Third Trimester - 16 Feb. 2014

28 Weeks - 16 Feb. 2014 - 

Whoa! i am in the finally trimester of this pregnancy!
we went to Kew Garden for the Orchid exhibition then went swimming at the spa in Syon park and it was quite a good exercise. Feeling all relaxed and chilled. 


29 Weeks - 23 Feb. 2014 - Baby show at Execel - list of things to pack and buy 

27 Feb- whopping cough vac.. It was so quick and when I complained to GP about my upper abodominal pain he was a bit concered and sent me to the day asseement unit in WM hospital to check it out.  Been told that my iron level is low and need to start taking iron tablets (200mg) x 2 tablets a day + frolic acid 5mg a day ;(

30 Weeks -  2 March 2014 - during the week, went to Westfield by tube for work meeting and on the way back to office stopped at Primark (Tottenham court road) bought 2 new PJ for the hospital, long and short - formal and flowery. Just in case... as not sure how the weather is going to be in May. 

31 Weeks -  9 March 2014 - our wedding anniversary this week and we went to Sticky fingers near High street Kensington! ordered 'Sticky prison' as my main - just love 'pulled pork' of any kinds. But this one is a bit too sweet, no wonder the name said it all 'sticky'!  

12 march - 31 weeks appointment with GP.. Dear had a blood test.. 

32 weeks - 16 March - didn't put on weight this week!? Having a bit of cough, or let's say cough badly during the night and ok-ish during the day.. Plenty of honey & lemon with warm water.  One tea spoonful of Manuka honey in the morning. 

Bought another 'birth ball' = 'gym ball' this time a proper good quality product! 65cm is perfect for my height! 

33 weeks - 23 March - very active baby movement .. Piggy is practicing Mexican wave in mummy's tummy. It tickles me and made me laugh.. Baby movement is a funny thing! 

29 March - breast feeding class

34 weeks - 30 March - Mother's day in the UK and we went to Kew Gardens with bunnbunn which was fun. Running around try to catch him and took lots of photos of Bunnbunn & his mommy~ wish Piggy grows up as sweet as Bunnbunn.
02 April - 34 +4 Appointment with Mid wife) baby's head has turned and feet or hands are on the side.
No wonder there are lots of movement above belly button area. At some point during the check up, piggy's heart beat raised up so fast that caused some concern, but all settled in the matter of few mins. Fungal height measured as 33 weeks.


35 weeks - 6 April - very relaxing weekend. Sorting out banking issues and just relax at home.

12 April (Sunday) - Setting up IKEA PAX single wardrobe for piggy.

36 weeks- 13 April - Palm Sunday church service + good walk around at Kew gardens again.

36+1 - mummy's belly has been so itchy + lots of braxton hicks that makes me uncomfortable and grumpy!
36+ 4 - Appointment with Mid wife.

37 weeks - 20 April - feeling the weight of piggy is getting more like a pressure pressing on my body when lying down. 

38 weeks - 27 April - last week at work before I start my maternity leave 

39 weeks -4 May - May the Force be with you!!! nice Sunday outing to Chiswick high street.. last relaxing Sunday stroll around for Sunday branch. 

Spelt flour Steam buns

Second trimester 31 October

13 weeks - 03 Nov. 2013 still excited about the scan knowing there is a small human being growing in my belly its just so amazing! This week we shared the news with few more friends. 

I decided to tell friends in person not just a random tweet on the social network. 

Apart from my best friend who lives in the State, since we can only meet up every 2-3 years and another girl friend in China who has been giving me endless tips of how to have a healthy body when trying to conceive. 

Week 14, 10 Nov. 2013 - hair cut

Week 15, 17 Nov. 2013
very moody, but very fit and comfortable to a point I was doubting is there anything happening in my rounded belly. 

Week 16, 24 Nov. 2013 - My birthday week!!! 

Belly is definitely growing nicely and very noticeable in the afternoon. Not sure is because I have been sitting on my office chair for too long, but around 4/5 o'clock my belly will be 'out' there like a very bloated tummy after a huge meal even that is always before my snack time at about 5pm. Normally I leave office around 6.45- 7.15 + roughly an hour journey to get home, by the time we have dinner will be at least 8.30. Sometime I just can't bear the hunger to that hour so I give myself an excuse to have either some cereal, fruit or few slices of biscuits to tide me over between late lunch and late dinner. 

Week 17, 01 Dec. 2013

Week 18, 08 Dec. 2013

Week 19, 15 Dec. 2013

Week 20, 22 Dec.2013 - Christmas holiday 
Half way point! We made it to the half way point and the best thing is we are on our Christmas holiday in Dubrovnik when I received the notification from BabyCentre! 
I think I can feel Piggy wiggle properly now and no more imagining or guessing if that little bubble in the tummy is what they call gentle butterfly feeling in the womb. Very excited to have this sensation especially during a nice relaxing holiday abroad. 
這星期很明顯的感覺到身體開始釋放賀爾蒙，讓身體骨頭關節開始放鬆，為生產而做準備。難怪屁股兩邊有刺又酸的好像被針扎到，一陣又ㄧ陣的反覆。

Week 21- 29 Dec 2013, Braxton Hicks!!!! 

Well I certainly know what is the feeling of Braxton Hicks!! On the return flight I started feeling a bit of cramp on lower part of belly/ groin area, it comes and go now and then from 4pm till we arrived home I had a quick change to my pj and jump straight to bed till dinner was ready. 8.30pm decided to call mid wife for advices. To no avil I called NHS helpline to ask if my cramp frequency is normal? after hundreds of questions and 10 mins later, I was told that I could be in labour so they are sending an ambulance straight away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gosh... I stopped myself and asked if this is necessary? within the next 10 mins, 3 medical crews arrived with bags of equipments and stretcher as they didn't know what to expect and its just normal procedure to carry all the first aid stuffs. I was approached by a female medic to check what was the problem, as I tried to explain we just came back from a week long holiday on a short flight and my belly harden up every 15-20 mins, but I was feeling fine and willing to go to the hospital myself (not waste the resources of much needed ambulance ). To my surprise, they insisted to bring me to the maternity ward to have a check up. 

After waiting in triage for about 2 hours and Dr. told me to go home. Everything is fine and I was not in labour.      

Week 22, 05 Jan 2014. Exciting new year ahead.
Went to Harrods during weekend to have a look at the Stokke Sleepi for the first time, still my top choice for the baby cot bed at the moment. 
Belly is growing fast!!

Week 23, 12 Jan 2014. Shocking truth of Weight gain 
Start feeling numb and crump on my stomach, weird burning sensation like a sun burn inside my top right hand side of the stomach... not nice. After checking out on the internet, I think that is called 'muscle separation' as uterus growing bigger - above the belly button now!!! it create a gap between stomach and uterus?? not sure the layout of a human body, but it just sounds weird and when I read the part that there is nothing much you can do (apart from suffering and burring pain) I shall just leave this as is for now.  
Also realised that I have gained 2.5 - 3Kg since Christmas!!! need to watch out my diet!!!   

Week 24, 19 Jan 2014, Happy V.day. 
GP appointment 23 Jan. 2014 - all fine and normal. GP was looking for piggy's heart beat during check up, but before she even find one she saw piggy was wiggling inside the tummy from outside. lol
V. Day = Viability Day means if baby born prematurely at 24 weeks and there is a 39% chance survival rate

Week 25, 26 Jan 2014. Happy Chinese New Year - the year of Horse
very active piggy .. seems like a routine, start from 5.30pm... a gentle reminder to tell me start moving around as I would have been sitting on the chair straight after late lunch or perhaps he is just excited that we are going home soon.. after dinner, piggy will be nudging here and there especially if we both sit on the sofa watching TV.  

31 Jan 2014 - First day of the Horse year! went to work as usual, had a good celebration meal at the Jade cottage near work with hubby and we were truly spoiled with all the meaty dishes, even enough left over to take for the lunch and dinner next day. 

01 Feb 2014 - Gender Revealed - Surprise!!
Have been waiting for this day for one month now! finally I can reveal Piggy's gender to hubby! 
I prepared a scratch card and Yoda baby grow…. and he loved it!!! The excitement of this revelation could be equally as excited as when we saw that extra line on the pregnancy test. 
Dear hubby is very happy to know we are expecting a boy. I am 100% sure he would also be so thrilled if we are expecting a girl now.     



Week 26, 02 Feb 2014. less than 100 days to go…… 
on 26+6 - got the biggest tickle from piggy ... I was laughing and asking 'what was that about?' it was such a funny sensation like 5 fingers running across my tummy vertically …  

Week 27, 09 Feb 2014. St. Valentine's Day. ….. + baby hiccup 
one big argument with hubby and so silly that I cried because I felt so guilty that this might affect Piggy's emotional development somehow in the future.. :-( 
Despite a busy week at work preparing the bracelets/ earrings for the catwalk show this weekend. 
Dear hubby bought us a nice little selection of snacks and tea as Valentine's presents which is very sweet of him x 

Piggy is practicing 'hiccup' in my tummy and it feels like he is shivering … or vibrating?

Parsnip, sweet potato & apple soup

Finest parsnip (6 small one or 2-3 large size)

Sweet potato (1medium size)

Onion (1 small/ medium size)

Yellow spilt lentil (4 table spoons)

Red apple (large crispy & sweet) 

Curry powder (mild, 1 table spoon)

Cumin seed (1 tea spoon)

Ground ginger (1tea spoon)

Organic vegetable stock powder (optional)

Salt

Light olive oil/ rice barn oil

1. Peel parsnip, sweet potato, onion. Cut to small chunk of any shape. 

Fry onion in low heat till edge is turning brown, sprinkle cumin seeds & ground ginger in the pan after 2 mins, add parsnip, sweet potato and curry powder. 

2. Rinse and wash lentil, soak in cold water for 10 mins.

3 . Add water (twice the amount of the content in the pot) to simmer until boiling point then add lentil in. Continue to boil for 15 mins in medium heat. 

4. Peel & cut apple to small chunk, use a very good quality apple that has strong fruity fragrance! 

5. Adding more water and apple into the pot, simmer till lentil is soft enough to eat, but not marshy.

6. Season with a bit Himalayas pink salt and vegetable stock powder. I only add the saltiness at the end so the soup will not be too salty. 

7. Cool down a bit and use hand held blender to liqudise the vegetable slightly. As I like it with a little bits in my soup and not totally smooth. 

懷孕第一期-數饅頭過日子的兩個月

Weeks 5, sad & worried - brown discharge time to time 

Debating if I shall contact GP, but I know brown discharge and bleeding is normal in the very early pregnancy and there is nothing much they can do apart from resting and relaxing. Sometimes I wished I didn't find out that I am pregnant this early, be a bit thick and slow so I don't have to start worry about it so early! 

Week 6,  faith & hope. We saw a sac and heart beat!!!

I just couldn't bear the thought of not knowing what is going on and non stop worrying what is happening and why I still have that annoying brown discharge after a week waiting patiently for it to go away! GP called and said the only thing they can do is to send me for a scan at EPU (Early pregnancy Unit) in the hospital. 2nd time here and basically just feel so sorry for the people waiting or even working there. How many bad news they needed to bear everyday and how many people will be in tears waiting in that sad little corner? Hobby told me to relax and try to cheer me up by telling me something funny, but I just feel that's a place laughing is not allowed! We also need to respect the people next to us no matter they are waiting for a good news or bad news! You just never know why they are there? For what reason? The nurse was really appologetic about my messed up appointment as they did't have my contact number from my GP. 

After been called to the scanning room, lying there with my heart weighted like a cold stone. Less than a min later, we saw a tear drop shape sac on the screen with a white dot shinning like a little star! That is it! That's the heart beat of our lil yoke - a live sac and a live pregnancy! 

Could not believe what we just saw and shortly while waiting in that now very enclosed corner, someone came to me and gave me the scan result and said if I decided I want to be look after by this hospital I can go to the antenatal unit to register myself!?!? Or I can talk to my GP and think about if I want to go to other hospital. 

Me and hubby were just over the moon and both agree that we like this hospital and straight away we were heading to Antenatal department to book myself in for the next appointment!!! 

As we had to pay for the parking, hubby told me this is the first time he actually feel the parking is well worth it or well spent it. 

Week 7, positive & car sick feeling. Law of attraction, asking the universe to help and asked for prayer and blessing.

8 weeks- excited and relieved we made it to another stage, first appointment with mid wife on 8 October. Had blood test done. Weight and height checked. 50 kg, BMI 20. 

Week 9, busy with other investment projects happening this week. Keep my mind occupied with current events. 

Got the keys to a better future. 

Week 10, bloated and sleepless first 2 days, had 11 hrs sleep and did some house work. Defrosting fridge, changing bed sheet, hubby hovered the whole place and bath room cleaned. Even discarded all the withered flowers on the balcony. 

Week 11, slightly worried about the dating scan next week. But that is also the one thing to keep me going and think of all the positive thoughts. Whatever the result will be, we made it. I am keeping the little bean inside me safe and longer than last time.

Week 12, our guest arrived to pray with us! Hubby's really good friend who is studying as a seminarian in France. We told him the good news and asked him to pray for us during a phone conversation, but instead of saying a prayer in the service, he offered to pay us a visit and pray WITH us. 

Apart from our parents and siblings, We haven't tell anyone yet and to know someone is making such an effort for us and lil bean, the blessing and appreciation is just beyond measure. We must be blessed! 

Of course we invited our guest to the scan on 30th October, even though he is not allowed to be in the examine room, but we feel he was as nervous as we were while waiting to be call in. 

It was such a hair raising moment waiting for the sonographer to find that lil heart beat! When she said - there you are! And we we were hearing the most amazing sound to my ears!!!! Lil bean's heart pondering strongly ... With 2 arm/hands waving at us, 2 legs nicely placed in my womb. Lil bean looks like a very chilled out baby! We asked to buy 2 photos from the scan and we shown it to our guest-B as soon as we left the exam room, hubby and B were just 'studying' that small black and white image we have been given while I went for blood test (NT Screening). When I returned, hubby told me I think it's a BOY! Because he was doing 'high5' to us >.< 

I think little bean it's a girl because the chin looks rounded like hubby's face ;) 

We decided to call this lil bean - Piggy! 

Hello Piggy, we are so excited to have you in our life and welcome you to our family <3

Be thankful! 感恩

Notting Hill Carnival -諾丁山丘嘉年華

　

{倫敦}諾丁山丘一年一度的嘉年華會故定在每年八月最後一個週日跟週一舉行

八月的最後一個週一也是國定假日-Bank Holiday- 銀行節

也是一年中最後ㄧ個國定假日

下一個假日就是聖誕節。

嘉年華會的第一天為 Childred's Day

參與遊行表演的主要為孩童居多

應該算是兒童日吧！

[Kew Gardens] - Temperate house 短暫的告別

The Temperate House - 在英國皇家植物園，又名-邱園 Kew Gardens 

1863年開啓的 Temperate House 為全世界唯一僅存的維多利亞式的玻璃溫室，在英國被列為一級古蹟，面積為4880平方公尺
也是世界上最大的玻璃屋(Glass house)。

人老了會有皺紋，建築物老了也會有歲月的痕跡，更何況是用木頭，熟鐵，玻璃所建造的溫室，

經歷了一百五十年璀璨風光，在2013年8月4日這天也是 The Temperate House 對外開放的最後一天。

邱園 將花費預算三千四百萬英鎊， 利用五年的時間來整修 玻璃屋內結構 農業展示的分配 
以及屋外園林也順便把臨近的植物進化園併入 (Evolution House)

玻璃溫室建築內部

這張照片可以呈現玻璃屋內棕欖樹的巨大與遊客尺寸的比例

自從加入邱園的會員後，我們幾乎每次都會以 Temperate House 為地標，向東向西 往南朝北 想去哪裡 就以這為基準而出發。

這幾個月來多次的拜訪邱園 電腦裡也留下了很多珍貴的寫真，冬季有冬季的淒美，春天有春來的朝氣，夏天時跟著藍天白雲又有很戲劇化的組合

期待2018年的全新登場～ till we see you again 

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - http://www.kew.org/

D.I.Y. 地毯換木質地板之後續 - from carpet to wooden flooring

打從去年九月把家裡一半的地毯換成木地板後 （細節）因為時間不夠, 一天半的時間只夠把客廳跟走廊換成木質地板。

剩下的材料就一直堆在客房，二個月前跟裝修師傅約好了時間來換掉客房的地毯，就說真的是要靠緣分，這位裝修師傅生意很大所以很難約時間，只有在電話中簡約的溝通談了價錢跟日期，師傅並沒有空過來實地觀察。

而就在這兩週，當初幫我們換地板的 Viktor 回來英國準備開始在倫敦找工作了，他工作前的空窗期間傳了短訊來問我，是不是可以來幫我把去年沒完成的地板處理完，本來都口頭約好了裝修師傅,但是基於 Viktor 完全知道房間尺寸，材料及工具也都在那等著，就乾脆答應讓他來幫我們換木質地板。

後來問了價錢Viktor要跟我們索取的費用比裝修師傅便宜了四倍！！只是本來要處理的廚房瓷磚他能力還不夠，反正不是重點也不那麼急，能省則省，趕緊跟Viktor確定了時間來換木地板囉！

這次因為有過上次的經驗，比較不那麼慌，照例去接了他後，一回家開始先搬書櫃，床，也順便把房門給拆了，Viktor像個大力士般的力氣，可以把一道門 （木頭實心）一人抬起來，我跟D.J.兩人四手（很虛）還沒辦法把門給抬起來。


搬完傢俱後，他就毫不客氣的地毯“花花花”的“拉起，還好我來得及拍個兩張照片做紀念。

傢俱移開後 可以看到米白色的地毯還是很乾淨

地毯及橡膠墊移開後的水泥地

地毯下面的橡膠地墊 可能有防水隔音的效果

留下固定地毯的木頭邊條

用“兇器”把邊條移除

邊條是用很多小鐵釘固定在水泥地

地毯，橡膠墊，邊條移除後已經中午了，準備了起司火腿三明治，沙拉，薯片，果汁。

要把大家肚子都填飽才不會做到一半沒力氣

午餐後開始鋪上“隔音墊”，除了隔音還可以把地板上不平滑處填平

我們買的是最便宜的 Fibreboard underlay

依Vicktor形容這種隔音墊應該就很夠力了

需要的工具真的很少。水平儀，電鋸，鉛筆，捲尺，鐵錘。

Viktor 上次用水桶，這次忘了帶所以我清空了一個塑膠箱讓他當桌子來鋸木地板

鋪上第一片地板，從上次結束的地方開始

門檻位置是最費工的部分，因為要測量的很精準

門框下面也要鋸/磨掉一部分所以木板可以“滑”進去

一定要好好處理這步驟，不然門邊會有一個大縫隙需要填補

會很礙眼

像鋪磚頭似的有規律的一片一片鋪上木質地板

並沒有快速的方法，就只能一步步來

這次門框周圍處理得很好，可能時間較充裕可以慢慢磨

剩下最後一片，白色修飾用的邊條 -Scotia 也準備好了

要處理這邊條要有點經驗，可以買這黃色盒子來輔助 計算角度

邊條都切好了 擺整齊 最後才上專門來固定木頭用的快速粘膠 - instant grab adhesive

不只是整地的木削 還有整屋的灰塵可能要也要花好多小時來整理了！

大約八九小時就完成了

成果讓人很滿意

牡丹花開時 - Long lived the peony

我愛牡丹花

以前唸書時，水墨畫要畫“梅蘭竹菊”，進階時就要畫個牡丹花

一直以為牡丹只是個老掉牙的題材

花瓣多到數不清，宣紙最好是一整疊買好備用

不過本身水墨的級數從沒進入高階層度

或是摹擬了幾次而放棄

牡丹花對我也就屬於可遠觀而不可褻玩焉的花種

只是會出現在老掉牙的中國餐廳當名畫

去年冬天上超市時

轉眼撇見竟然有牡丹花的小盆栽“特價”中

 馬上以家庭主婦的氣魄快速的掃走兩球花球(Bulb)

回家自己種牡丹

既沒有綠手指也沒有耐心慢慢等個兩年等開花

隔了幾個月到園藝中心時看見一大盆已經有花苞的牡丹盆栽 -20鎊

二話不說直接搬回家

果真幾週後就開花啦～ 

這也算是我種植牡丹花的初體驗吧！

去年春天時 每天都等阿等它開花，偏偏就沒進展

結果我一忙，幾天沒去看他竟然都開花了

也來不及拍照，就這樣不到十天

花也就榭了

冬天時整盆牡丹像是枯枝

也不知道是死是活，還是正在短暫冬眠中

今年春天 小雜草都蹦出來了，我那些牡丹花就是沒進展

沒想到，小雜草中也混雜了 新花苗

原來去年剪掉的枝幹還隱約可見，但是新的嫩葉是從看似枯枝的一旁竄出

短短兩個月 就真像雨後春筍般的 “一冥大一寸”這樣猛長高

直到約五十公分高時，停頓了幾天，小花苞就這樣慢慢“腫”大

原本是含苞待放，由小花苞慢慢變大，直到內部花瓣長齊也容不下更多的花瓣時

慢慢地爆開了！

慢慢的開花中

側面特寫

成群結隊的相隔幾天一起開花

這時我才想到，以前唸書時根本沒見過牡丹花的本尊

若要用來當主題，就只能一切憑空想像

難怪大家都認為以前唸書的學校像是學店

就好像培養美術設計細胞的工廠

大量的製造出有技術的美工人員

並不是發掘自我本身美術天賦的啓發地

看看這層次有多麼的美，又乾淨

沒有親眼見過這高雅的牡丹

何來對花型的感動

最後獻上一張含苞待放時不幸

沒有銳變成功的花苞

隨著其他花瓣的凋謝

所有的葉子也漸漸枯萎

似乎根部的養分再也不足夠

讓這蓄勢待發的花苞

站上舞台

～明年再會啦～

Father's Day - Sunday Roast at Coach & Horses Isworth 傳統英國食物

週日誤打誤撞地進了另一間 Young's Pub - 連鎖酒吧集團，但是每間酒吧都有自己獨特的店名。
剛好是英國的父親節，好多家庭都在酒吧吃傳統的Sunday Roast!

服務好，食物品質也很👍
值得再回顧～



酒吧網址 coach & horses Isleworth

183 London road, Isleworth
TW7 5BQ
Tel: 0208 181 5627

天然蘋果酵母饅頭

這一個月內我做了五到六次的饅頭，發現我的體質真的很適合吃饅頭！

就說我腸胃的小毛病還真讓嘴饞的我常常有脹氣的困擾

當然惱人的便秘也是習以為常的跟隨我（羞）

尤其在國外早餐的選擇並不像台灣的多樣化，牛奶燕麥片，牛奶＋玉米片，麵包配牛奶，吐司, 麵包....

好像都不太適合我，因為我有乳糖不耐症（Latose intolerant) !!! 

極度高溫烘培過的麵包，鮮奶或鮮奶油也是造成腸胃脹氣的主要元兇之一

西式蛋餅，英式早餐 ,大概是我最愛的週末早餐。

那週一至五的工作日，常常買牛角麵包，日式紅豆麵包，杯子蛋糕,司康(Scone),或crompet可以隨手帶著走的食物當早餐。

但是我的台灣胃還是會想念溫熱的食物啊！

剛好三月底回台灣時 誇下海口說要動手做糕點給爸媽享用..... (又是另ㄧ段故事了）

因為在台北能買到太多好吃的糕點，家人又怕膽固醇過高也很控制飲食。

結果就開始了我的健康手工饅頭初體驗..... 

第一次，直接用中筋麵粉＋速發酵母粉做直發饅頭。

全家人把所有好料都搬出來用，我們自己用blendtec 打了有機黑芝麻粉，用了新疆出產的紙皮核桃，日本帶回來的沖繩黑糖.....

還去Sogo買麵粉跟酵母粉～媽咪還把封藏十多年沒用的意大利麵壓麵機給特別搬出來。

沒經驗的我竟然吃完晚餐,一邊看著“風水世家”一邊開始動工

等麵粉都發好時已經十一點了，又壓麵，整形要二次發酵時已經半夜一點多。

還要麻煩媽媽把蒸鍋給翻出來，又要洗又要整理擡面也不清楚要發酵到何種程度....

無知的我們竟然決定先去睡好了，睡醒再來蒸饅頭！（誤）

爸爸也覺得早餐店也是晚上把材料準備好，一早開店就可以做生意了 >.< （誤）

好啦～一家人興奮的起床準備來蒸饅頭，沒想到原本迷你小饅頭經過一夜早已發育完成

轉大人又變成老人了！

一整個發過頭！長高高頂到竹蒸籠又倒縮成...  一身皺紋的中年人！

不想要浪費  就把ㄧ整籠皺巴巴的饅頭拿去蒸，結果成品口感是還不錯，有點過軟，不至於粘牙，但賣相就“很傷眼”

想說我一年就這麼一次機會可以大展身手 這麼第一次就搞砸！

沒關係，隔幾天又跑到巷口的小商店買一斤的中筋麵粉（比超市便宜多了），不管它什麼品牌，先抓到訣竅再來投資更好的有機麵粉！

所以第二次決定不加任何有的沒的配料，以免失敗就浪費了！

第一次做饅頭時留了一小碗麵團來當老麵，其它就用普通一斤38元的中筋麵粉＋有機小麥胚芽粉

用鮮奶取代水做了“鮮奶胚芽饅頭” （老麵發酵法）

做法跟材料我就不分享了，因為我也是經過一番爬文後，綜合了兩三個不同食譜，有點隨性的調出來，不值得一提。

第二次用老麵發酵法，我可是一早就開始動手，用時間去跟‘它’耗。

讓‘它’慢慢的發酵，直到用手去輕彈表面時好像空心 似的咚咚響那就發酵完成，接著整形，我用了做意大利麵的機器來壓麵。來來回回壓了至少十次。

結果這次成品很完美啊！不僅賣相好，且口感佳，馬上打從心底佩服自己，決定我的心頭好就是”饅頭“了！！還可以研發各種不同口味的饅頭呢！

老麵發酵可以用非常少的乾酵母粉（約一公克），還有兩次成功地用自己培養的蘋果酵母做成”南瓜枸杞饅頭“以及”紫米蔓越莓饅頭“，可是吃了好像特別容易餓（天然酵母應該能幫助消化）
也沒有便秘.... 口感良好，可真的會“做”上癮呢！

p.s. 蘋果酵母作法參考：“手作天然酵母包子饅頭” by 謝煒貞

我愛春天 - Spring at Kew

一年四季中 春天是我最愛的季節了
對我來說 春天帶給我的是希望

打從在 Royal Bontanical Kew Gardens 看見第一株雪花蓮(Snowdrop) 被極為短暫的陽光喚醒
從嚴寒的土地冒出時
似乎是大自然輕輕地提醒我們，春天來臨了


二月底三月初 水仙花開 (Daffodil/ Narcissus)  
慢慢地把一片枯荒的大地 添加那麼一丁點的黃，一丁點的白

接續看五顏六色的鬱金香 (Tulip) 
街道上處處可見的木蘭花(Magnolia)
ㄧ一綻開到四月初 

就來到了夢幻的櫻花季，公園裡處處可見粉紅色及白色的櫻花
好不浪漫啊～

直到五月底了，鳶尾花(Iris) 杜鵑花( Rhododendron) 
百花綻開，五顏六色的花朵 把這世界點綴的好歡樂

春天適合出遊
春天適合養身
春天適合享受
春天可以養眼


春天到了，腦子裡浮出好多設計靈感 

春天到了，腦子裡多了好多人生規劃

春天到了，腦子裡多了好多事情要完成


To me, 

Spring means action, Spring is hope!

Everything should starts at Spring time!

鹼性甜點- 芒果椰子精力丸 Mango and coconut balls~ sugar free!

話說我可是甜食控！

已經被好多高人指出，我吃太多甜食

身體體質或血液會很“酸”

而酸性體質為百病之源 也許我還年輕 （謎之聲: 好像很快也要邁入中年了)

身體很多毛病或問題 現在可能還在累積能源，利用更多酸性細胞培養茁壯

蓄勢待發中

剛好前陣子上網看娛樂新聞時 發現最近有幾位大明星都在用一種方法減肥

(就說是改變飲食習慣) 
特別指出 “貝嫂” 可是以膜拜式的方法徹底執行，還請了私人廚師來準備她的餐飲。

每隔一陣子，總會有新的減肥食譜流出，日新月異，所以也不算什麼值得多花三分鐘來研讀的新聞

本人對任何減肥食譜 總是抱持著半信半疑 並嗤之以鼻的快速翻過 （＋翻白眼）

因為我個人，

1. 不能減肥 （食物對我的誘惑絕對大於我的意志力）

2. 不喜歡 follow 食譜 （死板板的不靈活）

3. 不認為自己有胖到需要減肥 （只要一切健康，沒有40多公斤又如何）

4. 我的人生及工作的動力，大多是為了“吃”

但這篇文章有一點卻吸引了我，

因為貝嫂用的“新”方法是實行"鹼性飲食" - Alkaline diet

當然這也不是什麼新知識了，大量的 吃肉食，喝酒， 奶製品，加工食物 會讓身體血液偏酸性

加上現代人生活壓力大，緊張 容易造成睡眠不足 也是導致身體體質偏酸的重要原因

就好像惡性循環似的，樣樣都有相關聯

大家都有失眠的經驗吧～ 或只是晚間睡眠有中斷 隔天就會精神不濟 

而我精神不濟時，就會亂吃

喝含有咖啡因的茶或咖啡來提神 

當然喝咖啡就要隨手抓片餅乾或蛋糕來搭配

以前不清楚自己的體質 還會加牛奶 搞到胃脹氣 隔天便秘 

便秘時 你心情會好嗎？ 

還好我這輩子失眠的次數兩隻手比劃一下應該就數的清

但是便秘 頭腦就不清楚，有時候跟失眠感覺挺像的

常想“物極必反” 就下意識的吃更多食物 想說能不能撐到受不了就可以如廁了。

這就是我的老毛病，時好時壞忠心的跟隨著我

也早就承認了，沒意志力的我 是絕對不可能對甜食趕盡殺絕！

要我不吃肉沒關係，本來也就不喝酒，最近也盡量斷絕 新鮮乳製品

可是我的致命傷就是 甜食 （巧克力，蛋糕，餅乾）

這也就是這 “鹼性飲食” 讓我感到有興趣的原因

～仔細把這則新聞讀完，發現其實是在介紹一本新書（有廣告嫌疑）

也許作者跟許多名媛有不錯的交情 用這些名人來掛名推薦

三十秒內我就祭出“估狗”大爺來回答我的疑問

接下來用我最信任的 “亞馬遜“大娘來看此書評價 

經過這兩道基本程序審核後，我決定要入手這本新書了 - Honestly Healthy

它書裡的圖片完全就是我喜愛的風格

每道食譜都有配上一張圖片

英文寫得簡而易懂

這本書的最終目地並不是用來減肥的食譜

而是可以改變酸性體質  轉化為鹼性體質的食譜 （不知道要多久）

我稱它為 - 加鹼飲食

因為要完全改變體質需要很長一段時間，要改變許多生活習慣，不單單只靠飲食的改變

書內目錄有 前菜 湯類 沙拉 主食 醬料 甜點 冰淇淋

不可思議吧～

這些我無法放棄的甜點 冰淇淋 竟然可以把它做成 鹼性的

當然吃起來還是甜，只是使用的材料為本身是鹼性的食材

在Amazon.co.uk  下訂單後 發現要等16天 才能出貨

也許在那篇貝嫂減肥的新聞後 變成熱門商品

其實我耐著性子的等了三週才收到

迫不及待地就把裡面每一篇食譜仔細地閱過

也一一列下所需要的特殊食材

這是缺點之一，很多人的評價都有提到

這本書需要太多特殊食材了，且這些食材都不便宜也不容易取得

不過在倫敦 我只去了一趟有機健康食品店 就把我需要的材料備齊了

很多東西我從沒聽過 不過這也是特別的地方

用新的食材來搭配做料理一直是我感到有趣的小挑戰

可用來學習 及嘗試新口味

先挑了個最簡單

以為最省時省力的甜點來小試牛刀一下

材料：

椰蓉 desiccated coconut 115g

冷壓椰子油 Extra virgin Coconut oil 4 TBS

龍舌蘭糖漿 Agave Syrup 26ml 

芒果乾 Dry Mango 100g
新鮮萊姆皮磨碎 Lemon peels 2 TSP

做法：
1. 芒果乾+龍舌蘭糖漿+. 椰子油+萊姆皮
放入食物調理機攪拌均勻成泥漿狀
2. 全部材料轉入碗中，混入1/2椰蓉後放冰箱冷藏20分鐘
3. 直到原本成泥漿狀的芒果泥硬化後，用兩根湯匙平均分段整形
4. 分配成一顆顆圓球形狀，滾上椰蓉絲即可 

結果看似簡單的食譜我用了三小時才完成

這些芒果泥 因為拌了椰子油而非常的難控制

原本固態的椰子油ㄧ達到溫度23-25度左右會溶化

所以我就要以最快速的手法把芒果泥跟椰蓉，椰子油攪拌均勻

用兩根小匙來整形，最後要再撒上椰子絲（椰蓉）再用雙手稍微的捏整一下

捏太久加上手的溫熱會造成芒果球變得太軟

這時就把芒果泥放回冰箱讓椰子油硬化

在繼續處理整形

可放在保鮮盒放冰箱保存

為什麼稱它為“精力丸”?

因為這充滿能量

入口即化的小丸子

含有天然的糖份

芒果乾本身就甜

利用椰子油來定型

椰蓉來增加口感

椰子油充滿熱量及香味

龍舌蘭糖漿為糖份的替代品

椰香 芒果香

嘴纏想吃甜食時

可以試試以這含天然糖份的小小精力丸來滿足甜點慾

同事對這芒果椰子精力丸給予很高的評價呢！