Perfect... Imperfection... Seeking A Balance...

Monday, March 29, 2021

Embrace the Future with Faith

At the time of this writing, my mind is so blank and cannot think of anything else. My car had been involved in an accident this morning, during on my way to office. It was a rainy morning, from morning 8.00am till almost noon.

We were in the Maybank Puchong Jaya to open saving accounts for both Issac and Annabelle. It took us so long time from 9.30am till it is almost 11.30am then just done.

After I sent Alvin back to his office, then I sent both kids back home. Both Alvin and I were late to office. I cannot deny my eagerness that wanted to reach office as soon as possible, and what happened was after I cut into the lane and slowed down. The outcome is the back of my car had been banged by the car behind as the driver couldn't stop his car in time.

After the whole saga, the driver agreed to pay me RM350.00 for settlement, for the cost of making good and reinstate to of my car bumper. I am glad that I got the help and monies that I need for this accident.

Lately, my mind is cluttered with a lot of stuffs – my exercise goal that stopped, cooking and prepare bento for both kids to bring to school, my up-coming BYU-Pathway class that is going to start soon, my current salary that still not up and back to before Covid-19 pandemic time, my Come Follow Me programme that I should follow and study every week, my general conference talks that need to catch up before this coming Easter 2021 General Conference, my photos that need to be tidy up and digitalised, my blog that need to update, my calling that need to work on it more, and so many other things!

I am unable to focus at one thing at a time. This week supposing that I should read President Nelson’s 2 most important talks last October 2020. My life seems like so messy! I feel it is because I do not feel security of the my future.

In the Women Session of General Conference, President Nelson lovingly reiterated the love that he and our Heavenly Father have for the women of this Church.

Embrace the Future with Faith

by President Russell M. Nelson

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“How are we to deal with both the sober prophecies and the glorious pronouncements about our day? The Lord told us how with simple, but stunning, reassurance: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear.”

“If preparation is our key to embracing this dispensation and our future with faith, how can we best prepare?”

“For decades, the Lord’s prophets have urged us to store food, water, and financial reserves for a time of need. The current pandemic has reinforced the wisdom of that counsel. I urge you to take steps to be temporally prepared. But I am even more concerned about your spiritual and emotional preparation.”

He continued to speak of spiritual preparation by referencing Captain Moroni in the Book of Mormon.

Principle Number One: Create Places of Security

“…As turmoil rages around us, we need to create places where we are safe, both physically and spiritually. When your home becomes a personal sanctuary of faith—where the Spirit resides—your home becomes the first line of defense.”

“Likewise, the stakes of Zion are “a refuge from the storm” because they are led by those who hold priesthood keys and exercise priesthood authority. As you continue to follow the counsel of those whom the Lord has authorized to guide you, you will feel greater safety.”

“The temple—the house of the Lord—is a place of security unlike any other. There, you sisters are endowed with priesthood power through the sacred priesthood covenants you make. There, your families are sealed for eternity. Even this year, when access to our temples has been seriously limited, your endowment has given you constant access to God’s power as you have honored your covenants with Him.”

“Simply said, a place of security is anywhere you can feel the presence of the Holy Ghost and be guided by Him. When the Holy Ghost is with you, you can teach truth, even when it runs counter to prevailing opinions. And you can ponder sincere questions about the gospel in an environment of revelation.”

“I invite you, my dear sisters, to create a home that is a place of security. And I renew my invitation for you to increase your understanding of priesthood power and of temple covenants and blessings. Having places of security to which you can retreat will help you embrace the future with faith.”

Principle Number Two: Prepare Your Mind to Be Faithful to God

“Just as the physical foundation of the Salt Lake Temple must be strong enough to withstand natural disasters, our spiritual foundations must be solid. Then, when metaphorical earthquakes rock our lives, we can stand “steadfast and immovable” because of our faith.”

“The Lord taught us how to increase our faith by seeking “learning, even by study and also by faith.” We strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ as we strive to keep His commandments and “always remember him.” Further, our faith increases every time we exercise our faith in Him. That is what learning by faith means.”

“…few things build faith more than does regular immersion in the Book of Mormon. No other book testifies of Jesus Christ with such power and clarity. Its prophets, as inspired by the Lord, saw our day and selected the doctrine and truths that would help us most. The Book of Mormon is our latter-day survival guide.”

“Of course, our ultimate security comes as we yoke ourselves to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! Life without God is a life filled with fear. Life with God is a life filled with peace. This is because spiritual blessings come to the faithful. Receiving personal revelation is one of the greatest of those blessings.”

“The Lord has promised that if we will ask, we may receive “revelation upon revelation.” I promise that as you increase your capacity to receive revelation, the Lord will bless you with increased direction for your life and with boundless gifts of the Spirit.”

Principle Number Three: Never Stop Preparing

“The adversary never stops attacking. So, we can never stop preparing! The more self-reliant we are—temporally, emotionally, and spiritually—the more prepared we are to thwart Satan’s relentless assaults.”

“I am not saying that the days ahead will be easy, but I promise you that the future will be glorious for those who are prepared and who continue to prepare to be instruments in the Lord’s hands.”

“My dear sisters, let us not just endure this current season. Let us embrace the future with faith! Turbulent times are opportunities for us to thrive spiritually. They are times when our influence can be much more penetrating than in calmer times.”

“I promise that as we create places of security, prepare our minds to be faithful to God, and never stop preparing, God will bless us.”

Although this talk already 6 months ago, the counsels, invitations and promises that President Nelson extended are never expired and still in force if we keep on trying our best to do it!

It is just about time for me to prioritise and focus on what is truly important, and seek the best way to balance each one of the my needs according to His will.

Friday, March 26, 2021

Spinach Prawns Spaghetti Bento

I tried another recipes again. This time is spinach prawns spaghetti, chicken popcorn and mashed potatoes!

Spinach Prawns Spaghetti

20210326_064952Ingredients:

  • Spaghetti, 300 grams
  • Prawn oil, 50ml
  • Spinach, 100 grams
  • Garlic, 5 gloves
  • Prawns, 12 pcs
  • Garlic seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon
  • White wine, 1 tablespoon
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Prepare the spaghetti according to the instructions given at the packet. Rinse with cold water after cook it, dried and add in prawn oil and mix well.. Store it in the fridge.
  2. Unfrozen the prawns, prepare for the next day. Wash and cut the spinach ready for the next day.

Actual Day

  1. Take out the prawns, pat dry and sprinkler salt and pepper.
  2. Heat up the frying pan over medium-high heat. Add in the prawn oil, and pan-fry the garlic slices till fragrance. Put in the prawns, pan-fried till cook. Add in the white wine at the side of the pan, add in the spaghetti and stir-fry. Add in the seasoning powder, and the spinach and mix well.

 

Garlic Chicken Popcorn

20210326_065004Ingredients:

  • Chicken breast, 180 grams
  • Salt, little
  • Pepper, little
  • Multipurpose flour, 1 tablespoon
  • Minced garlic, 2 tablespoon
  • A – Sugar, 1 tablespoon
  • A – Soy sauce, ½ tablespoon
  • A – Rice wine, 1 tablespoon

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Cut the chicken breast into bite sizes, season with salt and pepper. Store in the fridge for next day.

Actual Day

  1. Take out the chicken breast, dip with thin layers of multipurpose flour.
  2. Heat up the frying pan, add in more oil as usual, put in the chicken breast, fried till golden colour, take out.
  3. Use the same pan, add in the minced garlic stir-fry till fragrance, add in [A}, cook till the sauce thick then add in the fried chicken breast and mix well.

 

Kyuri Ham Mashed Potatoes

20210326_064945Ingredients:

  • Kyuri or Japanese Cucumber, 1 pc
  • Salt, little
  • Sugar, 1 tablespoon
  • Apple cider, 1 tablespoon
  • Potatoes, 2 pcs
  • Ham, 2 pcs (cut to cube size)
  • A – Butter, 40 grams
  • A – Salt, 1 teaspoon
  • A – Pepper, 1 teaspoon
  • A – Mustard, 1 teaspoon

Preparation: 

Night Before

  1. Wash and cut the Kyuri into thin slices. Mix with salt and let for 10 minutes. Rinse the salt away with clean water. Squeeze the water out. Add in the sugar and apple cider. Mix well and store in the fridge for next day.
  2. Peel off the potatoes skins, cut into cubes, steam the potatoes cubes.
  3. Take out the steamed potatoes, add in [A], and mash the potatoes and mix well. Store it in the fridge.

Actual Day

  1. Take put from fridge, add in the Kyuri cucumber slices, and ham cubes, and gently press it into ball shape.

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For the spaghetti I did add in extra canned mushroom. I had my portion as well today!

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So satisfying when I know that my children love to eat the bento that I prepare for them!

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts Lemon Chicken Bento

Another two new recipes for children's bento today — sautéed brussels sprouts lemon chicken and beef roll sushi.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts Lemon Chicken

20210324_065454Ingredients:

  • Brussel sprouts, 150 grams
  • Chicken stocks, 50ml
  • Chicken chop debone, 2 pcs (about 360 grams)
  • Lemon, 1 pc
  • A – Soy sauce, 1 tablespoon
  • A – Sugar, 1 tablespoon
  • A – Rice wine, 1 tablespoon
  • Salt, little
  • Pepper, little
  • Corn flour, little

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Wash and clean the Brussels sprouts, cut into half per piece.
  2. Heat up the oil, put in all the brussels sprouts and pan-fry till it crisp, add in the salt and pepper, continue to stir-fry. Add in the chicken stocks, and shimmer for about 3 minutes. Open up the pan cover continue to stir fry and its done. Let it cool and store in the fridge for next day.

Actual Day

  1. Cut the chicken chop into bite sizes, add in salt and pepper and marinate about 10 minutes.

  2. Cut the lemon into half. The first half mix together with [A]; second half cut into thin lemon slices and quarter cut again for garnishing purpose.

  3. The chicken chop dip into the corn flour. Heat up the frying pan, put in little bit oil, place the chicken with skin face down onto the frying pan. Pan fry till golden brown, then only turn to the other side and continue to fry till the same.

  4. Add in the lemon mixture sauce, then add in the brussels sprouts, continue to stir-fry till the sauce thicken and it is done.

Beed Sushi Roll

20210324_065505Ingredients:

  • Shabu-shabu beef slices, 180 grams
  • A – Soy sauce, 1 tablespoon
  • A – Sesame oil, 1 tablespoon
  • A – Sugar, 1 tablespoon
  • A – Rice wine, 2 tablespoon
  • A – Chili sauce, to taste
  • Corn flour, 1 teaspoon
  • Eggs, 4 pcs
  • B – Chicken stocks, 25ml
  • B – Sugar, little
  • B – Salt, little
  • Seaweed, 1 pc
  • Kyuri Japanese Cucumber, 2 pcs

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Mixture [A] together with the Shabu-shabu beef slices, marinate overnight and store in the fridge.

  2. Beaten the eggs, add in the mixture [B] mix well, and make the tamago. Cut the tamago to slices after cooling, and store in the fridge for next day.

Actual Day

  1. Take out the marinated beef slices, add in the cornflour.

  2. Heat up the oil, put in the beef slices and stir-fry till cook. Let cool.

  3. Cut the kyuri into thin slices.

  4. Roll out the sushi roll mat, put the seaweed sheet on top. put a layer of white rice, add in the tamago, beef slices and cucumber slices. Roll up the sushi from bottom till top. Let it cool down for 3 minutes and cut the sushi.

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On top of that, I add in the stir-fry shimeji with Worcester sauce as well, which I did last week. I am getting more and more love to prepare the lunch for children to bring to school now, even though I know that there are a lot of rooms for improvement ^^

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Saturday, March 20, 2021

A New Normal

From his talk, we can know that President Nelson has so much optimism for the future and it gives so much hope!

A New Normal

by President Russell M. Nelson

He begin by expressing his concern for all of us:

“I have asked the Lord to help me understand what you are feeling, worrying about, or trying to resolve. I have wondered what I might say to conclude this conference that would send you forth with the optimism about the future that I know the Lord wants you to feel.”

“We live in a glorious age, foreseen by prophets for centuries. This is the dispensation when no spiritual blessing will be withheld from the righteous. Despite the world’s commotion, the Lord would have us look forward to the future “with joyful anticipation.”

“Let us not spin our wheels in the memories of yesterday. The gathering of Israel moves forward. The Lord Jesus Christ directs the affairs of His Church, and it will achieve its divine objectives.”

President Nelson knows our challenges is to make certain that each of us will achieve our divine potential.

“If you really want to embrace a new normal, I invite you to turn your heart, mind, and soul increasingly to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Let that be your new normal.”

He outlines some actions steps for us to embrace our new normal:

  1. Repenting daily.
  2. Seek to be increasingly pure in thought, word, and deed.
  3. Minister to others.
  4. Keep an eternal perspective.
  5. Magnify your callings.
  6. And whatever your challenges, my dear brothers and sisters, live each day so that you are more prepared to meet your Maker.
  7. Build and maintain yourself so you can be worthy to enter the holy temple.

I know that as I follow the Prophet and do all these things, I can gain the power to embrace the new normal that has been put upon us in these times.

He leaves a beautiful blessing upon us,

“I bless you to be filled with the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ. His peace is beyond all mortal understanding. I bless you with an increased desire and ability to obey the laws of God. I promise that as you do, you will be showered with blessings, including greater courage, increased personal revelation, sweeter harmony in your homes, and joy even amid uncertainty.”

“May we go forward together to fulfill our divine mandate—that of preparing ourselves and the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.”

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Friday, March 19, 2021

Fish Fillet with Orange Sauce Bento

Fish fillet with orange sauce and the sautéed French beans are the additional two new recipe that I tried out today.

Fish Fillet with Orange Sauce

IMG_7212Ingredients:

  • Fish Fillets, 300 grams
  • Salt, little to taste
  • Pepper, little to taste
  • Corn flour, little
  • Orange peels, little
  • A – Orange juice, ½ pc
  • A – Sugar, 1 tablespoon
  • A – Soy sauce, ½ teaspoon

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Ready for Mixture [A]. Defrost the fish fillets to get ready for the next day.

Actual Day

  1. Cut the fish fillets into bite sizes, season with salt and peppers for 10 minutes.

  2. Dip the seasoned fish fillets into the corn flours.

  3. Heat up the frying pan, put the coated corn flour fish fillets into the hot oil, frying till both sides turns golden brown.

  4. Turn the fire to low heat, add in the mixture [A], till the gravy thicken and take out, garnish with some orange peels if you like.

Sautéed French Beans

IMG_7212Ingredients:

  • French beans, 150 grams
  • Salt, to taste
  • Olive oil, little

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Wash and cut the French beans into 5cm lengths, store in the fridge.

Actual Day

  1. Boil a pot of hot water, add in some salt, add in the French beans for 1 minutes.
  2. Take out rinse. Add in some salt and olive oil and mix well.
  3. I did some changes as I use the olive oil to stir-fry the garlic slices till fragrance and I used the oil to mix the French beans.

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On top of that, I cooked tamagoyaki. I cooked the tamagoyaki same as few days back the Okra Tamagoyaki, just without tamagoyaki only. There were still some bean sprouts salads, salt pepper fried tofu, and pan-fried pumpkin slices in the fridge, thus I just took it out and add into the bento.

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Thursday, March 18, 2021

Korean BBQ Beef Bibimbap Bento

Today I tried something new again for children's bento — Korean BBQ Beef. I think it is normal that Korean dish would definitely comes with a few side dishes, and I think this new recipe that I learned is more like the Korean famous Bibimbap.

Korean BBQ Beef Bibimbap

20210318_070246Ingredients:

  • Shabu-shabu beef slices, 180 grams
  • A – Soy sauce, 1 tablespoon
  • A – Sesame oil, 1 tablespoon
  • A – Sugar, 1 tablespoon
  • A – Rice wine, 2 tablespoon
  • A – Chili sauce, to taste
  • Corn flour, 1 teaspoon
  • Onion, 1/4 pc

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Mixture [A] marinate the shabu-shabu beef slices, and store in the fridge for next day.

Actual Day

  1. Take out the marinated beef slices, pour in the corn flour and mix together.

  2. Heat up the oil in a frying pan over high heat. Stir-fry the cut onion until it turns translucent, then add in the marinated beef slices. Stir=fry till cook and transfer to plate for cooling.

Bean Sprout Salad

20210318_070251Ingredients:

  • Bean Sprouts, 180grams
  • A - Salt, ½ tablespoon
  • A -Pepper, 1 teaspoon
  • A - Minced garlic, 1 teaspoon
  • A - Sesame oil, 1 tablespoon

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Wash and clean the bean sprout, boiled about 500ml water. Once the water starts to boil, plunge the bean sprouts into the pot and leave them according to the size of bean sprouts. Dain the water and run cold water on the sprouts, and remove the excess water out. Put into the fridge prepare for next day.

   Actual Day

  1. Take out the bean sprouts, and add in the dressing [A], mix them well.

 

Seasoned Spinach Salad

20210318_070235Ingredients:

  • Spinach, 100grams
  • A – Japanese less salty soy sauce, 1 tablespoon
  • A - Sugar, 1 teaspoon
  • A - Minced garlic, 1 teaspoon
  • A - Sesame oil, 1 tablespoon
  • White sesame seeds, little
  • Bonito flakes, little

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Wash and clean the spinach and cut into half, boiled the water. Once the water starts to boil, plunge the bean sprouts into the pot and leave them about 30 seconds. Drain the water and run cold water on the spinach, and remove the excess water out. The spinach cut into 3 - 4 cm length, and store them into the fridge prepare for next day.

   Actual Day

  1. Take out the spinach, and add in the dressing [A], top with bonito flakes and white sesame seeds.

 

Salt and Pepper Fried Tofu

20210318_070237Ingredients:

  • Fried Tofu, 6 pcs
  • Garlic, 3 slices
  • Black pepper, ½ tablespoon
  • Salt, 1 tablespoon
  • Chili, 1 pc

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Cut the fried tofu into stick shape, cut the chili into smaller pieces.

   Actual Day

  1. Heat up the frying pan, stir-fry garlic till fragrance. Add in the tofu and fried till golden colour.
  2. Add in salt and black pepper stir-fry, before take out add in the chilies and stir-fry till fragrance.

 

Sunny Side up Eggs

20210318_070239Ingredients:

  • Eggs, 2 pcs

Preparation:

Actual Day

  1. Heat up the frying pan. Heat the oil until slightly shimmering, then crack an egg into the pan. Lower down the heat, let the egg cook for about 3 –5 minutes and it is done.

It is consider quite a lot of works to be done, but if prepare it the night before would definitely reduce a lot of cooking on the actual day. I did add in some pan-fried pumpkin slices. Both kids came back and told me that the portion was big and they can hardly finish their lunch!

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Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Deep-fry Shrimp Paste Chicken Bento

I saw there is a bottle of shrimp paste in the fridge, so I look for recipes on how to use that shrimp paste.Finally I came across a recipe like this online that I can try.

Deep-fry Shrimp Paste Chicken

20210317_070451Ingredients:

  • Chicken wings, 6 pairs
  • A – Shrimp paste, 1 tablespoon
  • A – Sesame oil, 1 teaspoon
  • A – Sugar, 1 teaspoon
  • A – Pepper, 1 teaspoon
  • A - Water, 200ml
  • Eggs, 2 pcs
  • Corn flour, 500 grams

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Use a scissor and cut the fresh between the wings and drumettes slowly, prepare for marinate.
  2. Take out a Ziploc bag, put the chicken wings and the mixture [A] in and make sure all parts of the chicken wings are marinate well. Store in the fridge prepare for next day.

Actual Day

  1. Take out the marinated chicken wings, coat with corn flours.

  2. Heat up the oil in a frying pan over high heat. deep-fry the chicken wings till golden brown and crispy.

Butter Lotus Roots

20210317_070451Ingredients:

  • Tiny wings, 6 pcs
  • Lotus roots, 100 grams
  • A – Butter, 5 grams
  • A – Salt, 1 teaspoon
  • A - Sugar, 1 teaspoon

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Wash and clean the small wings, put into 600ml of water, low heat to boil the water for 30 minutes, make it into chicken stocks.

  2. Peel of the lotus roots skin, wash clean, and cut into about 0.7cm thick slices. And cut into quarter for every slice.

  3. Take about 300ml chicken stocks, add in the cut lotus roots and cook for another 10 minutes. Turn off the fire, let cool and keep in the fridge. Keep the rest of the 300ml chicken stocks.

Actual Day

  1. Take out the lotus roots, and put into the bento box.

 

Tamagoyaki Lady Fingers / Okra

20210317_070740Ingredients:

  • Lady Fingers, 8 pcs
  • Eggs, 4 pcs
  • A – Salt, little
  • A - Sugar, 1 teaspoon
  • A – Stocks, 20ml

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Wash and clean the lady fingers using salt to remove the outer hair, and remove the stem of okra.

Actual Day

  1. Beat the eggs, add in the mixture [A].
  2. Heat up the Tamagoyaki frying pan, add in a bit oil, add in the beaten eggs, and place 4 pcs of okra onto the egg sheet. Use the spatula to roll up the okras together with the cook egg, and wrap the whole okras up.
  3. Push down the eggs, and add more beaten eggs into the pan, keep on the rolling and wrapping method.
  4. Take out and let cool, and cut the tamagoyaki okra into half.

 

Broccoli with Corn

20210317_070745Ingredients:

  • Broccoli, 1 pc
  • Sweet corn in kennel, ½ can
  • Garlic, few slices
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Night Before

  1. Wash clean and cut broccoli into florets, store in the fridge for next day.

Actual Day

  1. Boil a pot of water, add in some salt, and put the cut broccoli florets into the boiled water for 45 seconds, take out and rinse with cold water and let dry.
  2. Heat up the frying pan, stir-fry the garlic slices till fragrance, add in the sweet corn kennels, and add in the broccoli, finally add in the salt and pepper to taste. It’s done and let cool.

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There are some of the new dish that I learned today too: okra or lady fingers tamagoyaki, butter sautéed lotus roots and stir-fry broccoli with corn.

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So satisfy with a table full of my cooking ^^