10 Reasons Why You Should Be Eating More Tomatoes

Tomatoes are loaded with many, many health benefits. In fact, they are incredibly versatile and can be prepared in a seemingly endless number of dishes, as well as being great to eat alone. Keep reading to find out why you need to stop neglecting tomatoes as a part of your regular balanced diet.

10 Health Benefits from Eating Tomatoes

1. Tomatoes are good for your skin.

Tomatoes contain a high level of lycopene, which is a substance that is used in some of the more pricy facial cleansers that are available for purchase over-the-counter.
If you want to try tomatoes for skin care, you need to start with about eight to twelve tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes and then place the skin on your face with inside of the tomato touching your skin.
Leave the tomatoes on your face for a minimum of ten minutes, then wash. Your face will feel clean and shiny. Some redness may occur, but should fade with time.

2. Tomatoes help prevent several types of cancer.

A number of studies have been conducted that indicate that the high levels of lycopene in tomatoes works to reduce your chances of developing prostate, colorectal and stomach cancer.
Lycopene is a natural antioxidant that works effectively to slow the growth of cancerous cells. Cooked tomatoes produce even more lycopene, so go ahead and cook up a batch of your mom’s famous tomato soup.

3. Tomatoes help maintain strong bones.

Tomatoes contain a considerable amount of calcium and Vitamin K. Both of these nutrients are essential in strengthening and performing minor repairs on the bones as well as the bone tissue.

4. Tomatoes help repair damage caused by smoking.

No, eating tomatoes is not the most recent fad to help you quit smoking. However, tomatoes can reduce the amount of damaged done to your body by smoking cigarettes.
Tomatoes contain coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid that work to protect the body from carcinogens that are produced from cigarette smoke.

5. Tomatoes provide essential antioxidants.

Tomatoes contain a great deal of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. This is primarily because these vitamins and beta-carotene work as antioxidants to neutralize harmful free radicals in the blood.
Free radicals in the blood stream are dangerous because it may lead to cell damage. Remember, the redder the tomato you eat is, the more beta-carotene it contains. In addition, you also want to keep in mind that cooking destroys the Vitamin C, so for these benefits, the tomatoes need to be eaten raw.

6. Tomatoes are good for your heart.

Because of the Vitamin B and potassium in tomatoes, they are effective in reducing cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure. Therefore, by including tomatoes in your regular balanced diet you can effectively prevent heart attacks, strokes as well as many other heart related problems that may threaten your life.

7. Tomatoes are good for your hair.

The Vitamin A in tomatoes works perfectly to keep your hair shiny and strong. In addition, it also does wonders for your eyes, skin, bones and teeth.

8. Tomatoes are good for your kidneys.

Adding tomatoes without seeds to your diet has been proven in some studies to reduce the risk of kidney stones.

9. Tomatoes are good for your eyes.

The Vitamin A found in tomatoes is fantastic for improving your vision. In addition, eating tomatoes is one of the best foods to eat to prevent the development of night blindness.

10. Tomatoes are good for diabetics.

Tomatoes are packed full of the valuable mineral known as chromium. It works effectively to help diabetics keep their blood sugar levels under better control.

Ref: http://www.floridatomatoes.org/News-Events-Detail.aspx?ID=13

Sabah Hinava in Australia

Hinava, is undoubtedly the most famous local Kadazan-dusun raw fish salad in Sabah, Malaysia. Nowadays, it is usually served during Harvest Festival known as Pesta Kaamatan and as well as in most of the 5-stars hotels. How do you eat it? It is served together with rice, and of course, with rice wine. For those in Australia, perhaps, you can give a try with red or white wine.

Intriguingly, I have to modify this local cuisine and renamed it as 'Aussie Hinava' raw fish salad. Yes, it is all about creativity and innovation based on the local ingredients availability. The Sabahan usually use mackerel fish for this kind of dish; surprisingly, the snapper fish tastes so much better. Alternatively, you can use octopus as to replace the fish, indirectly, it will become Croatian Octopus salad dish. I tried that, tasted so good, as if you were in paradise. lol.

Despite the fact I have never demonstrated any cooking demonstration, I decided to take it as a challenge for this trip, sounds like travel and living channel, or Fear Factor Show. Well, I usually cook for my own. lol. So, these are the ingredients:-

Ingredients:

·        400 g Saddletail snapper, drained, skin and bones removed

·        2 Spring onion, finely chopped

·        3 inches ginger, finely chopped

·        ½ red onion, finely chopped

·        2 red chillies, finely chopped, seeds removed

·        300 ml lemon juices / 5 lemon

·        1 cup of vinegar

·        1 teaspoon of salt

 Spring Onion

Ginger

Red Onion

Red Chillies 

Lemon juice

Saddletail Snapper fish

Methods:

·        Fish Preparation

o   Remove the skin and bones

o   Cut into small chunks, about 2cm square

o   Rinse the raw fish with water

o   Marinade fish with the vinegar and salt for 1 minute

o   Squeeze out the excess after doing the marinade

o   Put it into the refrigerator for one hour duration (approx.)

o   Do not freeze it.

·        Then, put the marinade fish into the bowl and mix thoroughly with the prepared ginger, red onion, red chillies, spring onion and lemon juice earlier on. Do it gently.

·        Ready to be served. Bon appétit  

 parents and teachers are waiting for the chef :p

So, the chef explained how to prepare the dish 

Ready to be served. 

Never thought I could actually get a certificate from the Winthrop Primary School Principal, Mdm Lyn.

Dedicated teachers and parents :p

 Yeah, taking pictures with friendly teachers and parents

Reflection: 

Definitely it will be another memorable sweet experience for me as a traveller, particularly in doing cooking demonstration. I enjoyed the proactive discussion with the school teachers and parents. To my fellow blogreaders, I have to admit it is such a wonderful place to travel to Perth, Australia, especially with beautiful people and places, and of course, numerous types of food, yummy and delicious. Alright, Bon Appetit everyone with my new recipe: Aussie Hinava. 

Swayed-Buble Pancake -Kuih Lenggang (Kuih Dadar) Recipe

To name it in English in creative way is definitely easier, I named it as Swayed-Buble Pancake, due to the swaying movement when you spread the batter on the pan. Sway song is usually associated with Michael Buble, so here you are: Swayed-Buble Pancake.

Today, while still in Perth City, I have decided to give a hand to my sister-in-law on making Kuih Lenggang Recipe at Winthrop Club. Back at home (Sabah, Malaysia), we usually eat this as our snack, during late afternoon. Nowadays, you can serve this as part of your breakfast meal, or etc. So, let's peep what are the ingredients and methods to prepare: -

(warning, using electrical pan doesn't give similar outcome with the traditional method)

Ingredients:

300 g plain flour

500ml water

150 g palm sugar

250 g grated coconut

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon Aroma Pasta Pandan syrup (quite difficult to get real pandan juice in Aussie) 

METHODS:

1. Boil the palm sugar with water (100ml) until it melts.
2. Pour in the grated coconut with a pinch of salt.
3. Cook and stir the mixture until it is fairly dry.
4. Set aside to cool.

1. Mix the flour, water, eggs, pandan syrup and a pinch of salt until you get a smooth batter.
2. Spread the batter into a think pancake.
3. Turn it over and remove when both sides are cooked.
4. Remove and set aside to cool.
5. Put some coconut on the pancake.
6. Roll up like a spring roll.
7. Ready to be served. Bon Appetit. 

Let's give a try

She was giving a try on how to do the Kuih Lenggang. Do remember that it must be thinner in order to get the right texture, if you spread the batter a bit thicker, it will be quite difficult to roll it. 

Hmmm...was it sweet or ...? :p

From today's activity, I realised that cooking is not my genre, I don't speak the language of the Chef, but trying out such wild adventure will be the most unforgettable memory. Sweet memory as I envisaged it. :) 

Korean Food Moment

Yes indeed I miss Korean food so much. Hanging out with my friends, exchanging stories while enjoying the BBQ.at Korean Bbq Supul Restaurant, City Mall. So far, this is one of the best Korean BBQ, it is pretty close to the original flavour in Seoul, South Korea. I would highly recommend everyone to give it a try.

Alu Alu Cafe, Jesselton Point

Alu Alu Cafe Food Tasting: The Alu Alu Cafe of Gayana Eco Resort has finally announced the opening of its 2nd cafe located at Jesselton Point (next to Sino-Thai restaurant/Cock and Bull Pub). It was a special privilege for all the bloggers to be invited for this food tasting event. One question that popped up in my mind on that day: what makes it different from the Alu-Alu Restaurant at Gayana Eco Resort? Food lovers will instantly fall in love due to its affordable price, healthier organic quality and strategic location which will enable them to experience delicious-healthy food at touch-and-go moment; subsequently, they can do their shopping spree at nearby shopping malls or perhaps visiting popular islands. During the food tasting, it is observed that the cafe has projected strong demand with bigger crowds in the afternoon in spite of the fasting month season. Last but not least, I guess this is the only place so far in the city that serves fresh organically farmed fish and vegetables ^_^

Fresh and Organic - That's the healthy lifestyle that we should go for.

Alu-Alu Cafe is an extension of services by the Alu-Alu Chinese Seafood

Restaurant at Gayana Eco Resort

Operation Hours:

10.30am - 2.30pm

6.30pm - 10.00pm

 Smile - We are waiting for our yummylicious food to be served

 

Fish Ball with Glass Noodle Soup: RM16

Chinese Herb and Yam Soup (Fish Head): RM25

Salted Vegetable & Beancurd Soup (Mix Fish Head): RM25 

Thai Style Ba Jiao Fish Fillet: RM20 

Stir Fried Fish Fillet with Butter Milk Sauce: RM20 

Fish Fillet with Wasabi & Potato: RM20 

Braised Fish Head with Beancurd in Claypot: RM32 

Organic Bak Choy with Garlic: RM12 

Braided Fish Head with Enoki Mushroom & Red Dates: RM32

Organic Choy Sum with Braised Superior Sauce: RM12 

Steamed Chicken with Salt (Kampung Chicken): RM45

Prices are nett inclusive of services & taxes. 

Meals can be as low as RM10 nett per person (for the general lunch workforce) whereby they can order a soup of their choice with fish fillet/fish head/fish ball etc., inclusive noodles (dry or soup) or with rice. 

Mission accomplished for all the bloggers; food definitely makes us happy

Thanks to Dinoza and Symington  ^_^

My Food Review at Alu Alu Restaurant of Gayana Resort, click here

KK Burger Bakar: The Amazing Gigantic Burgers

Picture credits to Dinoza 

I remembered when Dino shared the picture of a gigantic burger, I was reckoning, "Is that for REAL?" And another question popped up in my mind, "Might be ridiculous to finish that burger by myself, right?" I giggled with the thought of impossibility. 

Guess what, Dino texted me to do another food review, and I was in disbelief and at the same time, being excited. Being a burger lover, I'm pretty sure nobody will say no to such offer

Picture credits to Wendy Wong

KK Burger Bakar! Here I come!

What makes KK Burger Bakar SPECIAL?

Based on my quick interview with Is and Ayu, this lovely couple asserted that those burgers are homemade recipe, which are greatly inspired by Australian burger as for instance. 

They initially brainstormed for more than 5 months whether it was possible to sell such homemade burgers. As I envisaged myself in their shoes and question, "Will there be any demand by the customers? What if we didn't make any profit at all?" The risk is always there when comes to any kind of business. 

However, those doubtful questions turned out to be wrong; based on my last Saturday observation, the numbers of customers flocking to KK Burger Bakar has been quite astonishing. Despite the price may look a little bit pricey for some customers, it didn't stop them to indulge on luscious yummy burgers. 

One customer said, "Not because of the price, but the taste of this burger is different from normal burger,eg. McDonald and other places, I wouldn't mind to invest for my hungry appetite."

Ayu mentioned that in the nearest future, "With our vision and mission, we are hoping to grow this business as a franchise business."

With the help of creativity, those burgers will be definitely easy to be remembered. Just look at the names, as for instance, Lava Gunung Kinabalu, Taj Mahal and etc. 

 Lava Gunung Kinabalu Burger

Eating burgers at open space area, while watching movie with friends are definitely ground-breaking notion as compared to eating popcorn in the cinema. Apart from that, for lovely couple out there, they do not have to wait for the Valentine's Day to knock at the door of their heart, the experience at KK Burger Bakar absolutely injects the passion of romanticism. ^_^

Well, do give it a try if you happened to be in Kota Kinabalu city. 

Location: KK Burger Bakar (Open Food Court), Tanjung Aru Plaza, Kota Kinabalu

Why Walking Chef?

As a great food lover, I have decided to set up another blog as to share everything related about food that I have tried to all food lover out there. Some of you might ask me, why did I decide to choose the name 'Walking Chef', figuratively, I love to travel to enjoy good food, quite simple and direct, isn't it. Just building up my castle in the air, imagining myself as a master chef, giving my food critique whether the food should be rated as a top choice or vice versa. By the way, do share your thoughts too. Cheers.