My Relationship with Food

I love food and thus, cannot remember a time in my adult life when I was thin.

I would love to be dramatic and say that I have a love-hate relationship with food; but I don't.  I simply love food.  That's all.  I don't hate food, I am always wanting to taste new food and cook new food.  And of course, the old ones too.

In Singapore, there are 2 favourite pastimes - shopping and eating.  You already know I am not that big a fan of shopping (unless it is food), but I am a HUGE fan of eating, despite struggling with my self image.  Food in Singapore is readily available 24 x 7.  Be it the fine dining restaurants in hotels, or the coffee shops in Geylang, you can always find food almost anywhere and at anytime.

As a child, with my father being the sole breadwinner, money was carefully budgeted and used.  My mother was and still is, a fairly frugal person.  However, when it comes to food, they never stinge.  They put the best quality food they can afford on the table.  I was never hungry and even tasted lots of fantastic dishes that my mother cooked.  It was the best cut of threadfin fish to steam or the freshest chicken parts for the curry.  Even the condiments in my childhood home was of the best quality they can muster.

Fast forward, I am now a mother.  I learnt from my parents' great influence and get the best food money can buy for my family.  My children eats the most interesting food along side the traditional ones.  They love the chicken curry I cook and also the new recipe for Mexican Pork wraps that I made one Sunday.  They get roast chicken with mushy peas lunch or they traditional Cantonese double-boiled soup with dinner.  My husband, who is my equal in loving food, joins the children in giving me feedback on what works for them and what does not.  The result is a repertoire of dishes that are refined and requested frequently.

As a working mother, I often have to come up with quick and easy meals for my large family of 6.  Any recipes that require less than an hour to prepare and serve are favourites.  Stay tuned as I share some of my experiences in managing that area of my home life in future blogs.  For a start, here's a perennial favourite with my kids - tuna fish sandwiches, served with chips and chocolate milk.

Tuna Fish Sandwiches
1 can tun fish flakes (I use chunks but I break them up with a fork)
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
1 and 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 lemon, juice of
a pinch of salt
a dash of pepper (or as much as you like)
margarine/butter for bread (depends on which camp you are on, optional)

1.  Mix everything except margarine/butter in a container with a cover.  The cover is important as you can then refrigerate unused portions for later.

2.  Cover and chill in fridge for at least half hour.  Sometimes the kids cannot wait so we eat it unchilled but it taste better if left for a while to cool off in the fridge.

3.  Spread a thin layer of margarine/butter on sliced bread, topped with a layer of the tuna mayo mixture.  Serve with regular chips or tortilla chips and a glass of milk.  Another good tip is to toast the bread first before layering.

There you go.  I have done this many times for lunch with great success.  To make it a bit more sophisticated for the adults, you can add in lettuce and sliced tomatoes and serve it with a green salad instead.  Change the milk for juice/your favourite beverage, and voila, you have a nutritious and delicious lunch!  Enjoy!