snacking proves to be an exceptionally challenging task now that i've started cutting down, or should i say, eliminating white sugar and wheat flour from my diet. ever since making these lifestyle changes and adopting healthier eating habits, i'm always wondering what i can snack on since i'm not someone who can eat three square meals a day. in the past, i would go for cakes, pastries, macarons and other sugary stuff because i made them often. now that i don't, i find writing down a list of healthy snacks is actually easier so i get lots of snacking ideas and this also prevents me from going back to my "old ways". a few of my current favorites are apple/banana + peanut butter, curried carrot salad, hummus dip & crackers and homemade popcorn.

pão de queijo is brazilian cheese bun made from tapioca flour (manioc starch). these are gluten-free and by far my utmost favorite snack coz they're so cheesy, chewy and savory! its impossible to just stop at one, two, or even three. i've made these countless times but never got to blog it coz they're just too good to have to wait. best served piping hot, these are dangerously addicting and all too easy to overindulge. so far i've experimented with different recipes, such as one where you just blend everything in a food processor but it was too bland and tasteless for my liking. another one i tried used too much milk and butter and the mixture was so oily you could practically drain the melted butter off when you take them out from the oven. so this recipe by king arthur flour is by far the best i've tried and i'm sticking to it in future!

ajitsuke tamago, ni-tamago or known to some simply as molten/lava egg, is a japanese flavored soft boiled egg commonly used as a topping for ramen or pork belly rice. i think this type of egg has been the fascination of many people, including myself coz of the texture and supposed difficulty in making, not unlike macarons. i've heard stories of how the people working in ramen shops would be unwilling to disclose their secrets or techniques, much to the frustration of those who asked. some even went to the extent of experimenting with a malt vinegar bath to soften the shells so they would be easier to peel. and if i'm not wrong, the high-end ramen shops like ippudo ramen charge $2 for an egg which is just ridiculous if you ask me! i just found out how simple it is to make them, thanks to a japanese youtube video i saw.

i don't think there was ever once i would polish off a whole punnet of strawberries in one sitting but ever since i discovered eating them with balsamic vinegar & sugar, it was all too effortless to do so. basically i think the strawberries we get in singapore are pretty sucky so they need some dressing up. macerating makes the berries extra juicy as the process draws out the juices and enhances its natural sweetness.

i'm not sure if anyone has tried this combination before but the moment i did i was hooked! i think its even better than nutella & banana. i hadn't then coz i really couldn't visualize how the combination would work, since i've always associated apples with cinnamon at most.

while making a fresh batch of kimchi yesterday, i decided to make some kkaktugi as well using the same chilli paste. this is really easy to make and very yum! all you hv to do is just cut the radish into cubes, sprinkle with some salt, leave it on for 30 mins and give it a good rinse afterwards then proceed as usual like how you would make kimchi. the recipe for the chilli paste is from maangchi. enjoy!

kongnamul muchim, or korean seasoned soybean sprouts is another banchan that i'd often go for second or third helpings at a korean restaurant. i think this one is an acquired taste since it can taste rather raw and grassy to some people but i love it coz its like eating veggies and beans together. i like using soybean sprouts rather than the smaller mung bean sprouts for the crunch and texture but they're actually interchangeable for this dish. if you use mung bean sprouts, the name for it would be sukju namul (숙주 나물) instead.

i've got some leftover mint from the tarte aux fruits rouges so i decided to make something simple. not sure when it started but i actually liked eating mint just like that. i used to use them solely for decor and if mint has to find its way through my food, they're only limited to jelly ie. with lamb, or in teas and drinks. so when i saw this recipe i knew i had to try it. fruit salad is common but the moment i read that it uses grand marnier, my favorite orange liqueur, i was sold!

dolsot bibimbap, or korean hotstone mixed rice is one of my favorite korean dishes and i like it for both its color & taste. despite not being the easiest thing to make (lots of chopping, boiling & frying), i think its worth the effort consider how good it is. theres virtually no difference between homemade and those from the eateries/restaurants so this is something i will never order when i'm out in korean restaurants. ingredients i used are carrot, japanese cucumber, large bean sprouts, chinese spinach, dried shiitake mushrooms, ground beef & korean hot pepper paste (gochujang). served on a bed of japanese rice of course!

pajeon, or korean scallion pancake is sooo difficult to get it right i'm not sure why. so far i've not eaten a good one even at korean restaurants or eateries coz they're either too floury or oily so i thought i'd wanna try my hands on these. i first set my eyes on the one by david lebovitz after looking through several recipes. made it and didn't like it. the batter was too thick it had no chance to spread hence i ended up with a really thick pancake which was slightly uncooked in the middle.

prior to this, i've never really baked nor roasted savory stuff except very rare occasions of baked rice, pasta or pizza. which is why i'm really proud to say my ovens are very clean coz they're free from oil splatters and weird odors. but lately i've suddenly taken an interest in savory food. so far i've made clam chowder and bolognese sauce and i intend to roast a chicken next.

and here's my first attempt in roasting anything - potatoes. i'm surprised at how well this turned out but of coz, this is a no-brainer. i liken them to potato wedges though the skin's not as crispy but they're healthier and the insides are fluffy and nice. hubby likes them unseasoned but i prefer them with lotsa seasoning - coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, parsley flakes...the works. i used three varieties of potatoes here, the normal yellow ones, purple and red.

something simple for sunday breakfast. wouldn't really have thought of making until i got these white ceramic chawanmushi cups. i've been on the lookout for these white cups for the longest time! most of them are floral/japanese-inspired so i was really elated to find white ones at daiso. cup + lid for just two bucks is definitely worth it! plus its just the right shade i like - creamy white :)

its been eons since i made something other than desserts! so i've decided to try out something savory this time, just to make sure my "cooking skill" hasn't gone all rusty :p i've been buying quite alot of cookbooks lately and one of my recent addition is this one called 'nibbled - 200 fabulous finger food ideas' by katy holder. think some of you might hv seen it in popular bookstore. there are a few books in this series like 'tempted', 'nibbled', 'iced' etc and i've got all 3 of them. and this has been on my "to-try" list for quite sometime, even before i got this book.