Janny's Cooking Diary

Curry Rainbow Peppers with Whole Grain Pasta

2011-04-29T15:35:00.000-04:00

This recipe is kind of like Indian, Italian and Chinese fusion. I used the yellow curry and stir-fried with pasta. The idea came from preparing bring-to-work lunch every weekend. How to make it healthy? I don’t do a lot of exercise. So, I must watch my diet. In my opinion, the smell of whole grain or whole wheat pasta will turn you away from eating healthy. That was how I started out using strong and spicy herbs and spices to cover that smell. It works out very good that you don’t even realize it is not regular white pasta.

Ingredient
4 Rainbow Color Bell Peppers (seeded and cut into stripes)
1 Big Yellow Onion (sliced)
1 Box (12oz) Whole Grain Spaghetti
1 tbsp Yellow Curry Powder

Seasonings
1 Pot of Water
1 ½ tsp Salt (divided)
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pinch of Sugar
1 pinch of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Bring a pot of water to a boil
Add 1tsp salt, 1tbsp vegetable oil and spaghetti in
Quick stir and cook until al dente

After draining the pasta, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in the same pot at medium high heat
Add onion, red pepper flakes and ½ tsp salt, cook until almost tender
Add peppers and cook until warm
Add yellow curry powder and sugar, stir to combine
Add pasta and toss to coat
Add a splash of water to loosen up if necessary

Serve 4 people

TIPS
Yellow Curry Powder is available at the international asile. It is spicy, but not hot.

Chipole Chicken and Spinach Whole Grain Penne

2011-03-14T12:42:00.002-04:00

Do you love carb? Yes, so do I. Even though switching to the whole grain/whole wheat products, you still have the crave of the regular carb, right? To me, whole grain/whole wheat pasta has some kind of smell that makes me want to go back to the regular pasta. But then, I found out that if I put in BIG flavor, I am pretty good at sticking to the healthy ones. Hope you will do the same, too.

Ingredients
2 Cooked Chicken Breast (shredded; leftover would be great for this recipe)
1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce
2 Boxes (10 oz) Frozen Chopped Spinach (chopped and lightly squeezed out the liquid)
1 Box (12oz) Whole Grain Penne
1 Cloves Garlic (chopped)
1 tbsp Onion Powder

Seasonings
1 Pot of Water
1 1/2 tsp Salt (divided)
1tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1 pinch of Sugar

Bring a pot of water to a boil
Add 1tsp salt, 1tbsp oil and pasta
Quick stir and let it cook until al dente; drain

(If you don't have cooked chicken breast, salt and pepper it and sear it on the pan while you are waiting for the pasta.)

Using the same pot, heat extra virgin olive oil at medium to medium high heat
Add chipotle pepper and adobo sauce; stir until it broke down into pieces completely
Stir in garlic, onion powder, sugar, 1/2tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
Add spinach and cook until it is warm through
Stir in shredded chicken
Add more extra virgin olive oil if the chicken and spinach mixture is too dry
Add pasta and toss to coat
Taste and adjust flavor and serve

Serve 4 people

TIPS
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce is available at the international aisle.
If 1 chipotle pepper is still too much for you, put in a quarter of it first. Before serving, you can add more adobo sacue (1/2 tsp at a time).
Leftover of chipotle in adobo sauce can be stored in air-tight container and chill it in the fridge or freezer.
Do not completely squeeze out the liquid from the spinach. Otherwise, it will be too dry.

Frozen Root Beer Float

2010-08-06T10:08:00.000-04:00

My hubby loves me to make crushed ice (a.k.a. granita) during summer time so much. But among all the flavors, he loves root beer the most. So, one day, I decided to combine this idea to the regular root beer float. Men, oh men...it was a big hit on a Thursday night dinner. And it cools you down, too. ENJOY!

Ingredients
2 Cans Root Beer
Vanilla Ice-Cream

Pour 2 cans of root beer into a 9" x 12" baking dish
Put it in the freezer for 30 minutes
Take it out and use a fork to prick and fluff the ice
Put it back into the freezer for another 30 minutes again

Repeat the last 3 steps for 4 more times
Fluff the ice totally 4 times
Totally 2 hours
Spoon the ice into a glass and top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream

Serves 6-8 people

Asian Sesame Chicken Noodle

2010-07-18T15:28:00.002-04:00

I called this dish “Asian” ‘cos I use both Chinese and Japanese ingredients.

Ingredient
1 Store-bought Whole Rotisserie Chicken (skinned, boned and shredded) with juice
1LB Spaghetti
1 tbsp White Sesame Seeds
2-3 Scallions (chopped; optional for garnish only)

Seasonings
1 Pot of Water
1 tsp + 1 pinch Salt (divided)
¼ cup Tamari Soy Sauce (=Japanese Sushi Soy Sauce)
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil (divided)
1 tsp Sesame Oil

Bring a pot of water to a boil
Add 1tsp salt, 1tbsp vegetable oil and pasta
Quick stir and cook until al dente; drain

While waiting, prepare the chicken
After draining the pasta, use the same pot and heat 1tbsp oil at medium to medium high head
Add chicken with juice and a pinch of salt
Cook until warm
Add spaghetti and tamari soy sauce
Stir to combine
Turn off heat and add sesame oil and scallions
Quick toss and sprinkle sesame seed on top and serve

Serve 4 people

Chicken Bow Tie Pasta with Sage Sauce

2010-07-16T15:21:00.000-04:00

This recipe was inspired by the Thanksgiving turkey dressing.

Ingredients
1LB Mini-Farfalle (a.k.a. Bow Tie pasta)
1 Store-bought Whole Rotisserie Chicken (skinned, boned and shredded) with juice
1tbsp Dried Parsley Flakes
1 ½ tsp Ground Sage
1 tsp Onion Powder
½ tsp Garlic Powder
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Seasonings
1 Pot of Water
1 ½ tsp Salt (divided)
½ tsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Bring a pot of water to a boil
Add 1tsp salt, 1tbsp vegetable oil and pasta
Quick stir and cook until al dente; drain

While waiting, preheat another pot at medium heat
Add butter, extra virgin olive oil, sage, garlic and onion powder
Stir to combine
Add chicken with juice, ½ tsp salt and black pepper
Add more extra virgin olive oil if needed

Stir in pasta and toss to coat
Add parsley flakes for garnish and serve

Serve 4 people

TIPS
Any short pasta will do.

Rotisserie Chicken

2010-07-16T15:11:00.002-04:00

I am always busy and have so much to do. But after becoming a mother, I just realized that time is even more precious than before.

Even though taking care of a child takes up so much of my time. I still think that home-cook meal is one of the most essential ingredients for a healthy family and child’s life. So, some short cut is wonderful. At the same time, I am very conscious about the preservatives in any store bought meal and/or ingredients. Rotisserie chicken is one of the quickest and healthy options.

Here are some tips for you:

1. Buy 2 – 3 of them when it is on sale. Skinned, boned and shredded the chicken. Separate into several equal portions and store into containers. Freeze it if necessary for future use.
2. Always buy original flavor instead of Italian or other flavor. This will allow the chicken versatile for any dish.

Last but not least, enjoy the next 2 recipes with the rotisserie chicken.

Tuna Fried Rice

2010-03-05T13:13:00.001-05:00

Tuna is one of the stables in my pantry. I always use it for pasta. After a while, I want something new. So, I kept thinking of how to use tuna in my Chinese dishes.

Fried-rice is the dish that it can go with everything. So, I made my own twist and create this recipe.

Ingredient
2 Cans (6oz each) Tuna with Olive Oil (I personally like Genova brand. It’s fill with tuna, not just oil or some loose meat.)
3 Ribs Celery (diced)1 hipping tbsp Olive Tapenade (optional)
4 Cups Cooked White Rice
2 Eggs
2 Scallion (chopped & optional)

Seasonings
1tbsp Minced Garlic
1 Splash Superior Lite Soy Sauce
½ tsp Salt
More oil (if necessary)

Heat a deep skillet at medium to medium high heat
Add tuna together with olive oil and garlic
Stir and cook about 2 minutes
Add celery, olive tapenade and cook about another minute
Add rice, salt and soy sauce
Keep stirring until rice is warm and no lumps
Add more oil if needed (If so, add 1tbsp at a time)
Add eggs and keep stirring until eggs are cooked and set
Add scallion for garnish and serve

Serve 4 people

Frozen Mocha Yogurt

2010-01-29T12:46:00.000-05:00

I created this recipe during 2009 holiday season. At that time, I was thinking that with so many cookies and pies, how could I make a healthier dessert? After looking into my pantry, I came up with this idea. When I let the family to try it in the Thursdays night dinner, everybody loved it. I hope you will enjoy this as much as we did.

Ingredients
4 Cups Plain Yogurt
1/8 Cup Coffee Mix with Sugar Added
1 Pack Hot Chocolate Mix
¼ Cup Powder Sugar
1 pinch of Salt

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until all well-mixed
Transfer the yogurt back into the container and freeze for 4 hours and serve

Serve 4-6 people

TIPS
To serve immediate, feel free to skip the ¼ cup of powder suguar.

Make Your Own Baby Food (Stage 1)

2009-12-09T11:20:00.003-05:00

Before my son started solid food, I was determined that I would make my own. So, I never tried to use any baby food in the jar until last week. (Of course, I forgot how the texture is when my baby sister was little.) I was so surprised that there is so much water in it. When I mentioned it, my mother-in-law said that she thought that I put water into his food, too. But I told her that I only steam the vegetables without adding extra water into his food.

Since my son is so used to my home-made food, it didn't satisfy him that night. He woke up very early in the middle of the night and hungry.

If you are trying to save some money and keep your baby healthy, I hope the following tips help you to make your own baby food.

1) All the vegetables are steamed and one pound per batch
2) Use the regular food processor to pulse ground about 6-8 times before turning it on to low-high speed until the texture looks like smashed potatoes
3) Transfer to sealable container and store in the fridge
4) Makes 9 serving and each serving is about 2 heaping cereal spoons which is about the same size of the stage 1 baby food in the jar
5) Cooking time is as follows:

a) Frozen Crinkle Cut Carrots - 20 minutes
b) Frozen Butternut Squash - 20 minutes
c) Frozen Turnip - 20-25 minutes
d) Fresh Green Beans - 25 minutes
e) Sweet Potatoes (cut into 1/4" slices) - 20 minutes
f) Frozen Green Peas - 5 minutes
g) Frozen Green Peas and Diced Carrots - 20 minutes

Except peas, the good indicator is fork tender. Then, you will know when it is done.

Hope your baby will love what you make.

Crispy Bowties with Chocolate Fudge Sauce

2009-11-16T18:15:00.000-05:00

Ingredients
1 Cup Dried Bowtie Pasta
Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Seasonings
½ tsp Salt
1tbsp Oil
1tbsp Sugar
1 Pot of Water (about a medium-size saucepan)
Powder Sugar

Bring a pot of water to a boil
Add salt, sugar, oil and pasta
Quick stir and cut cooking time into half
Preheat a pot of oil in a deep-fryer
Line 2 plates with paper towels

Drain pasta and transfer to one of the plates
Pad pasta dry
Separate and deep-fry the pasta into 3-4 batches until pasta is golden brown
Transfer pasta to plate to drain the excess oil
Let cool completely

Warm the fudge sauce in the microwave oven without the lid
Dust bowties with powder sugar and serve with fudge sauce on the side

Serves 8-10 people

Southwestern Style Meatless Salad

2009-10-24T11:02:00.000-04:00

Being a parent, I realize that every second counts. I don’t have much time to cook, but still have to keep myself healthy. At the same time, I am not big on frozen dinner. In my opinion, kids always get more benefits from the homemade meals. Therefore, I need to think of something super, super simple.

This is the salad that it has a lot of fibers and protein with little bit help from the store-bought ranch dressing.

Ingredients
1 Head Iceberg Lettuce (cored and cut in bite size)
1 Can (15oz; drained) Sweet Corn Kernels
1 Can (15oz; drained and rinsed) Black Beans
Your favorite brand of ranch dressing

Transfer lettuce to salad bowl
Top it with sweet corn and black beans
Served with ranch dressing

TIPS
Can add diced deli meat

Serves 4 people

Chocolate Cream Cheese

2009-10-16T12:00:00.001-04:00

Ingredients
2tbsp Chocolate Drink Mix (sugar added already)
1 (8oz; room temperature) Bar Cream Cheese

Combine cream cheese and 1tbsp chocolate mix into a resealable container
Usea fork to stir until combine
Taste and add another tbsp of chocolate mix
Taste to adjust flavor
Serve immediately or chill for serving later

TIPS
Avoid the chocolate mix with marshmallow

Vanilla Coffee Cream Cheese

2009-10-14T12:00:00.000-04:00

Ingredients
2tbsp Vanilla Coffee Mix (sugar added already)
1 (8oz; room temperature) Bar Cream Cheese

Combine cream cheese and 1tbsp coffee mix into a resealable container
Use a fork to stir until combine
Taste and add another tbsp of coffee mix
Taste to adjust flavor
Serve immediately or chill for serving later

TIPS
Any coffee flavor will do.
Have your kid to stir the ingredients for you

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Cream Cheese

2009-10-12T12:39:00.003-04:00

Ingredients
1 (8oz; room temperature) Bar Cream Cheese
2 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder

Combine cream cheese, 1tbsp brown sugar and cinnamon into a resealable container
Use a fork to stir until combine
Taste and add another tbsp of brown sugar
Taste to adjust flavor
Serve immediately or chill for serving later

TIPS
Light brown sugar would work, too.
Different people have different sweet level. That's why you want to add 1tbsp of sugar at a time.

Make Your Own Gourmet Flavored Cream Cheese

2009-10-12T12:30:00.002-04:00

There was and is a time after the delivery of the baby that I have a craving for bagels with cream cheese. (Isn't it funny? I didn't have any craving during my pregnancy, but after. LOL...)

After buying my favorite flavor so many times, I then realized that how much I could save if I mix it by myself.

The recipes I am going to share with you are based on those very common household ingredients.

What I really want to show you is the money that you can save:
1 8oz bar of Store-brand cream cheese - $1
1 tub of 8oz flavored cream cheese - $2.99
1 tub of 8oz whipped flavored cream cheese and AIR (whipped into the cream cheese) - $2.99

So, it is at least $2 saving. Plus, you can make your own flavors without your limitations.

Chunky Vegetables, Beans and Kielbasa Soup

2009-10-07T12:32:00.000-04:00

Ingredients
1 LB Smoked Turkey Kielbasa (sliced in diagonal 1/4" thick)
4 ribs Celery (cut into 1/2" chunks)
1LB Frozen Crinkle Cut Carrots (thawed)
1 Can (28 oz) Diced Tomatoes with Juice
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tbsp Onion Powder
1 Dried Bay Leaf
1 (15oz; drained) Large Butter Beans
4 Cups Chicken Broth

Seasonings
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Heat oil in soup pot at medium to medium high heat
Brown kielbasa about 5 minutes
Add carrots and celery and cook about 3 minutes
Add broth, tomato with juice, garlic powder, onion powder, beans and bay leaf
Turn heat to high and bring to a boil
Add salt and pepper
Cook at low heat under cover for 20 minutes
Taste to adjust flavor and serve

Serve 4 people

Dates Tea

2009-10-05T12:08:00.003-04:00

Chinese use dried seedless red dates in almost everything. It can sweeten the bitter Chinese medicine. It can also neutralize some of the malfunctions inside your body.

You can find this ingredient in the Chinese stores easily. The package may show the name as "Dried Ziziphus Jujuba Mill (Red Date)".

Before the delivery of my baby, my best friend, Carol, told me that if I didn't have time to prepare any special post-pregnancy meals, I should have at least brew the dates tea.

I remembered when I was in university, people whom burned the midnight oil all the time relied on this tea to get more energy, instead of caffeine.

Hope you will enjoy this no-brainer recipe as much as I do.

Ingredients
2 dates
2 Cups Hot boiling water

After combining the dates and water together, let it brew for 15-20 minutes or until cool enough to drink.

TIPS
Make sure the dates are seedless. Otherwise, it will work the opposite way.

Spinach and Sausage Gnocchi

2009-09-23T18:24:00.000-04:00

I love the texture of gnocchi. It always reminds me a kind of Chinese noodles, called the Shanghai style Chinese New Year Cake.

Spinach is the stable in my kitchen all the time. And I specially incorporated into my pregnancy diet a lot because of its nutrition values.

Ingredients
1 LB Frozen Gnocchi
2 Boxes (10oz each; thawed and squeezed out the excess liquid) Frozen Spinach
1 Box (8oz; diced) Pre-cooked Sausage Links

Seasonings
1 Pot of Water
1 ½ tsp Salt (divided)
1tbsp Oil
1tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ tsp Black Pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil
Add 1tsp salt, 1tbsp oil and gnocchi
Quick stir and let it cook until al dente by following the package direction
Drain pasta

In a big skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil at medium high heat
Add sausage and black pepper to brown
Add spinach and ½ tsp salt
Cook until warm
Add gnocchi and combine and serve

Serve 2-4 people
Makes 2 big serving for expecting or breastfeeding moms

Grilled Pork Chops & Warm Fruit Cocktail on Rice

2009-09-22T08:42:00.001-04:00

Ingredients
8 pcs Thick Cut Bone-In Pork Chops
1 Can (30oz; drained) Fruit Cocktail
1 ½ Cups Rice

Seasonings
3 Cups Water
1 tbsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
1/8 Cup Japanese Tamari Soy Sauce
1 Splash Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ tsp Ginger Powder

Combine rice and water together
Bring to a boil
Lower the heat to low and simmer for another 20-25 minutes or until water is absorbed

When rice is half way cooked, combine fruit cocktail, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger powder, pinch of salt and pepper in a saucepan
Bring it to a boil and simmer at low heat

Heat grill on high heat
Salt and pepper both sides of pork chops
Cook 8 minutes each side or your desired doneness

To serve, put rice on a serving plate
Top with pork chops; then the fruit cocktail

Serve 4-6 people
Makes 2 big servings for Expecting or Breastfeeding Moms

Classical Chinese Ginger Fried-Rice

2009-09-16T12:16:00.002-04:00

I was very lucky that I had never had morning sickness throughout my pregnancy. But I learned from some of my friends had it and they told me ginger was great.

This dish is a must for every mother after delivery in the Chinese society. After the delivery, body temperature changes constantly. You feel cold and then hot the next minute. Ginger is wonderful for this symptom. Plus, it helps your body to go back to pre-pregnant stage. It is recommended to have 1-2 servings a day.

Ingredients
4 Cups Cooked Rice (or 1 Cup White Rice and 1 1/2 Cups Water)
4 tbsp Freshly Grated Ginger

Seasonings
1tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Salt

Heat oil and ginger in a big skillet at medium high heat
Add rice
Stir regularly until the rice breaks up and not sticks together
Add salt
Taste to adjust flavor and serve

Make 4 servings

TIPS
Vegetable oil is good substitute if you don't have sesame oil which is available at the international aisle of your grocery store
Can be doubled

Breastfeeding Diet

2009-09-15T12:41:00.002-04:00

In this generation, everything tends to go back to natural. When I attended the birth class held by the hospital, they really pushed for the breastfeeding.

If you did not or do not breastfeed the baby, do not feel bad or guilty. I was a formula-fed baby. In my generations, there were many formula-fed babies and they are all healthy.

To be honest, I hesitated to do breastfeeding at the very beginning. Until I learned the benefits about it based on these few reasons:

1) The baby gets the antibodies from the mother.
2) Economical
3) The baby tends to have less chance of having allergies (my hubby has terrible environmental allergy)
4) The baby can taste different flavors of the food (I want my kid to be a good eater)
5) Mother can go back to pre-pregnant weight sooner
6) Mother has less chance of breast cancer

Different mothers may have different reasons why they decide to breastfeed or formula feed their babies. But not matter what, to be a strong and healthy mother is very, very important so that she can take care of the baby.

These recipes are not purely for breastfeeding mother, but also to everybody out there striving for healthy diet. Hope you enjoy them all.

WARNING: If you have any doubt about the ingredients and/or recipe, make sure to check with your doctor.

Beets and Mandarin Orange Salad

2009-09-14T12:42:00.002-04:00

Ingredients
1 Can (15oz; drained) Cut/Whole Beets
1 Can (15oz; drained) Mandarin Oranges

Seasonings
1 splash of Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Frozen Orange Concentrate
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pinch of each Salt and Pepper

Combine all the seasonings together for salad dressing
Add beets in and let them marinade for 5-10 minutes
Add oranges and toss and serve

1 Serving

Tips
Transfer the remaining frozen orange concentrate to plastic container and store it in the freezer
Salad still tastes good without salad dressing.
Can be doubled

Rules of Thumb for Pregnancy Diet

2009-09-13T19:35:00.006-04:00

When I first saw my doctor (i.e. OBGYN), he told me right away some of the food that I must stay away from. So, my recipes were created based on these rules:

1) NO seafood

2) NO soft cheeses (I didn't cut up the cheese and eat. I sometimes incorporated the cheeses into the cooked dishes, like sauce and topping)

3) NO lunch meat (I tried my best to stay away from any store-bought food with high sodium content. But one thing that I got to confess that I can't and couldn't stay away from.....That is ramen. I put tons and tons of vegetables in the bowl of ramen to make it healthier. Plus, more fibre helps the bowel movement 'cos pregnant women tends to have constipation which I didn't have. Thanks to the fibre intake. I at least had one meal a day was purely fruit or vegetable salad.)

4) NO more than 2 cups of caffeinated drinks (This was a very tough one. My mom made me to get rid of coffee when I went back to Hong Kong.)

5) NO Unpasteurized drink, such as apple cider.

The following are my strategies:

1) One egg and a glass of milk a day. When I was in the 3rd trimester, I doubled it. Yes....2 eggs and 2 glasses of milk a day. (The calcium helps a lot for the loss to the baby. I am not sure if it was because of the extra calcium. My boy was able to lift his head up when he was 2-day old.)

Also, I heard of my friends and co-workers about food allergies that their babies experienced. So, I drank regular cow milk and soy milk.

2) Each meal includes fibre, protein (i.e. meat) and carbohydrates (i.e. rice, noodles or pasta).

3) The books out there recommend 6 small meals. But I didn't have that time to do so. I had 2 small meals and 2 big meals a day. As mentioned before, I at least had one small meal was purely fruit or vegetable salad.

Another tip for you. This is not related to pregnancy diet. I have arthritis on my back. But, amazingly, I didn't have any pain during my pregnancy at all. Thanks to the maternity belt that my friend, Carol, kept reminding to buy one in Hong Kong. If you go to any small boutique for expecting mom, it most probably carries it. During my late 3rd trimester, I saw a big national chain store (red and white are their theme colors...You know which one I am talking about) carrying it.

WARNING: If you have any doubt about the ingredients and/or recipes, make sure to check with your doctor.

Tips for Expecting Moms

2009-09-13T19:03:00.003-04:00

I haven't blogged for so long (I can't even remember when I exactly posted the recipe). Just delivered a strong, healthy and beautiful baby boy 2 months ago. I am exhausted and finally got ourselves, including my husband, into a better schedule.

I didn't realize how exhausted I was during the pregnancy (although I found out that it is much worse after the baby was born). I am the kind of person like to keep moving all the time. When I realized how much time I needed to sleep and rest every day, I know that I need to re-arrange my usual schedule, such as cooking healthy for myself and the family.

When I was still on my way to the 3rd trimester, I learned and developed some strategies. Hope this will help you if you are expecting or planning to have a little one.

Before we start, make sure you know that different woman has different pregnancy experience. You may have a lot of energy to do all the stuffs as usual. Also, different doctors (a.k.a. OBGYN) may give you different advice, especially on your diet plan.

1) Buy at least 8-12 more microwave oven safe containers which contain 3 cup bowl or 4 cup square volume.

2) Use store-bought help, especially frozen fruit and vegetables

3) Triple/quadraple the cooking quantity

4) Cook mostly on your days-off

5) If you have to dine out, try to cut it down to once in every 2 weeks the most to avoid too much sodium consumption. ( I learned my lesson when I was 4-month pregnant and traveled back to Hong Kong)

6) After the delivery, if somebody offers to help, accept it. Even a few hours would be a big help.

7) This is the most important thing that you must do. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is. Make as many meals as you can and freeze them up for yourself after the baby is born. You will not have enough time to take care of the baby, rest and cook for yourself. This is one that I regreted that I didn't do enough.

Anyway, I will share with you all the recipes that I used and created during and after my pregnancy. Hope this will help you.

WARNING: If you have any doubt about the ingredients and/or recipes, make sure to check with your doctor.

Chipotle Spinach Chicken Soup

2009-01-31T10:15:00.000-05:00

This winter is extremely cold, especially in the northern part of the States. Even you turn up the heat real high at home, do you still feel that it is still too cold? You don’t even want to move around, but just under the blanket.

This quick and easy soup was inspired by a Chinese broth that we use in the hot pot. The soup is so hot that it numbs your lips and tongue. But if you like the heat, this soup is definitely for you.

Ingredients
1 Package (10oz; thawed; squeezed out the excess moisture) Frozen Spinach
1 Can (14 oz) Chicken Broth
2 Cups Shredded; Cooked Chicken
1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce (finely chopped)

Seasonings
½ tsp Sugar

Bring chicken broth to a boil
Add chipotle, sugar and spinach in
When the soup boils again, add chicken to warm it up and serve

Serve 2 people

TIPS
Can be doubled
Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce is available on the international aisle in the grocery stores. It comes into a small can which is about 8 oz. But you can never finish the whole can all at once. Put the leftover into a clean glass container and cover it up. It can stay into the fridge for more than 6 months. Every time when you take a portion out, make sure to use a clean utensil.