Though I know that I’m not the only one going through these emotions it does tend to hit me harder than normal. This year was extra challenging as I had to manage study & rotations up until a week before, tackle a poorly structured year with vague learning outcomes and a new examination system. 

My secret to exam season survival is having routine and actually sticking to it. Forcing myself to wake up early was such a chore - I had to put my alarm at the bathroom door so I’d have to physically get out of bed! But waking up an hour earlier every morning definitely has its perks. Somehow it made me feel so much more productive and it also meant I had time to do a workout or yoga, take a shower that lasted longer than five minutes, have a substantial breakfast and make a to-do-list (lifesaver!) for the day. Eating a clean healthy diet was just as important as sticking to routine. I practiced intermittent fasting (16:8) with my clean diet and surprisingly, never felt more energetic. Finally, every night before bed I would try to unwind by meditating for 10 minutes as I typically suffer from stress insomnia and chronic headaches. During this period I developed more self discipline than I realised I was capable of! 

And of course whenever I was too overwhelmed and needed to destress I would cook with Netflix playing Offspring (bloody hilarious) in the background. I did share most of my exam destress recipes on my instagram, @ishedfoodgasms, at the time but didn’t get a chance to blog because priorities *eyeroll*. Not to worry cause here ya go!

Dairy-Free Cashew Pesto 

unsalted cashews, fresh basil, lemon, olive oil, garlic

Toast the cashews slightly on a hot pan. Throw into a food processor roughly 2 cups of fresh basil, a few cloves of garlic and zest and juice of one lemon. In the processor pulse until its roughly chopped. Then with the machine still running slowly drizzle in about half a cup of good quality olive oil until the pesto is at your desired consistency, Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

I stored my pesto in a air tight jar in the fridge for about 2 weeks. It was such a treat with eggs, chicken, pasta, salmon - pretty much anything!

Next time I’ll probably experiment with other nuts and a bit of coriander, maybe even some chilli. If anyone has tried any interesting ingredients that worked well do let me know :) 

[ishedfoodgasms]

Can’t believe a year has passed and I’m back home for the holidays already.  During my 25 long hours, YES 25 HOURS, journey home in the sky I was so bored that I did some personal reflection. They say time flies when you’re having fun but not sure how that applied to my year. Not to say I didn’t have fun during my first year in Sydney because it has been an incredible experience but also, an extremely challenging one. 

At the start of the year I was this soppy, hopeless person who had no self-confidence or self-respect. I cared too much about the opinions of others and let it affect me to a great extent. The most damaging was that I very stupidly thought my happiness was defined by someone else. It took a few lumps and bumps but I finally realised how very toxic it all was for me. And now, even though I’m so anxiously waiting to hear if I passed third year, I am content. I’ve learnt the importance of self-care and self-love. I have been reminded why I started medicine in the first place and I have found new inspirations and motivations. I also have reassurance that there is always hope. I am still a work in progress but I am getting there. 

I’m so grateful for the old friends that supported me through one of the toughest years of my life, who were brutally honest with me when I needed to hear it and laughed at me when I ugly cried. I appreciate and love you all oh so very dearly. I’m thankful for all the new friends I’ve made along the way, who judged me for being a single grandma and having a funny accent but helped me find my way again anyways.

It makes me proud to recognise the personal development and growth that I have made and how much happier I am in myself. It’s amazing how much can change in one year. I mean I do yoga now - go figure!

Baked Tomato Rice 

2 cups brown rice, large courgette, red pepper, chestnut mushrooms, half onion (diced), garlic, 400g tin tomatoes, fresh basil, vegetable stock 

In a large casserole skillet or dish heat up a generous amount of olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic and red pepper until browned and aromatic. Add the mushrooms (1.5 cups sliced) and courgette and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the rice and stir until it’s all coated in oil. Pour in the tin of tomatoes and about one cup of fresh basil, mix it all in. Using the empty tin measure out 2 tins of vegetable stock to add to the dish. Mix it all together, bring to boil then turn it down to a simmer until almost all liquid is gone. Season well with salt and pepper. 

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius for about 40 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the top is browned. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. 

If unlike me you’re a cheese lover I would suggest adding a layer of cheese on top before putting the dish into bake :) 

[ishedfoodgasms]

I’m already coming to the end of my first year of clinical rotations and despite my complaining or lack of commitment at times, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. 

My current registrars are physicians that I aspire to be like. They have made me want to wake up early in the morning to go to the hospital and hunt folders for rounds. In the short time that I have been attached with them I have learnt so much just by observing their interaction with patients. Witnessing countless times patients sincerely thanking them for taking the extra five minutes to actually explain their condition/progress to them and listening to their worries and concerns because none of the ten other doctors they have seen have yet. Not only do they give their patients the attention that they need but they’ve noticed me! - the annoyingly awkward third year medical student who follows their every step. 

I hope and aspire to be as compassionate, empathetic and patient as they are when I eventually make it as a physician, one day, and never lose these qualities. 

As a token of appreciation to them actually taking the time and effort out of their busy schedules to teach me and not laughing at my very dumb answers at times I baked some yummy cookies to end the term with them. Just hope that they’re not too healthy for their liking! 

Guilt-Free Cookies

Cookie dough base: 1 1/4 cup almond meal, 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1tsp baking soda, 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup rice/oat/almond milk, 1 egg, 1tsp vanilla extract

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Melt coconut oil over low heat then add to the dry ingredients with the egg, milk and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly - the dough should be quite sticky and not too dry or crumbly. Fold in any fillings that you desire. Roll into equal size ball and flatten into about 1cm thick round shapes on a lined baking tray.

Bake for 10 minutes at 175 degrees celsius or until golden brown. 

Filling ideas: I experimented and made 2 different batches one with some raw sugar and one without. 

#1 - handful of coconut flakes, 10 pitted dates diced and 72% quality dark chocolate chopped up

#2 - 1/4 cup raw sugar (mixed in with the dry ingredients at the start), handful of gogi berries and 72% qualitiy dark chocolate chopped up

[ishedfoodgasms]

I became an aunt to a beautiful and healthy baby girl for the first time exactly a week ago today. Such an exciting and overwhelming feeling! I can’t wait to go home to meet her and to pinch her chubby cheeks at Christmas. Missing momentous occasions like these makes me feel so homesick.

So I took a ‘pause & appreciate’ to remind myself how far I have come, to stay patient and to trust my journey. I remember the one word I chose as my mantra at the beginning of this year, that a dear friend and fellow ‘men are trash’ forum (yes, we have a men are trash forum!) member suggested I do, to guide me through the year - PERSEVERANCE. It is amazing how one word has helped push me through so much. 

Somebody, please, grant me with the strength and brains to persevere through the last stretch of this year! These nutrient packed and dense muffins certainly kept me sustained for my excruciatingly long morning ward rounds all week. Yes, I ate them for breakfast :) 

Remember, no matter how rough a time you’re going through, eat to nourish your body and soul! Because you are what you eat. 

Vegan Apple Oat Muffins 

dates (pitted), medium apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, rice flour, oats, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, rice milk, baking powder, salt

Makes six muffins

Puree one cup of dates with 1/2 cup of water. Core and slice your apple. Toss the two in a saucepan with a tsp of cinnamon and nutmeg and sweat over a medium heat until the apple has softened. 

Sieve 1.5 cups of rice flour and 1 tsp of baking powder into a mixing bowl, mix in 1/2 cup of oats and a handful of seeds with a pinch of salt. Then add the apple mixture to the dry mixture. Slowly add 2 cups of rice milk, stirring as you go to obtain the desired batter consistency. 

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius for about 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 

[ishedfoodgasms]

HAPPY long weekend, friends! Much needed rest & Me time after a challenging week on my new medical rotation. After much reflection throughout the week I realised the one important lesson that I have learnt - it is vital to have a high level of patience, tolerance and resilience to survive as a medical student! 

I’m nearing the end of my first clinical year, counting down the days till I get to go home for Christmas, only to want to leave again after a week and rapidly running out of fuel as self-doubt builds inside me. 

My team palliated a number of patients this week with one passing away the day after. Each time we break bad news or hear about the passing of a patient I can feel a knot tying at high speed in my throat and the tears trying to escape my lacrimal ducts. I stood in the background pretending to scribe as the family members cried out, the consultant emotionlessly switching off the oxygen and IV antibiotics, then walking over to the patient’s daughter and patting her on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. The team then carried on smiling, chattering mindlessly about how they saw it coming and rounding as if none of this just happened. Frustration builds inside me. While I recognise that I must learn to detach myself enough to not take this sadness personally, I also recognise that I do not want to become a robot where I am unable to show my patients that I do care. Every day I am learning the kind of doctor that I aspire to be. The kind of doctor that I would want if I were the one lying on that hospital bed. 

On my playlist this week helping me push through was Niall Horan’s new song - Too Much To Ask. Whenever I hear it it reminds me that hard work does pay off and it gives me reassurance for leaving my family and small town in Ireland. Also, makes me so proud to be Irish! 

Through all my moaning I do try to look after myself by eating right. These stuffed mushrooms were such a good protein replacement. Delicious on its own, as a burger patty or with eggs for breakfast. And I’m not even a huge fan of mushrooms. 

Baked Stuffed Shrooms

Large flat mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, fresh coriander, onion, garlic, lemon

Trim the stem off the mushrooms. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 

Finely chop the coriander, garlic and onion. Quarter the cherry tomatoes. Heat some olive oil on a pan and sautè the onions and garlic until aromatic. Turn off the stove and add the cherry tomatoes and coriander. Season with salt and pepper and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly. 

Place the mushrooms cut side up on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Divide the mixture amongst the mushrooms and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for approx. 15 minutes then remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes until the mushroom is tender. 

Serve while still hot and fresh! 

(I don’t eat cheese but if you like you could top it off with a cheese of your choice in the last 10 minutes of baking)

[ishedfoodgasms]

Being a medical student is a massive privilege. Patients expose themselves to us at their most vulnerable, literally and figuratively, entrusting us with intimate information about themselves and their lives. And we’re not even doctors yet. 

I find this one of the most challenging aspects of medicine as someone who wears her heart on her sleeve. I struggle every day not to absorb their emotions and forget about self care.

Yet, it is what pushes me to keep going every day. 

This weekend I decided to give myself a much needed mental break after weeks of study hibernation, isolated community rotation and being defeated by OSCE. I couldn’t have given myself a better gift than great company and wonderful food - completely free of medicine chatter. Because how am I suppose to help people if I don’t know how to help myself. 

I made these meatballs with my worst half and added it to my seaweed soup recipe. They were scrumptious but may be the last recipe with meat that I’ll ever share with you. I am already vegetarian five days a week but seriously considering converting full time. Watch Okja for an explanation. 

Asian Pork Meatballs

500g lean pork mince, knob fresh ginger, few cloves fresh garlic, bunch fresh coriander, cornflour, sesame oil, light soy sauce, sugar

Finely chop coriander and garlic. Grate the ginger. Add to the pork mince in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 tbsp cornflour, 2tbsp light soy sauce, 1tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp sugar and salt & white pepper to the pork mince. Using your hands, mix and knead the ingredients together thorough. Boil a pot of broth soup ( I used vegetable stock). Once it is boiled drop in uniform sized meatballs from a low height into the boiling soup. Once the meatballs float cook it for another 3 -5 minutes, depending on the size of your meatballs. 

If you’re using these in your seaweed soup like I did just add my seaweed soup recipe to the pot. 

Othewise, these are yum with noodles, rice or even on their own with a dip. They’re also suitable for freezing. 

[ishedfoodgasms]

My GP supervisor said to me the other day with a laugh “you have to be mentally and physically strong to be a doctor’. 

I cannot claim to be either. Instead I am fearful. 

After day one of my community placement at an organisation that deals mostly with domestic violence victims I came home feeling drained, emotionally and physically. As medical students we are thrown into the deep end of many confronting situations. Often this comes with no pre-warning or support unless asked for. I am fearful because I recognise that I am an emotional person and I fear that I won’t be able to handle the hardships of my future patients. That while I try to help them I will be slowly killing myself. 

Medical school trains us to be competent doctors with the knowledge and skills to save lives. We’re constantly reminded to ‘show’ empathy and compassion because no one likes a doctor with no empathy. But why are we not reminded more that we must first look after ourselves before we can help others? Why are we not assured that it’s okay not to be okay sometimes? Why are we not taught that asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a sign of courage?

I close this hopefully thought-provoking monologue with a light skinny moist chocolate cake that gave me the pleasure of eating a fat cake. Sorted.

Skinny Berry Chocolate Cake

1/2 cup coconut oil, 1/2 cup raw sugar, 2 tsp vanilla essence, 1/2 cup natural greek yoghurt, 2 cups rice flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, pinch of salt, 1/2 cup cocoa, 1 cup almond milk, 1 cup frozen raspberries, 1 cup gluten-free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Grease and line a 9inch cake tin. 

Whisk together the coconut oil, sugar, yoghurt and vanilla essence until well combine. Sift all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and mix. With the mixer on low slowly and alternately add the flour mixture and milk into the yoghurt mixture until thoroughly combined. Fold in the frozen raspberries and chocolate chips. 

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 

[ishedfoodgasms]

I wish every day could be blue skies and sunshine with pancakes and a side of bacon. Unfortunately, we don’t always get what we wish for. Or maybe fortunately, cause if I ate bacon every day I’d probably have multiple co-morbidities already. 

Recently, I have been doubting my decision to move 10,000 miles away from home and my capability to become a doctor. Not because I don’t have a passion for medicine because I do. And not because I don’t love Sydney because I do. I doubt myself because a lot of the time I am unhappy as a medical student. I’m constantly stressed about not being able to answer the registrar/consultants questions on rounds or about not being able to make it through the next set of exams or about the financial strain I’m putting on my parents. I doubt myself because I am alone here even when there’s people surrounding me everyday I feel alone at times. Some days I come home exhausted and drained and all I want is the comforting smell of my Granny’s cooking, her warm cuddle and cheeky smile.

But today a simple phone call to my best friend allowed me to learn two things. One: I should not invalidate my own physical and mental health. Because in order for me to be able to provide great care to my patients in the future, I must myself be happy and healthy. Two: I am not alone. 

I am so grateful that I can always count on her to cheer me up with her embarrassing flatus stories. 

Gluten Free Banana Pancakes

1 med ripe banana (mashed), 1.5 cups rice flour, 1 cup almond milk, 1 egg, 2tsp baking powder, 1tsp cinnamon, pinch of salt

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Then whisk the egg and mashed banana into the milk. Slowly poor the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients mixing well as you go. Make sure it’s all combined thoroughly and you get a smooth(ish) batter. Cook the batter on a non-stick pan as you would normally with pancakes. 

Enjoy in the sun with a cuppa and reflect on life! 

[ishedfoodgasms]

With all this exam stress impending on me I have become an anxious ball and not very good company. Luckily, I found the best therapist in town. A dear new friend recognised the grandma in me and invited me to join a knitting club with her. No judgement please! I legit feel so zen after, even though my fingers were cramping last night from all the knitting! There’s something about threading wool repetitively on two long needles that is just oh so calming and therapeutic!

Now I just gotta get the fuel in me right too with a healthy diet. So what better way to start my early morning surgical ward rounds than with these delicious savoury muffins packed with nutritional goodness. 

After all, the greatest form of self-respect is eating well. 

Savoury Quinoa Muffins

3 cups cooked quinoa, 1 small courgette (grated), 1/2 onion (diced), cloves garlic (diced), 1/2 cup corn kernels, 2 cups spinach & rocket leaves, 10-15 cherry tomatoes (halved), 4 eggs, 1/2 cup rice flour, 1tsp curry powder, 1tsp turmeric, 1tsp cumin, black pepper, coconut oil

Sauté the onions and garlic with all the spices in a dash of coconut oil. Once they are aromatic and slightly browned add the spinach and rocket leaves. Mix it in without over cooking. In a bowl throw in the corn, courgette and cherry tomatoes. Add the onion mixture and cooked quinoa and stir. Whisk the eggs in a measuring jug then, gradually add it into the vegetable medley. Mix it all in thoroughly. Season with some black pepper. Lastly, sieve the rice flour into the mixture and fold in carefully. Spoon the mixture into well greased muffin trays.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 25 minutes or until slightly golden on top. 

Your breakfast for the week is ready :) 

[ishedfoodgasms]

My mum still constantly scolds me and my siblings - “you’re forgetting your culture”, “don’t speak English!”, “stop acting like a guo lo!”

As a child growing up in a very small town in the middle of nowhere Ireland I was embarrassed about my Asian heritage. We were the only Chinese family in that town. Actually, there weren’t that many of us in the whole country at all. I hated that my parents made us that stereotypical Chinese immigrant family who owned a Chinese restaurant. I wanted to be like every other white kid in my class who ate spuds everyday and played on the green every weekend with their friends. Instead, I had to help out at the restaurant and on rare occasions that I had friends over, teach them how to eat noodles with chopsticks as I struggled to find a fork in our house.  

Thankfully, as I matured I began to realise how lucky I was to be different and understand the hardship my parents went through so that I can study Medicine (by choice!) in Sydney today. I’ve learnt to embrace my roots but also, I just cannot fathom life without proper Chinese food. 

I am still a confused child though and never know how to answer the question ‘where are you from?’.

Chinese Pancakes

2.5cups all purpose flour, 1cup hot water, bunch spring onions (diced), sea salt, olive oil

Sift the flour in a large bowl with a pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre and add the water. Using your hands draw the flour in, mixing and turning, until a dough just forms. Turn it onto a clean floured worktop and knead for about 5 minutes. The dough should be silky and elastic. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Allow it to prove in a warm place for at least 30 minutes. 

Roll the dough out on clean floured worktop to and divide it into 5 equal pieces. Take one piece and roll out into a round shape with a rolling pin until it’s about 2mm thick. Grind some sea salt on the rolled out dough and brush generously with oil. Sprinkle with diced spring onion. Now roll it up kinda like spring rolls to enclose the spring onion but don’t close off the sides. Then coil it into a round disc and tuck in the end bit underneath. (It should resemble the first image above.) Repeat with the remaining for segments. 

When you’re ready to cook them heat a frying pan with some oil. Roll out your discs one by one until it just less than 1cm thick. Cook each side for about 2 minutes or until it’s golden and flaky, adding more oil to the pan if necessary. 

Place it on kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil while your cooking the rest of them. Then cut into wedges and serve while hot. I like to eat them with congee or some dipping sauce. 

[ishedfoodgasms]

It was midnight, I was exhausted after a long sleepless flight, feeling despondent about semester starting again already and my only company in the kitchen was a sultry French playlist (I’m TRYING to pick up French again ok!) on Spotify. I was in such a daze that I went to take the cake out of the oven without oven mitts on, burnt myself and almost killed all my hard work. Cue the world’s smallest violin. 

But... it was all worth it! I made this cake for one of my favourite people’s Mexican themed birthday. Such a good friend so I am! The chilli complements the cheese and chocolate perfectly, giving it just the right amount of exotica. It is quite sinful though. 

Chilli Chocolate Baked Cheesecake

For the base: 1 pack digestive biscuits, 100g butter, 

For the filling: 3/2 cups chocolate chips, 1/2 cup cream, 750g cream cheese, 1/2 cup raw sugar, 3/4 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup cocoa powder

Also, 24cm springform cake tin, baking parchment

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and line your cake tin. 

Melt the butter in the microwave. Roughly break the biscuits and put in a food processor, blend with the melted butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Press tightly on to bottom of tin and bake in oven for 8 minutes, take it out to cool. Then reduce the oven temperature to 150 degrees Celsius. 

Melt the chocolate and cream in a pot on low heat until smooth. In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese, sugar, chilli, cinnamon and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until blended. Then add the melted chocolate and stir in with a wooden spoon. Sieve the cocoa in next. Folding gently until everything is combined thoroughly. Poor the filling over the partly baked crust. 

Bake in the oven for approx 60 minutes or until the top is slightly browned and the centre of the cheesecake is still semi-soft and jiggles. Turn the oven off, open the door slightly and let the cake sit in the hot oven for a further 30 minutes. Then take the cake out and let cool on a cooling rack for 30 more minutes. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. 

Remove cake from tin and decorate according to your imagination! I kept mine simple with fresh strawberries and cream and a tiny chilli :) 

Keep cake refrigerated but before serving let it rest in room temperature for 30 minutes or more. 

Sounds like a lot of effort but hard work pays off. 

[ishedfoodgasms]

One more sleep till I’m off for my two week bulking trip in Kuala Lumpur! When I left last December I thought I would not step foot back into Malaysia for a longgggg time but I actually miss some aspects of it. I’m not a fan of the sticky heat, traffic jams and hazy air but I am so keen for all the cheap tasty food! I’ve made a list of everything I need to eat while I’m there and I even attempted to gym today so that I can. 

Leaving my friends in Sydney with this hearty stew recipe that I’ve added an Asian twist to to keep you warm in this “cold” weather you call Winter while I’m fattening up in the sun - à tout à l’heure! Bisous x 

Braised Beef Stew

500g chuck steak,1 medium potato, 2 carrots, long beans, 2 bay leaves, thyme, sage, 2 cups spinach, 1 onion, garlic, 2 fresh chilli, 400g tinned tomato, vegetable stock cube , 1 pack dried ramen, soy sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper

Cut the steak, potato and carrots into small cubes. Dice the onion, garlic and chilli and cut the beans roughly into one inch long pieces. Heat up a large pot with with a generous amount of olive oil. Sear the potatoes, carrots, garlic and meat until slightly browned. Then add the onion, chilli and herbs. Sauté until aromatic. Add the tinned tomato and stock cube. Then using the tomato tin measure out 3-4 tins of hot water (enough to cover all the ingredients) and add to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil for about 5-10 mins then turn the heat down and simmer for about half an hour. Add soy sauce to taste and throw in the beans now. Continue simmering for a further 10 mins. Crush the dried ramen up with your hands and mix it into the stew and cook for 5 mins more. Finally stir in the spinach, once the spinach is wilted turn off the heat. 

[ishedfoodgasms]

For some odd reason I wake up naturally cranky and if I don’t have breakfast, well, it’s not pleasant - God bless my lucky future husband! This week I have been struggling with the 8am starts and the only thing that has helped me function through the long days of lectures is this amazing nutritious breakfast! It’s so important for me to have breakfast as it helps with my concentration and mood as well as giving me the energy to stay awake through my classes. Moreover, it prevents me from making bad choices later on in the day, especially lately, as I have no self-control when it comes to things that I know are bad for me!

iShed’s Bircher Muesli 

2.5 cups oats, 3 apples, 2.5 cups milk (I use rice, oat or almond), lemon, cinnamon, honey, nutmeg, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, vanilla extract

Grate the apples in a large bowl. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over it. Then add the milk, seeds, 1tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp honey and cinnamon & nutmeg to taste. Mix it all together and cover. Refrigerate overnight. 

Top with fruits of your choice and a dash of milk to adjust the texture when serving. Too easy! 

[ishedfoodgasms]

It’s been six months since I moved to Sydney and recently I made it twenty five (19 at heart) years on this earth. It has been a wee bit of a rollercoaster ride but reflecting back, especially on the last few months, I realise how much I’ve grown and learnt about myself. But it doesn’t matter how sensible or mature or rational I’m being, I still seem to always want what I can’t have even when I know it’s bad for me. There is a scientific explanation for this. Our brain likes to play havoc with our innermost desires. It only takes a couple of times for its reward centre to form associations between random things in the outside world and something that feels so good we can’t stop craving for more. 

Take these delectable savoury sweet treats for example. Chocolate and popcorn shouldn’t go together. Yet, I made them, taste tested one square, then two, then I couldn’t stop until almost half the tray was gone. All the while completely aware that I should not be a pig but the satisfaction of sweet and savoury just felt too good. Luckily, I used semi-healthy ingredients!

Chocolate Popcorn Squares

2.5 cups chocolate chips (I used dairy & gluten free ones), 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil, 1 bag microwave popcorn

Cook the popcorn in the microwave as per instructions on bag. Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a glass bowl over a pot of hot water on a stove. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water. Then in a large bowl pour 3/4 of the melted chocolate over the popcorn. Stir until the popcorn is evenly coated by chocolate. Transfer the chocolate coated popcorn in a lined baking tray and flatten it out evenly. Get another sheet of baking parchment to cover the popcorn and press down on the mixture firmly. Then drizzle the remaining chocolate mixture over the popcorn tray. Refrigerate until chocolate is all set. Then cut into squares of your desired size. 

Perfect light treat with a cuppa or for parties and kids!

[ishedfoodgasms]

What a miserable day! It’s been wet and gloomy out since I reluctantly pulled myself out of bed this AM. Then I got yelled at, innocently, for the first time by a patient in a language I could not even comprehend! On a positive note all those doctor-patient communication skills workshops in handling difficult patients that I used to think were a waste of time actually came into some use today! 

The best way to turn this frown of a day upside down was with some comfort food! These spiced roast vegetables are a perfect winter side dish to warm our hearts and so easy to prepare. It’s definitely going on my Christmas dinner menu for this year :) 

Warm Spiced Fennel & Squash 

fennel, squash, olive oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius 

Cut the squash and fennel into approx. 1inch wide wedges. Toss in a generous amount of olive oil, about 1tsp of nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric and cumin. Season with salt & pepper. Put vegetables on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Roast in preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until golden. 

Great complement with roast lamb and pork chops!

[ishedfoodgasms]

Avocados are so amazing. I don’t know how I got through so much of my life without them. If I could marry avocado I would. They sure make me happier than men!

The first time I used avocado in my baking was for our traditional Christmas log a few years ago at home. No one in my family even noticed that served them a fake chocolate log! Ever since I’ve made a few cakes with avocados but these are my first avocado brownies. And I loved them (if I may say so myself)! They’re super gooey, rich and guilt-free - just how brownies should be. The combination of chocolate and avocado may sound skeptical to some of you and granted they don’t taste like typical brownies that are packed with sugar and fat. But they’re a must try and a satisfying healthy replacement! 

On my playlist today as I’m babbling on about my love for avocado is a new friend I’ve made here in Sydney - Hawkeye Reis. Super impressed (and jealous) of his talent, only complaint is that his debut EP: Sorry, Charlie only has 3 songs! Check it out, nonetheless!

AvoBrownies 

2 ripe avocados, 2 eggs, 3tbsp virgin coconut oil, 1tbsp raw sugar, 3 tbsp honey, 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/2 cup cacao, 1/2 cup dairy/nut/gluten-free chocolate chips, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1tsp vanilla extract, pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Line your baking tray (8in x 8in).

In a food processor combine the avocado flesh, coconut oil, raw sugar and honey until it’s all smooth. Then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Once that’s all smooth and a silky texture, add the flour, baking soda, cacao and salt. Blend well. The mixture should now be thick(ish), soft and silky. Finally add the chocolate chips and mix it in. 

Transfer the batter into the baking tray, and make an even layer. Knock the tray on the counter firmly a couple times to break any air bubbles. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 40 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. 

Oh, and don’t forget to try the batter first. It was actually so yummy, I literally licked my spatula clean after - no judgement please!