steamed
february 02, 2007
i haven't been excited about an appliance in a long long time. well at least
one
that's not an electronic gadget that is; but i don't think they're considered
appliances in most households right? i recently bought myself the oster
steamer because i've been eyeing one ever since i noticed one at my brother's
house. it looks so easy and effortless to make meals while keeping it healthy.
it's a 6 quart size no less and what a steal at $29.99! i know i know...some
of you frugal ones are probably saying to yourself "why dont you just
use a double boiler? it's the same damn thing." yeah i know that. i'm
chinese remember? we steam everything from lop cheung to char siu baos to
dried scallops to fish for god sakes. of course i know you can use a double
boiler! but the steamer is so easy to cook in, clean up and *drumroll*...you
can see what you're cooking. shit, why do i need to justify anything to you
anyway? i actually haven't used it yet but i read the whole manual (i do that
for everything i buy, it's a sickness) and i'm going to start making dinner
with it tomorrow.
i'm hoping the steamer will help me cook a lot of good things that's good for my health as well. i actually got the book the gi diet a couple years back and started reading it but never put it to use. but recently, i dusted (how sad) it off and read through the whole thing in a day. i've never been one to follow those faddy diets or ones that are really complicated with stuff to measure, weigh (whaddya mean i need a scale for my almond?) and sort out or the ones where you only eat proteins! how weird is that. aren't they constipated? but this gi diet is so what i want to strive for in my life.
because my mom has type 2 diabetes, i'm prone to have it as well since i'm overweight already. and with the number of health issues i've been dealing with for so long in these past few years (endometriosis, allergies, tendonitis, etc etc), i really need to get serious about doing this for myself. the gi diet focuses on eating foods with a low glycemic index - which is especially beneficial for those who have diabetes and such. the way of eating can't be simpler to understand and the list of things to eat is pretty diverse. don't worry, i'm not going to preach about anything here aside from noting it for the record that i am trying to eat better, get healthier and not get any worse. i haven't been excited about something like this in a long time AND i haven't even begun to lose any weight yet. :p so anyway, i hope my friends who read this and usually go out to eat with me will help support me because there's nothing more that i would like than to be healthy again and free from illnesses. and i'm sure you want that for me too.
now whether or not i can do this is still up for speculation but we shall see. haha. i guess it's time to really bust out those creative cooking skills now.
ok, end of public service announcement.
:: ::
since i came down with that trigger finger thing, i was advised to not knit for a bit and to keep from doing things that are too repetitive on the hand/fingers. so i've resorted to my other love....reading. i've been reading nonstop for the past week + on the following and i'm not stopping either. it's like the insatiable appetite of the reading beast has been unleashed.
moloka'i by alan brennart - this has got to be one of the BEST books i've read in years! i mean, it may one of the best books i've ever read. but then again, it's because i love hawaii, its culture and history. and i've always been fascinated with the history of the leprosy colony on moloka'i. but i have to say that the author, did an amazing job at weaving an epic novel about the life of a 7 year old girl diagnosed with leprosy. the story takes her from her youth into her old age and all her trials and adversities she had to overcome through her lifetime. set in the late 1800's, the story also delves into the colonialization of hawai'i and the downfall of the hawaiian monarchy. and ok, i did cry. :p but read it, you will not be disappointed.....it's such an AMAZING story. <3 it.
love made of heart by teresa leyung ryan - i don't think i've ever read an asian american novel or any novel for that matter where the author wrote in short little blocks of events within each chapter. it's almost like ADD but somehow it works. i won't say it was an amazing book but it was good book focusing on domestic violence in a chinese family and also about those suffering from psychiatric problems as well. the story is about ruby lin and her life growing up in a family where domestic abuse was tolerated and about her mother eventually succumbing to psychiatric issues. although domestic abuse is a somewhat common theme in asian american writings, i have to say that there hasn't been enough about psychiatric issues and asians going to therapy. it's always been taboo but this story makes it not so. and i cried a lot in this one too. :p
rain fall (the john rain series) by barry eisler - those who know me, know that i love books set in japan. i also love myseries and thrillers. stories of intrigue filled with assasins and yakuza. barry eisler takes all those ingredients and throws them in one book under the john rain series. rain fall is the first of the series followed by 4 sequels. it's about john rain, a hapa assasin no less, whose adventures through tokyo takes him through some very high tech surveillance, danger, martial arts, the art of killing, japanese culture and let's not forget some love as well. i wasn't sure how i would like the first novel so i got that first. but all i can say that i purchased the next 3 shortly before finishing it. the story is full of details yet isn't overwhelming for those who don't understand the japanese culture or language. it's just a great exciting story for those who always wanted to be an assasin. :p read it, i think you'll like it.
yarn harlot by stephanie pearl-mcphee - those who don't like knitting or yarn would probably not understand the humor in stephanie's writing but i think it's a great read for those who want to understand why their wife or girlfriend (or husband or boyfriend or simply a friend for that matter) is so obsessed with knitting. she breaks things down into small chapters focusing on a particular topic. very funny writing indeed. of course, it's a hilarious read for those who do know how to knit and is obsessed with yarn. but it's a good book to pass onto those who shake their head at you when you look at your mountain of yarn in those plastic bins and say outloud "i don't have any yarn to knit with!!!"
currently listening to: corrinne may, every beat of my heart
