Raisin Soda Bread

My family is "bread eater" especially my hubby and my son. Both of them can finished a loaf of bread within a day and give them any bread, bun, sandwiches or scones, they can savour better than "rice". My house's bread intake is high, so instead of buying it everyday, why not make some homemade bread? I had been searching high and low for bread recipe that is simple, quick and don't require much ingredients, especially "dried yeast" or "instant yeast" which can be hard to find and hard to handle at times. As a first timer in making bread, this recipe is just great for me!

As I flipped through a Children's healthy & fun Cookbook shared by a best of friend of mine. I found this great recipe "Raisin Soda Bread" which doesn’t require yeast as a raising agent! Instead uses "buttermilk" with "bicarbonate soda". Isn't it great? I was eagerly wanted to try it out as soon as possible. But, in Malaysia, it is hard to get buttermilk, as the recipe book gave me an alternative to substitute buttermilk with the same amount of Yoghurt or (milk, combined with a tablespoon of lemon juice). I was thrilled with it and started to do my shopping buying some Natural Low Fat Yoghurt, organic whole meal flour & one big packet of raisin.
You may also add or substitute (dried dates, cranberries, blueberries or cherries instead of raisin) - you could try a mixture of dried fruits or nuts too. I would happy to add more dried fruits and nuts the next time!

This Raisin Soda Bread is the perfect starting point for anyone who hasn't made bread before. It doesn't contain yeast so it doesn't need as much kneading or rising as ordinary bread, but its every bit as tasty!

I would happy to tell you that the result was excellent! My whole family liked it. It is not only tasty but also healthy. Soft from the inside and suitable to eat with homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup! Or a cup of aroma Coffee!


What is BUTTERMILK?
Traditionally buttermilk is the liquid remaining after the cream has been churned into butter. It is low in fat and is often used to make pancakes and scones as well as soda bread. When combined with bicarbonate of soda it acts as a raising agent. If you can't get buttermilk, natural yoghurt it is a great alternative. (Reference from the recipe book)

Ingredients 200g (7 oz) whole meal plain flour 200g (7 oz) white plain flour (plus extra for dusting) 1 tsp Salt 1 tsp Bicarbonate Soda 50g (2 oz) porridge oats (I didn't add in oats) 1 heaped tbsp caster sugar 125g (4 1/2 oz) Raisin 1 egg (lightly beaten) 300 - 350ml (10 - 12fl oz) Buttermilk (I substitute with Natural Low Fat Yoghurt) Grease proof baking paper Methods: Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF/Gas 6). Sprinkle a baking sheet with flour until it is lightly covered. (This is to prevent the loaf sticking to the sheet) / I lined a baking paper on a baking tray. Sieve the whole meal and white flour, salt & bicarbonate soda into a mixing bowl. If there is any bran left in the sieve, add it to the bowl. Add oats, sugar and raisins to the bowl and stir. Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the egg and 300ml of buttermilk. Mix together with a wooden spoon. When the mixture starts to come together, use your hands to form a soft, slightly sticky ball of dough. If the dough is too dry, add a little extra buttermilk. Put the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead, once or twice, until the dough is smooth. Don't over knead or the dough will toughen. Form the dough into a flattish circle, about 18cm round and 4cm thick. Put the dough on the floured baking sheet. Sieve over a little extra flour. Cut a large, deep cross, almost to the bottom of the dough. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until risen and golden.

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Pan Fried Salmon with Thyme

Using fresh herbs as an ingredient has became my favourite for cooking nowadays. Knowing that fresh herbs contain so much of goodness for our health. Thus, able to enhance our cooking, bringing fragrant smell and delicious taste of the dishes. Many people have started to promote fresh herbs as an ingredients especially in Western cooking such as baked fish, meat, seafood, stew, soup or even pizza.

There is so much more info on Cooking with Fresh Herbs on this website, such as how and when to purchase herbs, how to wash herbs, how to store herbs & etc...
Guide on combination of herbs in cooking can be found too. It is indeed an added knowledge to those who loves herbs in their cooking.

Herb/Food Combinations
Here are some ideas to help you start combining fresh herbs with your foods.

BASIL - a natural snipped in with tomatoes; terrific in fresh pesto; other possibilities include pasta sauce, peas, zucchini

CHIVES - dips, potatoes, tomatoes

CILANTRO - Mexican, Asian and Caribbean cooking; salsas, tomatoes

DILL - carrots, cottage cheese, fish, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes

MINT - carrots, fruit salads, parsley, peas, tabouli, tea

OREGANO - peppers, tomatoes

PARSLEY - The curly leaf is the most common, but the flat-leaf or Italian parsley is more strongly flavored and often preferred for cooking. Naturals for parsley include potato salad, tabouli

ROSEMARY - chicken, fish, lamb, pork, roasted potatoes, soups, stews, tomatoes

SAGE - poultry seasoning, stuffings

TARRAGON - chicken, eggs, fish

THYME - eggs, lima beans, potatoes, poultry, summer squash, tomatoes

WINTER SAVORY - dried bean dishes, stews

Sources from this website.


I have fallen in love with Basil leaves in my previous few posts. Now, I begin to explore fresh "Thyme" in my cooking. The result is superb and simply fantastic. I wouldn't mind to experience more of those recipes with fresh herbs.

Some of the description on Thyme:
A delicate looking herb with a penetrating fragrance, thyme is a wonderful addition to bean, egg and vegetable dishes. Both fresh and dried thyme is available in your local supermarket throughout the year.


Thyme leaves are curled, elliptically shaped and very small, measuring about one-eighth of an inch long and one-sixteenth of an inch wide. The upper leaf is green-grey in color on top, while the underside is a whitish color. Along with fresh sprigs of parsley and bay leaves, thyme is included in the French combination of herbs called bouquet garni used to season stock, stews and soups.

Goodness of Thyme:

•Significant Anti-Oxidant Protection of Cellular Membranes
•Time's Up for Microbes with Thyme
•A Nutrient-Dense Spice

More info on benefits of Thyme on whfoods such as:

- How to Select and Store
- How to Enjoy
- Tips for Preparing Thyme
- Nutritional Profile

Sourced from this website.

After reading so much of information on the goodness of herbs and Thyme specifically. I have this recipe using fresh Thyme & basil in pan-frying Salmon with sauce. By combining Salmon, a high Omega 3 fish with so much of nutrients and fresh herbs which is a good source of fibre, anti-oxidant, vitamins & mineral, make a good cosy dish for dinner. If you do love fresh herbs in your daily consumption, you might need to try this out! It is simply good and fragrant!

Ingredients:Ingredients: 2 slices Salmon fish 1/2 Onion, cut into strips Extra Thyme for garnishing Olive oil Seasonings: 3 tbsp Oyster sauce 1/2 tsp Sugar 1 tsp Pepper 50ml water Marinade: 1 tsp Salt 1 tsp Ground black pepper 2 tbsp Fresh Thyme, chopped Dash of Dried Basil leaves Methods: Marinate Salmon with Marinade ingredients in a zipper bag for 2 hours in the fridge. Heat olive oil, pan fry salmon for 1-2 mins each side, not to over-cooked the fish. Set aside. Heat olive oil, saute onion till fragrant or translucent. Add in seasonings, mix well and simmer for 2 mins. Dish up, transfer to a plate. Arrange Salmon on top of the sauce. Dash extra ground black pepper if you prefer a strong pepper taste. Garnish with thyme and serve.

Weekend Herb Blogging is a great way of gathering and introducing readers on herbs recipes & goodness.
I am submitting this recipe to Weekend Herb Blogging #180, which is housed by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once and hosted this week by Rachel from The Chrispy Cook

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Kiddo Cauliflower Rice

Goodness of Cauliflower:
Cauliflower is a member of the 'white' family in terms of fruits and vegetables. Included in this group are other natural foods such as bananas, mushrooms, onions, and garlic. Cauliflower contains allicin, which can improve heart health and reduce the risk of strokes, and selenium, a chemical that works well with Vitamin C to strengthen the immune system. Cauliflower can also help to maintain a healthy cholesterol level.

Folate is also found in cauliflower, which is a B vitamin that is needed for cell growth and replication. For this reason, it is often recommended that women who are pregnant or may become pregnant eat significant amounts of cauliflower in order to help their unborn children develop properly.

Of course, cauliflower is an excellent source of fiber, which helps to improve colon health and can even help prevent cancer. And, most recently, it has been discovered that cauliflower, as well as other cruciferous vegetables, such as brussel sprouts and cabbage, contain indole-3-carbinol, a substance that can affect the metabolism of estrogen in the body, and prevent breast and other female cancers.

Sourced from this website.


My son loves cauliflower, so I made this simple & quick One-Dish meal for lunch last weekend. This recipe is suitable for kiddo or even for the whole family. Cauliflower has various of goodness and one of the easy to get and cook vegetable. Added wolf berries make the rice sweeter and tastier especially for kids. If you are looking for a quick One - Dish meal... you may want to give this a try!

Ingredients: 250gm Chicken fillet (suitable for stir fry), diced 100gm Cauliflower, cut into small florets 4 big-sized Mushroom, washed & soaked (retain water) 1/2 Onion, chopped / minced 10 pcs Shelled Prawns, removed shells & vein, diced 2 cups Rice, washed & drained 2 cloves Garlic, minced 3 tbsp Butter 2 tsp Salt 1 tbsp Wolf berries, washed Dash of pepper Oil for stir fry Coriander leaves for garnishing Methods: Marinate chicken fillet with some salt & pepper for 2 hours. Marinate prawns with some salt, sugar & pepper. Set aside. Heat oil, stir fry chicken fillet till pale white (about 2 mins). Set aside. Heat oil, sautee garlic & onion till fragrant. Add cauliflower, stir fry & mix well for 2 mins. Add rice, stir & mix well. Add the mushroom water. Stir & mix well for 2 mins. Add salt & pepper. Transfer ingredients to rice cooker. Add in chicken fillet & prawns to the rice. Stir well. Add water to cover the rice (make sure the water is enough to cover the whole rice), cook according. When rice is half cooked, open up the lid & sprinkle wolf berries on the rice. Let the rice cook according. Stir well & dish up. Garnish with coriander leaves.

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Pinto Beans

These are some pictures of Pinto Beans for reference as my previous post on "Beef Stew with Pinto Beans" didn't managed to capture those beautiful beans.

Pinto beans have a beige background strewn with reddish brown splashes of color. They are like little painted canvases, á la Jackson Pollack; hence their name "pinto," which in Spanish means "painted." When cooked, their colored splotches disappear,and they become a beautiful pink color. Resources from WHFoods


Now, we have a better picture of how Pinto Beans look like. These beans are Organic beans as I bought it from an Organic Shop. You may also get those mix beans or 5 type beans (check it out from my Mixed beans Soup) at the Organic Shop which pinto bean is one of the mixture. It is delicious with stew or soup and full of nutrients! Keep an eye on those if you happen to drop by the Organic Shop!

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Honey Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

I love pan-grilling dishes, it tastes so nice with the touch of barbeque feeling. Grilled chicken with honey, a sparkling taste of honey with tenderness of chicken drumsticks. Simple and easy chicken dish for working mum like me! All I need to do is to marinade the chicken drumsticks overnight, thaw it the next day and pan grilled it. It is done for family dinner! The caramelized honey on the chicken drumsticks is simple delicious... need not any dipping sauce! This simple recipe can be serve with Jumbo sized french fries, salad, coleslaw, baked potato wedges, mash potato or baked vegetables!


Another secret ingredient in this recipe is the Alce Nero Organic Acacia Honey, 100% Certified Organic Honey makes this dish tastes heaven. If you too love pan-grilling chicken with honey, I believed you will love this recipe!

Ingredients: 4 Chicken drumsticks, removed bones & skins Honey, I prefer Alce Nero Organic Acacia Honey Organic Garden Salad for garnishing Olive oil for pan grilling Seasonings: 4 tbsp Light soy sauce 1/2 tsp Sugar Dash of Pepper Method: Removed chicken drumsticks bone, pat dry & pat flatten a little with a chopping knife. Marinate chicken drumsticks with seasonings for few hours (preferable overnight). Heat oil in a grill pan, with slow fire, grill chicken thigh by turning both sides until half cook. Brush honey on the meat by turning both sides. Grill with low fire until chicken is done when the meat is firm, and juices run clear. Serve and garnish with Organic Garden Salad.

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Fried Laksa Noodle

Laksa noodle mainly cooked with soup, accompany by hot, spicy and sour Assam gravy. Assam Laksa is very popular in Penang, Malaysia. One of the most appetizing dish if you happen to dine in Penang. I love this dish to bits, and whenever I go to Penang for vacation, I will surely opt for this specialty dish.

Fried Laksa noodle can be a great idea too. The noodle texture is smooth, slippery & simply nice to chew on, even my little boy loves this dish. Accompany by added ingredients like the seafood tofu & Hong Kong Choy Sam, enhance the taste of the laksa noodle. If you are a "noodle lover", you would like to try this simple yet authentic Asian Fried Laksa Noodle.

Ingredients: 500gm Laksa Noodle (Rice Noodle for Assam Laksa) 100gm medium-sized Prawns, removed shells & vein 1 packet Seafood Tofu, cut into strips 10 stalks Hong Kong Choy Sam (Sawi), chopped 1 Carrot, cut finely into strips 50gm Dried Shrimp, washed & drained 4 Shallots, cut into rings 4 cloves Garlic, chopped 1 tbsp Sweet Preserved Vegetables (Choy Poh in Cantonese) Few stalks Spring Onion, chopped (for garnishing) Seasonings: 1 tbsp Light soy sauce 1 tsp Sugar 1/2 tsp Salt 1 tsp White pepper 2 tbsp Dark soy sauce Sauce (mix all ingredients): Few red chillies, removed seeds & cut into rings Light Soy Sauce Methods: Washed and drained Laksa noodle. Set aside. Pat dry prawns, marinate with pinch of salt, sugar & white pepper. Heat up oil, sautee till prawns are just cooked. Set aside. With the remaining oil, saute dried shrimp & shallots till crispy. Drained, set aside. Heat up oil, sautee garlic & Choy Poh till fragrant. Add in carrot, stir fry for a minute. Add Choy Sam, stir fry for a minute. Then, add in seafood tofu. Fold in laksa noodles, fried and mix well. Add in prawns. Add in seasonings. Mix well. Dish up, top up with some fried dried shrimp, shallots & spring onions. Serve with sauce.

I am submitting this recipe to Presto Pasta Nights, founded by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast, and hosted by Marye of Baking Delights this round.

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