Egg Muffin

Lately lil man seems to be bored of his food, so had to make more food to entice him.. Bookmarked similar recipe but lazy to follow so came up with my anyhow easy method. Jus a quick chop chop ingredients which u can prep the night before and jus put into nuffin tray and pour egg over to bake while u get the kids ready for school or urself for work! 

I added chopped ham, tomatoes, crabstick, spinach. I grease the muffin tray with oil and scoop ingredients inside. No exact measurement as I just put them by 'feel'.. Hahaha, ya by feel for this morning. Think ingredients can be anything that yourself or your family likes. I beat 6 eggs and added seasonings to it. Pour over ingredients til 80% or jus covering the ingredients. Oh, u can add some cheese to them too!! 

The big kids love it. So it will be an alternative to their lunchboxes for school. And i can bring this out for Arvin's along with other simple food. Here is my simple recipe.

Egg Muffin

6 eggs, beaten

3 pc of ham, chopped

2 small tomatoes, chopped

1 handful spinach, chopped

2 crabstick, chopped

Seasonings for eggs

1) Beat 6 eggs and add some seasonings

2) Chopped all above ingredients

3) Grease muffin tray and scoop ingredients in layer by layer

4) Pour beaten eggs over til cover ingredients

5) Bake at 180deg for 30mins or til eggs are fully cooked. Serve warm

Pandan Chiffon Cupcakes

Been wanting to bake cupcakes for the kids' lunchboxes so has been trying and bookmarking a few recipes. Another few on the 'to-do-list' are those quiches/egg-like cuppies for breakfast. Those need coaching to my helper on how to bake them and I need a trial run on how well they keep as well. So let's see how it goes next week or later this week during the school holiday!

Today I did this Pandan Chiffon Cupcakes. Viola~ I love it, as well as my 15month old. Couldnt stop eating and got angry when I walked away with it. And I also went to get the Honey Cheesecake from Swee Heng after seeing the intro video. 

Tastewise, better than Breadtalk's Honey something cake. And its worth the $3.80 in my view. I can cut into 8 small slices which is just nice for a small bite after a meal. Do go ahead and try. And this cake inspire me on some more other cheese sponge too...

Back to my chiffon, its light and i think sweetness can reduce slightly. I used pandan paste, fresh milk to replace. Lovely chiffon cupcakes as I think it didnt really collaspe much and no cracks even tho I forgot to add the baking powder. 

Really soft and spongy!

I fill then up to this height! When cooled, it collaspe slightly below the cupcake case rim. 

Pandan Chiffon Cupcakes (adapted n modified from The Dream Baker)

3 Whites

35g Sugar

2 Yolks

30g Sugar

25ml Oil

1tsp Pandan Paste

65ml Milk

70g Cake Flour

1tsp Baking Powder (i forgot to put my baking powder)

1tsp Salt

1) Beat Whites and sugar til soft peaks.

2) Mix Sugar and yolks well. Add remaining wet ingredients and mix well. 

3) Add sift dry ingredients and mix til no lumps

4) Add 1/2 meringue to the mixture, then pour mixture into balance meringue and fold well

5) Pour batter into cupcake case, fill up 80%

6) Bake at 170deg for 30-45mins til top browned nicely

Chocolate Bluberries Muffins

Lately really got into the mood of rekindling my baking sparks. Maybe I couldnt do as much the big kids' lunchboxes so I wanna replace with some home-baked treats for them to bring to school. 

I bookmarked this simple and straightforward recipes and decided to add some cocoa powder, using only blueberries and chocolate chips for them. It took me like 15mins max to put them together and then another 30mins or so to bake them. All this done while 'eye-powering' my little toddler running to and forth in the background. 

Using only 2 bowls, all is done with minimum washing. I like the simple method and time-saving too. And usually I do my baking in the mornings or before the 2 older kids are home. Oh, afternoons are kept busy for them. Supervising daily homeworks, spellings or tests if there is.

Try this recipe. With the addition of cocoa powder and the tangy blueberries, its doesnt feel so sinful to eat. It goes well for the kids' lunchboxes next day too.

Chocolate Blueberries Muffins (modified slightly from DreamersLoft)

220g Cake Flour

30g Cocoa powder

120g Brown sugar

1.5tsp baking powder

1/2tsp salt

60g Butter, melted

250ml milk

1 egg

Handful of blueberries & chocolate chips

1) Put all dry ingredients together and mix them. Add some to blueberries and coat them.

2) Melt butter and cool. Add remaining wet ingredients and mix well.

3) Make a hole in middle of dry ingredients and pour all the wet ingredients in. Mix well but dont over mix. 

4) Add chocolate chips and blueberries and slightly stir in

5) Fill in cupcake liners and bake 170deg for 30mins or til skewer comes out clean.

Food for babies/toddlers II - Quinoa Salad

So last week I was sharing about the Iron drops right, and we have just went back for a review on Wednesday. Lil boy blood count is back to normal but his hemoglobin level is still on lower side (iron level in his body) at 8.6+. Doc advise acceptable range is 11-16 which means he isnt very far off. 

Doc recommend to give both drops + iron-rich food to boost up his hemoglobin level faster. But both me and hubby feels that his appetite is better eversince back from his hospital stay and he starting to eat more solids as compared to before. And since I can give him natural source of iron from food, why not? Just need to be hardworking, do my homework on which are the food, plan the cooking method which he may accept and do our best. 

This week I started back on rice for him as lil boy has quite a bit of a 'pick eater' issue. He doesnt like to sit at a place for his meal. He needs to have some distractions, with maybe a bowl, spoon or some small items. Therefore if his food isnt what he is keen, he definitely wont come back for more. 

We tried korean chix rice & yoshinoya beef rice when i did takeouts for lunch. He loves them! We had scrambled eggs w/shallots+tomatoes, stir fry brinjal, steamed sweet potato, quinoa salad w/beef & chix. He finished a portion each time! I would say he is eating well. On top, i give cereals for breakfast & sometimes snack when he is up from afternoon naps. Fruits which I mashed up for easier eating as well. 

Lets continue to fight my lil boy!

Quinoa Salad w/Beef & Chicken

Handful Quinoa

1/2 Crabstick

Handful Fusili

1/2 Chopped tomatoes

1/4 Pan-fried Chix thigh

2 thin strips Pan-fried Beef steak

1) Boil quinoa, crabstick, fusili. Drain n leave aside

2) Chopped tomato, and the pan-fried meat

3) Add together, served with Jap mayo + drops of lemon juice

PS: Let me know if any of the other food interest you and u need a recipe, I will try to do a short write up or reply to u! 😘

Egg Bolo aka 小馒头

Bookmarked for a while, even gotten ingredients way back but went ahead with the other newly added 'To-Bake/Try' list.. hahahah.. 

Wanted something fast and lesser possibility of errors so I dig out my packet of Icing sugar and Potato flour. It took me like 20mins max, frm weighing to mixing and moulding the balls.. I even mould 2 small hearts for the big kids' lunchbox tml. 

This recipe orginate from Umekids. Very simple and easy to make. 1 recipe makes about 35 balls, depending on the size of balls u roll. I have a mix of smaller and bigger balls. I am bad at estimating the amount of dough to take. And I also noted that when baked, it expands slightly..

I use coco powder to make paste for the drawing. Instead of using toothpick, I use a small ziplock and pipe. So much faster. 

Store in airtight for the big kids as lunchbox treats! 

Egg Bolo (Adapt & modified slightly from Umekids)

1 yolk

20g Icing Sugar

70g Potato Flour

1tsp Vanilla Paste

Drawing : 2Tsp Coco powder + water to make into thick paste

1) Add icing sugar to yolk and mix well

2) Add potato flour and mix well then hand knead slightly into a dough

3) Pinch to preferred size and roll into a ball

4) Bake at 170deg for 10-15mins

Pandan Gula Melaka Chiffon

Yes, I know it. I have been playing with Gula Melaka. 😂😂😂 Dont ask me why, I also dont know why. After I got pregnant with #3, and gave birth, I just develop a liking for Gula Melaka. Ondeh ondeh cakes, ondeh ondeh and more... 

So I saw this Pandan Gula Melaka Chiffon and know that I just have to try it. Bookmarked and waited for a chance to do so. Not so easy, even with a helper and managing 3 kids (14m old and 2 primary school kids) Homework, fighting and playing, all also have to be involved. 

Nowsaday to prevent the mistake of weighing wrong amount of ingredients, I pre-packed them a day ahead so that I just have to 'assemble' it. 😂😂😂 I hack with replacing the gula melaka chunks with gula melaka dessicated coconut. Taste lovely and the faint hint of coconut in the chiffon. The 2 different taste of pandan and gula = DELICIOUS!! 

It has been a long while since I baked a chiffon. Sadly though it taste nice, but the bottom and sides sort of sink in a bit. But after inverting bottom down, the whole cake is fine. Just that the sides, the longer sides are sank in. I wonder if its due to me squeezing the parchment paper in a rush, without cutting it or its the baking process. Nonetheless, I will definitely bake again since its so nice. But on a note, perhaps can reduce the gula melaka slightly as I find it a bit on the sweet side. 

Oh, and i cut a step by replacing the homemade gula melaka syrup with those ready store bought gula melaka syrup. And I didnt had time with the pandan juice either. Luckily it still turns out well. 

Here's a slice for the kids as dessert for recess. Specially requested by my gal to bring to school.

Pandan Gula Melaka Chiffon (adapted with slight modifications from Bake For Happy Kids)

Meringue

7 Whites 

60g Sugar

Pandan Batter

3 Yolks

60ml Milk

10ml Oil

1g Pandan Paste

60g Cake Flour

1/2tsp Baking Powder

1/2tsp Salt

Gula Melaka Batter
3 Yolks
45ml Gula Melaka Syrup
20ml Milk
10ml Oil
1g Pandan Paste
60g Cake Flour
1/2tsp Baking Powder
1/2tsp Salt

Gula Melaka Dessicated Coconut
Approximately 4-5Tbsp of dessicated coconut. Add enough gula melaka syrup to mix and cover all of the coconut

1) Mix the above ingredients for the 2 batter and leave aside
2) Beat the whites into soft peaks, do not overbeat
3) Divide meringue equally into the 2 batters, mixing 1/2 meringue in at a time for each batter
4) Pour 1/2 of Pandan batter into tin, spread evenly.
5) Sprinkle evenly on top of batter. Then pour remaining pandan batter to cover
6) Pour Gula Melaka batter over and use spatula to even it
7) Bake at 180deg for 40-50mins once top is browned nicely and skewer comes out clean
8) Invert once out of oven to cool

Food for babies/toddlers

As I mentioned previously that my third child was admitted for fever and we noted a lower blood count, doctor advised to introduce more meat as he isnt having much of it. And the low blood count could mean lack of iron which can also causes the lower blood count. 

Tried offering BLW (babyledweaning) with high iron food to make it more interesting for him but it doesnt works. So we are back to puree as I realised he like having veg/fruit pouches as a paste/gravy over his rice if we are eating out and there isnt anything suitable for him. 

And since he doesnt like the Beef/Pork bone broth over rice, I guess we have to sneak meat into his meal with purees. I cant get over with food pouches that contains meat so I decided to get some ideas from Mr Google and below are a few attempts.

First, we tried Sweet Potato + Quinoa. It comes up to about a cup of Avent breastmilk storage cup. We boil both the swet potato with a bit of water til soft then puree it. If it's too dry, u can add the water left from boiling or add boiled drinking water bit by bit. And the results, I would say 80% success as I managed to get him to finish almost a cup, on top of some dried fruits and the sweet potato rusk that I shared the other day. 

Then we tried Purple carrot + Quinoa + Brocolli + Apple. He loves it! We boiled carrot, brocoli & quinoa. Apple we jus cut in cubes and blend together. He finished a cup! Good job right!! And yes he had it alongside some of his fav fishies biscuits. 

And then we tried Beef + Quinoa + Brocolli + Apple. Ok, not a fan even tho i offer him his fav biscuits & dried fruits. He had about 1/2 cup of it. Maybe the combination isnt that great. Lets try sneaking beef again. 

And lastly, his most favourite in my opinion. We had Chicken + Carrot + Spinach with Pork/Beef broth. Gosh, I think it comes up to almost 1 cup+ and he finish almost all with minimal biscuits & side treats. I tried and its yummy to me. Best combination of all. 

Above are all high iron food, sweet potato, quinoa, brocolli, spinach, beef. I am sorry I dont have any exact measurement as all based on estimation of how much I wanna prep. But usually ingredients like sweet potato, carrots, apple are 1 whole piece. Quinoa is about a handful. I hope it helps. 

Ondeh Ondeh Cupcakes

I have fallen in love with Ondeh Ondeh after my third child. Dont ask me why, I also dont know. I have tried many Ondeh ondeh cakes and some are too sweet, some not to my liking and so on. 

I came across this recipe from Whisk n Fold when my fren introduce their Cheese Castella Cake recipe. So i bookmarked and told myself, I will try making some! 

In a haste, I wanted to halve the recipe and make a small batch. Then later on, I decided to make 1 full recipe but I only remember to increase the flour but not the rest of ingredients. And why it happen? Cos I was too occupied with my missing pandan paste and had to blend some pandan leaves to make my own. And i substitute the coconut milk to fresh milk to lower the feeling of guilt. 

I was wondering how come my batter was very thick, not wet so I added another 4-5Tbsp of milk. Baked as per recipe. Surprisingly the cupcake tasted fine, else than a bit of dry. The gula melaka coconut shreds was made with gula melaka syrup instead of boiling frm scratch. And after assembling, the buttercream + gula melaka coconut enhance the taste of the whole cupcake! Will definitely bake them again with the right amount this time! Haha!!

 Ondeh Ondeh Cupcakes (adapted & modified slightly from Whisk n Fold)

Cupcakes

300g Plain Flour

1tsp Baking Powder

1tsp Salt

4-6 Pandan Leaves (blend with a bit of water and sieve)

240g Sugar

180g Butter

3 Eggs

180ml Milk

1) Sieve flour, salt and baking powder

2) Blend pandan leaves with a bit of water and sieve. Add enough milk to make 180ml

3) Beat butter & sugar til pale. Add eggs 1 by 1

4) Add 1/3 flour mixture and mix well, followed by 1/2 pandan milk mixture and mix. Then continue with 1/3 flour, milk and flour

5) Put on cupcake liners and bake at 180deg for 30-40mins or til skewer comes out clean

6) Leave to cool

Gula Melaka Coconut 

I estimate and pour out some dessicated coconut and mix with gula melaka syrup. Set aside.

Buttercream

2 whites

20g Sugar

40g Sugar

10ml water

100g Butter

1tsp Vanilla Paste

1) Beat whites and 20g sugar til soft peaks. Meringue should look glossy

2) Heat 40g sugar + 10ml water til 116deg. I normally bring to slight bubbling, count to 20 and off.

3) Leave mixer on high and slowly stream down syrup

4) Put mixer to medium and beat til meringue cool

5) Add butter cubes and mix at medium. Continue til all butter is added 

6) Add vanilla paste and beat til stiff peaks

7) Put in piping bag

Assembling:

1) Cut a hole in center of cupcakes

2) Put gula melaka coconut

3) Pipe buttercream over and drizzle some gula melaka syrup

Healthy Sweet Potato Rusk

Recently my thirdborn was admitted and according to doctors, his bloodcount was slightly low. They suspected that it could be due to insufficient intake of meat or iron intake. So i need to give him iron supplements. But the idea of supplements and iron from food versus supplement, definitely from food is easier to absorb n better. So, the journey begins. 

I have been googling a lot, especially when little man dont like meat. So looking into fruits & vegetables or any other form of iron! I chanced upon a few and this is my first. Reason, easy & fast to put together. The big kids can have some too. Upside, I have coconut oil at home too, which is healthy too.. 

In barely 30mins, done and sent to oven. Helper says to stamp some cute patterns. 😂😂😂 Baking for 30mins or til crispy. 

Tastewise, healthy snacks usually taste average. But having big kids asking for 2nd helping shouldnt sound too bad. Lil fussy eater had a strips without objection means ok too. Personally, not my liking and definitely taste healthy. But no harm baking them as healthy snacks to go with a cup of milk right! 

Sweet Potato Rusk (adapted from MyKidsLickTheBowl)

200g Sweet Potato

1 Cup Oat Flour

2Tbsp Coconut Oil

1) Take out skin, cut into small chunks n boil til soft. Mash with fork.

2) Take 1 cup of oat and blend into powder form, mix to sweet potato. 

3) Add coconut oil and mix well.

4) Roll out on baking sheet. Using pizza cutter and cut into strips.

5) Bake at 150-180 deg for 30mins or til crispy. Cool n store in airtight container.

Castella Cheese Cake

Much rave of Castella since b4 I was pregnant but never got the chance to explore it. Maybe to me was just another version of Chiffon cake?

Today I finallt tried the highly raved recipe, recommended by a mama fren from Whisk&Fold. I decided to halve the recipe, since it's my first attempt. And i replaced the top flour with plain flour. Yes, i forgot to add baking powder while I was mixing the meringue and so I was crossing my fingers thru'out the baking. 

I could totally smell the aroma of baking. Gosh, I missed that smell. I think my kids missed it too. And I purposely bring out my Kitchenaid for the job of mixing the meringue! So excited and cant wait for the cake to be done. I wanna see the 'wobble' dance!! 😂😂

End results, not sure if the cake/top flour would have done any difference but using plain flour is already very nice! Soft and fluffy, with the cheese oozing out. Even my 14m also enjoying it! 

Try it! 

Castella Cake (adapted from WhisknFold)

Makes a 8" cake

4 whites

45g Sugar

1/3 tsp Salt

45ml Oil

45ml Plain Flour

45ml Milk

3 Yolks

3 Cheddar slices

1) Heat up oil slightly, remove and stir in flour.

2) Microwave/scald milk 1min and add to flour mixture.

3) Add in yolks and mix well. No lumps.

4) Beat whites and salt. Add sugar gradually. Continue to beat til soft-stiff peaks form.

Meringue shld look glossy and bright.

5) Add 1/3 meringue to flour mixture. Mix well.

6) Pour flour mixture to remaining meringue and mix well.

7) Pour 2/3 batter to lined baking tin, place 3 cheddar then pour remaining batter over.

8) Bake at 150deg for 40-50mins. Skewer shld comes out clean once ready.

9) Cool slightly and serve warm.